Accelerator programme facilitator, Village Capital, has struck a partnership with Norwegian development agency, Norad, to launch an an ecosystem-building programme aimed at strengthening the capacity and impact of Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESOs).

The programme known as “Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship Africa”, is a climate-focused project which will test-run in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania, before spreading to other countries in Africa.

According to Rachel Crawford, the Leads Special Projects Director at Village Capital, the initiative will adopt a dual-track approach, firstly equipping community-led ESOs with the technical expertise and resources necessary to foster sustainable growth within their organisations.

She added that the programme will “directly support climate-focused ventures in the priority countries while cultivating a long-term pipeline of high-growth, investable startups advancing solutions in critical areas such as the blue economy, climate adaptation, food security, and renewable energy.”

“ESOs play a crucial role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, serving as the first line of support for entrepreneurs, acting as both trainer and convener of essential networks such as investors and talent, especially in emerging ecosystems,” Crawford said.

“However, these same ESOs typically operate as the startups they support and often lack the final piece of the puzzle – capital to deploy directly to startups.

“Village Capital aims to address each of these three needs through our unique initiative design by leveraging ecosystem development, enterprise support, and catalytic capital.”

Also speaking on the collaboration, Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, director of Climate and Environment at Norad, said his organisation was excited to partner with Village Capital on Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship Africa.

“Entrepreneurs and startups with innovative ideas and services have an important role to play in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Today such actors often lack access to financing and technical support due to a number of barriers. We hope that by strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem through ESOs, some of these barriers will be overcome.

“This partnership is also exciting for us in that it is multi-sectoral, working on blue economy, renewable energy, food security, and climate adaptation, to deliver the best possible total contribution to innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa,” he said.

Village Capital has operated in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2012, running over 14 accelerator programmes and serving entrepreneurs in 15 countries in the region, while Norad, works with partners across the world to help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

In a bid to improve driver earnings and combat climate change, ride-hailing platform, Bolt Kenya, has struck a partnership with Kenya’s energy fintech firm and largest financier of electric motorbikes, M-KOPA, to launch electric motorcycles in the country.

The partnership between the two, according to Caroline Wanjihia, Bolt Kenya’s Regional Director, will give new and existing Bolt drivers the opportunity to lease ROAM and Ampersand electric motorbikes at a discounted price in comparison to current market rates, boosting earnings through a reduction in operational costs and helping the market move towards eco-friendly urban mobility.

The initial rollout of 5,000 electric motorcycle aligns with the recent launch of Kenya’s National E-mobility Policy, aimed at promoting local production and assembly of EVs, Wanjihia said in a statement on Monday.

“We are excited to introduce our electric bike fleet, in partnership with M-KOPA, as part of our ongoing efforts to support and empower our drivers,” she stated.

“Through this collaboration, Bolt will leverage M-KOPA’s fintech platform to make electric motorbike ownership affordable, by substantially reducing the expenses associated with electric motorbikes for drivers.

“This marks a significant milestone in Bolt’s mission to provide sustainable and financially viable transportation solutions in Kenya.

“By leveraging electric vehicles, we are not only reducing our environmental footprint, but also aim to enhance driver earnings and improve overall economic stability within the communities that we serve.

“Considering all financial incentives and reduced operating costs, drivers participating in this pilot launch could see significantly increased daily earnings compared to petrol motorcycles.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to driving positive change and fostering economic empowerment within our driver community.”

Also speaking on the collaboration, Managing Director of M-KOPA Mobility, David Damberger, said his company was committed to redefining mobility in Kenya through affordable financing solutions for electric motorbikes, particularly for the underbanked.

“Partnering with Bolt represents a significant leap towards this goal, enabling us to broaden our reach and support more customers in transitioning to sustainable transport solutions.

“Already, we have made substantial inroads since launching our Mobility division in 2022, in collaboration with ROAM and Ampersand.

“With over two million motorbikes navigating Kenya’s roads, now is the time for us to extend our reach, as we set to positively impact the environment significantly by reducing carbon emissions and saving on fuel costs – an essential keystone of Kenya’s sustainable development,” he said.