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Ecosystem

We are a venture studio. We create startups, provide expertise, co-invest and rapidly launch ideas to market. Founded in 2020 by Solomon Kassa (TV Personality, tech consultant, strategist, author, and public speaker), we aspire to be the fastest launch pad for disruptive innovations and businesses from Ethiopia that will champion wealth creation, digital transformation, and employment.

ALX Ethiopia is a leading training provider equipping young Ethiopians with in-demand skills for the digital economy. We offer a range of programs across technology, creative fields, and professional development, all designed to accelerate learners’ careers and prepare them for real-world opportunities. If you are ready to build practical skills and grow your career, ALX is the place to start. Apply today and begin your journey.

We’re an early-stage VC looking for people committed to turning their ambitious ideas into game-changing businesses for Africa. If you're an early-stage venture looking for your first capital, or just have an idea in the making, Antler is the right place for you to bring that venture to the next level! Our Africa VC fund is sector-agnostic and funds scalable tech- and tech-light innovation for Africa. We invest up to $250k, split into an initial ticket of $100k for 10% equity plus an additional pre-committed $150k to match your next VC-led funding round and terms. In addition, we offer all founders (whether funded or not) more than $850k in tech credits, free office space in our founder community at ABC Place, and access to Antler’s global network of mentors, investors, and fellow founders!

Creative Hub Ethiopia (CHE) is the nation's leading platform dedicated to empowering the creative and cultural industries. We provide a dynamic ecosystem where Ethiopia's vibrant talent in fashion, design, digital arts, gaming, and innovation can connect, create, and thrive.

Dashen Bank S.C. is one of Ethiopia's leading private commercial banks, established in 1995 following the liberalization of the country's banking sector. The bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services, including retail banking, corporate banking, SME financing, international banking, trade finance, digital banking, and mobile payment solutions. With an extensive nationwide branch network and a strong focus on innovation, Dashen Bank has been a pioneer in introducing modern banking technologies in Ethiopia. The bank serves individuals, businesses, and institutions, playing a significant role in supporting Ethiopia's economic growth, financial inclusion, and private sector development.

Global development nonprofit using technology and data to improve smallholder farmer livelihoods, active across Africa and Asia including Ethiopia.

Research organisation building voice-first technology, open datasets, and transparent digital infrastructure for smallholder farmers in underserved agricultural value chains, with a focus on East Africa.

The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund ( EDTF ) brings Ethiopians across the world together to support community-led and innovation-driven progress at home. We are focused on building systems, opportunities, and futures that promote the strength and potential of Ethiopia. Alongside schools, clinics and clean water systems, EDTF has funded 18 Ethiopian startups.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) supports entrepreneurship in Ethiopia through private sector development projects, vocational training, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) financing. Initiatives focus on boosting job creation, strengthening digital skills, and empowering women and young business owners across urban and post-conflict regions

The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates projects and programs in 200 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems that create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. Its extensive footprint of national operations and global verticals in policy, research and programs ensures members have uncommon access to the most relevant knowledge, networks, communities and programs relative to size of economy, maturity of ecosystem, language, culture, geography and more.

We connect people all over the world. As a cultural institution of the Federal Republic of Germany, we promote cultural exchange, education and societal discourse in an international context, and support the teaching and learning of the German language. Together with our partners, we focus on global opportunities and challenges, bringing different perspectives into a dialogue based on trust. We regard the ability to listen and to reflect as the key to understanding. We are bound by principles of transparency, diversity and sustainability. These principles characterise our services and our way of working.

Google's global program connecting startups with its people, products, and best practices — including equity-free support, mentorship, and Google Cloud credits.

Habesha Creative Lab is Ethiopia’s leading incubator, driving innovation in animation, gaming, AI, virtual reality, and digital creativity. Based at Alliance Ethio-Française in Addis Ababa, we provide mentorship, funding opportunities, and state-of-the-art resources to help creators transform their ideas into impactful, sustainable businesses. Our mission is to empower Ethiopian creatives with the tools and network they need to thrive in the global creative economy. By bridging culture and technology, we are shaping Ethiopia’s future as a hub for digital innovation.

