The call, in the blink of an eye
Pre-incubation
ICC
Twelve countries
Objective of the Afrique Créative program
Support the emergence of cultural and creative industries (CCI), which create jobs, generate growth and bring change.
Objective of this call
Identify a pool of entrepreneurs who can join the Afrique Créative acceleration program
The key is the pre-incubation phase (3 months)
- A technical support, in terms of strengthening entrepreneurial capacities, led by a local incubator
- E-learning training common to the entire cohort on various subjects (HR management, marketing, etc.)
- The possibility of pitch your acceleration project in front of a jury made up of cultural, institutional players and investors, who selects the 15 best projects for the rest of the program (technical support and financial support – for more information: HERE
Target audience : Cultural and creative businesses
Target countries : South Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Republic of Guinea (Conakry), Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal and Tunisia .
Number of entrepreneurs selected for the pre-incubation phase : at least two per country.
The call for applications closed on November 15, 2023.
Selection process
The selection of candidates will take place as follows:
- Checking Eligibility : Only complete files that meet the eligibility criteria are retained for the next stage.
- Ratings by national juries: Applications will be evaluated by national juries composed of a representative of the local partner incubator, a representative of France's external cultural action (AFD, French Institute, SCAC), and a partner involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem (recognized entrepreneur in the cultural and creative industries, investment funds, etc.).
- Pre-selection: Based on the evaluations of the national juries, a central committee chaired by the AFD will select the 30 entrepreneurs who will participate in the pre-incubation phase.
- Selection: At the end of the pre-incubation period, entrepreneurs present their business to a jury made up of cultural, institutional players and investors, who select the 15 projects with the greatest creative and economic potential.
- Announcement of the 15 winners : end of May 2024, announcement of entrepreneurs joining the incubation program (technical support and subsidy).
Eligibility and selection criteria
To be eligible, candidates must meet the following conditions:
- To be a cultural and/or creative structure, active in one of the sectors such as design, audiovisual or musical production, performing arts, etc. (non-exhaustive list)
- To be a private legal entity (company, association, etc.)
- Be established in one of the following 12 countries: South Africa ; Benin; Cameroon; Ivory Coast ; Ghana; Republic of Guinea (Conakry); Kenya; Morocco ; Uganda; Democratic Republic of Congo ; Senegal; Tunisia
- Existed since minimum 2 years
- Be legally registered with the competent national authorities and have legal status as well as a governance body (board of directors, management committee, etc.)
- Having completed the application file and provided all the requested documents – in French or English
Candidates who are not eligible
- Individual applications
- Associations that do not present an economic model or profitability objective
- Public or parapublic organizations (state enterprises, government agencies, public schools, etc.).
The rating grids for applications will be based on the following criteria:
- Positioning and contribution to the cultural and creative sector
- Social and environmental impact and contribution to sustainable development goals
- Organizational maturity and management capabilities
- Potential of the economic model and scaling strategy
- Usefulness of the Creative Africa program and development potential
Find the program presentation videos in French and English on the page Facebook Creative Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions answers
Why should I apply to Afrique Créative?
Afrique Créative is an acceleration program aimed at companies in the African cultural and creative industries. The program offers access to funding in the form of a grant between €30,000 and €60,000 as well as business and creative support for the implementation of an acceleration project.
The objective is to strengthen the capacities of entrepreneurs, support them in their scaling up and prepare them for future fundraising.
Is the program free?
Yes, the program is completely free.
Will my expenses (travel, etc.) be covered during the program?
Yes. Costs related to Afrique Créative will be covered for the duration of the program. This includes participation in at least one boot camp face-to-face (travel, accommodation, etc.)
I have lived in the Republic of Guinea (Conakry) for 10 years, but I am not Guinean, can I apply to Afrique Créative?
Yes, the eligibility criterion concerns the country where the structure is established and not the nationality of the project leader.
What is a structure in the scaling-up phase?
A scaling-up organization has already passed the start-up phase and is looking to scale up quickly to reach its full potential. The structure already has a proven business model and a solid customer base, and is experiencing rapid and sustained growth for several consecutive years.
I did not understand the aspects related to the budget that one must present to apply for the program. (In particular the 1/3 own contribution).
The equivalent of 1/3 of the budget must be provided by the entrepreneur in equity during the program. This contribution of equity can be made through the financing of human resources, rent, communication media, etc. For example, for an acceleration project budgeted at 70,000 euros, Afrique Créative can contribute a maximum of 46,700 euros and the entrepreneur will have to contribute up to 23,300 euros. You can value part of the salaries and rents depending on what activities your project includes.
Can 1/3 of the personal contribution already be invested at the time of application?
No, the personal contribution cannot already be invested at the time of application. It must be part of the acceleration project developed during the duration of the program.
I am self-employed, am I eligible for the program?
