Young entrepreneurs face significant challenges in building and scaling up businesses. Due to the structural concerns around risk, young people are often unable to access already limited finance available in Africa.
Additionally, due to often limited experience, young people do not have the right skills to scale up existing enterprises, or the right information and networks to access markets to help them and their businesses grow.
The “One Million by 2021” initiative aims to change the game by mobilizing growth capital for entrepreneurs, as well as nurturing start-ups via connecting young African entrepreneurs across the continent and in diaspora to business leaders and international entrepreneurship networks.
The Pan African University Entrepreneurship Hub
To support achieving “One Million by 2021” Initiative goals the African Union’s Pan African University has established an ‘Entrepreneurship Hub’ to contribute to business innovations across borders, and the continued development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem on the continent.
Hosted by the University of Tlemcen and the PAU Entrepreneurship centre, the PAU Entrepreneurship Hub aims to promote youth entrepreneurship and employment by bringing together stakeholders from different regions and sectors to foster intercontinental innovation, knowledge transfer and to enhance conditions for youth employment on the continent, as well as business developments beyond borders.
In addition to pan-Africanism, the PAU’s Entrepreneurship hub’s operations are guided by environmental and social sustainability, as well as gender equality and diversity.
Learn more about the Pan Africa University .
Interested in finding out more about what the AU is already doing within the youth entrepreneurship space? Check out some recent AU entrepreneurship events below :