We amplify founders and organizations through professional support and consultancy. We are co-creation space which facilitates technological innovations, creative projects, and startups support.

Jasiri is an impact-focused talent enabler that backs exceptional African talent who want to build — whether they are pre-team, pre-idea, or have a venture ready for growth — by providing intelligent capital, infrastructure, and guidance all the way to scale.

LinkUp Addis is a media and event organizing company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We pride ourselves as the pioneering online magazine publisher in the country titled LinkUp Addis, a monthly event, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine that has been in the market since July 2018. Since our establishment, we have worked with several local and international businesses, personalities, and initiatives imprinting a visible mark in the fast-evolving Ethiopian online media landscape. We have recently restructured our operations to embrace online broadcasting into our range of services. Besides that, we are building a creative platform, The Hub, with a mission to be the leading online platform for aspiring young creatives and media personalities in Ethiopia, Eastern Africa, and beyond. Apart from our existing platforms, we are at the final stages of finalizing our eCommerce projects Symmart and Afromile.

The Mastercard Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. The Foundation has offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa.

NVIDIA's free program for AI and technology startups — offering technical training, preferred pricing on hardware and software, GPU/cloud credits, and go-to-market support.

Orbit Innovation Hub is a dynamic and innovative organization that strives to create a supportive and nurturing environment for startups and Micro, Small, and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs). We offer a range of services aimed at incubating and accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship.

Blockchain and Web3 accelerator building a global hub that connects startups, business, government, and academia. Based in Greater Boston and organizers of Boston Blockchain Week.

Ethiopia has a great opportunity to solve issues impacting children and youth. Yet, despite the enthusiasm and capabilities of social entrepreneurs eager to make a difference, they often lack the necessary support to expand their impact. Our mission is to close this support gap and empower promising social entrepreneurs to grow more rapidly, efficiently, and with reduced risk of failure. We offer tailored development programs that cater to specific stages of growth. Through our initiatives, social entrepreneurs receive comprehensive support, including capacity-building, networking opportunities, and access to funding, all achieved through collaborative partnerships across various sectors.

The Regional Leadership Center East Africa (RLC EA) at Kenyatta University in Nairobi is a legacy of the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center East Africa (RLC EA), which was managed under a public-private partnership with Kenyatta University as the implementing partner. The American people and other private partners provided financial support for YALI RLC EA. The RLC EA’s mission is to build a generation of diverse, professional, and innovative young African leaders who are ethical and skilled in managing private businesses, civic organizations, and public resources. The RLC EA serves as a regional hub for programs focused on young leaders in East and Central Africa, organizing leadership programs, projects, and activities. The RLC EA serves youth aged 18-35 from fourteen countries (Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda).

The HealthTech Hub Africa is a hybrid pan-African Healthtech accelerator, with a physical co-working and community space in Kigali, Rwanda, working to drive development of health technologies in Africa and fast-track these innovations in public health systems through collaboration with government partners and funders of global health. By doing so, the HealthTech Hub Africa aims to support African governments in tackling their largest health challenges, particularly those faced by low-income and underserved populations.

Trevor Noah Foundation is an ode to the greatest gift Trevor Noah has ever received, learning. We are fuelled by Trevor’s love for education, for giving kids an opportunity, and for the teachers that got him to where he is today.

Leading American startup accelerator providing seed funding, intensive mentorship, and access to a global network of investors and founders through its batch program.

We are dedicated to bringing home-grown breakthrough ideas to life. We nurture unconventional thinkers and promote creative intelligence by ensuring access to knowledge, talent, capital, and the market. We provide key technical and non-technical support to innovate and tech-enable early-stage businesses that strive to solve complex societal challenges. Promising startups will benefit from our vast network of professional resources, such as accountants and lawyers, as well as from access to successful local entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and investors.