Unfortunately no. The call is intended for companies and individual applications are not eligible. This status does not a priori make it possible to recruit other people or achieve significant turnover. However, Afrique Créative aims to accelerate the growth of incubated companies in order to have a socio-economic impact including in particular the creation of value and jobs.
Can I apply with two project leaders?
Yes it's possible. However, it will be necessary to identify at least 1 reference person.
What do you mean by cultural and creative enterprise?
In the context of this call for applications, “a cultural or creative enterprise” is:
- An organization which has an economic model allowing it to generate its own income and not to depend on subsidies in a structural manner
- An organization active in a cultural and/or creative sector: Radio; Music ; Movie theater ; Television; Scenic arts ; Design; Craftsmanship ; Fashion ; Visual arts ; Photography
- An organization that has a strong social and economic impact: job creation, innovation, etc.
I have been in business for many years but have only been registered for a year. Can I apply?
Unfortunately no. The program is aimed at businesses that have been legally registered for at least two years.
Are associations eligible? / What legal statuses are authorized to apply?
Candidate structures must be companies, that is to say structures which generate their own income through the sale of products and/or services and are not structurally dependent on external subsidies. Many entrepreneurial structures with a social purpose begin by adopting an associative legal status before creating a legal entity such as an SARL or SA for example. We therefore give the opportunity to structures aiming to become real companies to apply even if their legal form is currently an associative form.
According to this criterion, an association presenting an economic model and aiming to become a commercial enterprise can therefore be eligible.
The selection criteria which will make it possible to evaluate the applications clearly state:
- Organizational maturity and management capabilities
- Potential of the business model
Applicants will therefore have to demonstrate their ability to generate their own income and not structurally rely on public funds/subsidies.
At what level of development must my business be to be eligible?
The objective of Afrique Créative is the acceleration of entrepreneurial structures active in the cultural and creative field; which have significant potential in terms of income generation, job creation and which demonstrate a desire and capacity to move to another scale.
The structure must have 2 years of legal existence but there is no minimum level of turnover or customers. The structure must show evolution.
Evaluation criteria include:
– Organizational maturity and management capabilities
– Potential of the business model
Candidates will therefore have to demonstrate that they are already active in their field, have acquired a certain experience and have the ambition to further develop their activities as well as their ability to generate their own income and not to rely structurally on public funds / subsidies. These criteria are detailed in the “Call 2023” tab.
Can you explain the difference between pre-incubation, incubation and acceleration?
Preincubation, incubation and acceleration are the three phases that make up the program.
The pre-incubation phase lasts three months and involves 30 entrepreneurs. The company is supported by a local SAE to rework its acceleration project and the associated budget, and to prepare to pitch in front of a jury.
The incubation phase lasts twelve months and is aimed at companies selected at the end of the first phase. The company is supported by a local SAE and a creative mentor who help and support it in the implementation of its acceleration project.
All the details can be found on the site.
Is participation in bootcamps and e-learning course mandatory?
Yes. Grant disbursements are conditional on attendance at bootcamps and online courses.
Based on what criteria will applications be evaluated?
The rating grids for applications will be based on the following criteria:
- Positioning and contribution to the cultural and creative sector
- Social and environmental impact and contribution to sustainable development goals
- Organizational maturity and management capabilities
- Potential of the economic model and scaling strategy
- Usefulness of the Creative Africa program and development potential
What do we take into account when we talk about impact?
Impact in the program is considered in its broad sense of taking into account environmental, social and governance issues, both with customers, suppliers and employees: products or services having an environmental impact, job creation, etc.
When will the results be announced?
Results for candidates pre-selected will be announced END January 2024.
What types of documents are expected for financial statements?
Ideally, audited accounts. In the absence of audited accounts, a document (excel or pdf) presenting the current financial situation of the company: how much money the company generates and spends, what the company owns and how much it owes.
Can we insert several documents per section? (e.g. “images/videos”)
You can either:
- Insert a zipped file with the different files (max 10MB)
- Group all documents into a single file (word, pdf, powerpoint)
If you encounter a significant technical problem, please notify us well in advance to find a solution.
What is the maximum grant budget and how does it affect the overall project budget?
The maximum grant budget is EUR 60,000, which means that the overall project budget can reach up to EUR 90,000. Participants are required to contribute 1/3 of this budget, which is equivalent to EUR 30,000. Additionally, out of the EUR 60,000 grant, EUR 10,000 is allocated to support the local incubator to help the project.
What type of engagement letter should I provide with my application?
The commitment letter is a one-page document in which you agree, if your project is selected, to participate in all activities of this program. The template for the commitment letter is available on our website Internet dans the list of the annexes. You must download it and attach it to your application.
What do you mean by “evolution of my structure”?
The “evolution of my structure” document is a table to fill in regarding the evolution of your business. The template is available on our website Internet in the list of annexes. You must download it and attach it to your application.
