In an effort to explore potential avenues for collaboration and promote the startup ecosystem in Africa, representatives from Fontys University of Applied Science in the Netherlands and Academic City University College visited the Enterprise Bureau. The Executive Director, Miss Anne Ethel Komlaga, introduced Enterprise Bureau’s mission and vision while discussing how both parties could work together to enhance the startup ecosystem in Africa.

Miss Ethel explained that it is the goal of Enterprise Bureau to maximize success opportunities for youth entrepreneurs by building a robust data platform that provides global enterprise opportunities to help them grow their businesses. This ultimately promotes sustainable job creation as well as addresses unemployment challenges faced by young Africans. She elaborated on some impactful programs currently offered by Enterprise Bureau such as EB CONNECT, EB Startup Dialogue, EB Startup Tour, EB Opinions Corner, and EB Startup Pitfalls among others.

She categorized what the Enterprise Bureau does into three sections:
- Provision of digital platforms connecting innovators and businesses within the startup ecosystem;
- Provision of training/ coaching/ enterprise support services for early-stage entrepreneurs;
- Providing digital support services for startups/ innovators.
Miss Ethel also hinted at a new program called the Digital Transformation Training Program which aims to provide workshops to help organizations understand technology’s impact on operations/ customer interactions. This program arose from the 2022 Ecosystem Report noting digital skills gaps in many organizations today.
The visitors from Fontys University were genuinely impressed with what they saw – they lauded EB’s operational model while taking turns asking questions or offering suggestions regarding good global practices. They highlighted remarkable strides made within their respective fields while also recognizing potential benefits associated with collaborating alongside this African organization.
This visit signals promising collaboration between academia and industry that holds great promise towards nurturing/ supporting African startups long-term.”