Future of Work Africa 2021

Supporting for-profit, market-based Future of Work solutions in Africa

Village Capital, with the support of IFC, is launching Future of Work Africa 2021 – an accelerator supporting and scaling startups across Sub-Saharan Africa that help young people find jobs, build careers, and prepare for the future of work.

Africa’s workforce is projected to be the largest in the world in the coming decades, with hundreds of millions of people below the age of 25 starting to look for work. But there are simply not enough quality jobs for this young and growing population. Nearly half of young people on the continent are unemployed, and in some countries, more than four out of five work in the informal sector, with fluctuating incomes and few if any benefits. While agriculture has long been the continent’s top sector, more and more of Africa’s population is moving to urban areas, where jobs in the formal sector are in short supply.

Our accelerator will support entrepreneurs of early-stage ventures building for-profit, market-based solutions across the education, employment, and benefits spectrum that can help young people in Sub-Saharan Africa better prepare for and manage the future of work. Participants can expect our renowned investment readiness curriculum, engagement with mentors and investors, and peer collaboration


ELIGIBILITY

Ventures must address youth unemployment through the following: 

  • Innovations like upskilling/reskilling programs
  • Credentialing programs
  • New approaches to apprenticeship or employment matching
  • Financial health for informal workers, and/or
  • Edtech.

THE WORKSHOPS

Future of Work Africa 2021 will host two cohorts, each cohort will have between 10 and 15 entrepreneurs. We are not sure yet if the program will be in person or virtual. A decision will be made as we approach the workshop dates.

Cohort 1

Sprint Week: May 3-7

Work Week 1: Jun 2-4

Work Week 2: Jun 29- Jul 1

Work Week 3: Jul 27-29

Closing Week: Aug 23-27

Cohort 2

Sprint Week: May 17-21

Work Week 1: Jun 15-17

Work Week 2: Jul 13-15

Work Week 3: Aug 10-12

Closing Week: Sept 13-17

The deadline to apply for this program (for both cohorts)  is January 22, 2021.

Overview

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January 22, 2021
Program dates May 10 - Jun 25, 2021
Organizer Village Capital
Targets Africa
Sectors
Creative, media and entertainment, Diversified services, E-learning, EdTech, Education, HealthTech, ICT

Team

Portfolio

Name Country Sector(s)
Fundi App
Makes Life Easy
Tanzania, United Republic of Construction, Mobile, Real estate
ACE Smart Technologies Ltd
E-Learning
Zambia Education, Educational products, Educational servi…
ICT for Development Kenya
Training rural youth on technology for job creation
Kenya Education, Educational products, Educational servi…
Mosabi
Embedded upskilling for financial and platform journeys
Sierra Leone E-learning, Fintech, Machine learning
UrbanSense App
Solutions at your fingertips
South Africa Business services, Diversified services, Smart cit…
CoffeeChat
Speak with coaches & experts across emerging markets.
Mauritius Consulting and business development, HR and recrui…
Angaza Elimu
Delivering personalized and mastery-based learning experince
Kenya E-learning, Software as a Service
BeSingularity Sales tech Solution Plc
SalesSolution for Business
Ethiopia HR and recruitment
Sewema
We help african entrepreneurs build hight growth startups
Benin Education
Irawo
Where creators succeed together
Benin Creative, media and entertainment, Education
Ecomake Innovations
Raising changemakers and green entrepreneurs for the sdg
Ghana Educational services, Manufacturing
Utiva
Helping People Move Into Tech. Giving talents a global advantage
Nigeria E-learning, Educational products
Tustawi Professional Education Ltd.
Digitised higher learning that is relevant, affordable, and engaging
Kenya E-learning, Educational products, Educational serv…
Worknasi Plus
Freelancing and Remote working marketplace and tools
Tanzania, United Republic of Business services, Educational services, Informati…
Irawo Africa
...the beauty of African fashion
Nigeria Clothing and textiles production, Fashion
Afrilearn
World-class education for Africans anywhere.
Nigeria Education, Educational products, Educational servi…

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