To support entrepreneurship in Gabon, the African Financial Company (Cofina) has granted a fund of CFAF 250 million ($456k) to Ogooué Labs. Aimed at small and very small businesses in their development phase, this funding aims to support the StartX 241 program initiated by the incubator.
The objective of the program is to accelerate the industrial scale-up and distribution of startup products from French-speaking countries to new markets. This fund will enable Ogooué Labs to create 10 startups, and to train, through its training center in digital professions and leadership School 241, 20 Gabonese entrepreneurs in startup management.
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Supporting these 10 startups will allow the creation of 40 direct jobs for young Gabonese. Entrepreneurs, traders and artisans who enroll in the 241 School’s training program can also benefit from this funding. In the long term, the incubator aims to support VSEs and SMEs towards the transition and digital transformation of the School. economy.
Recall that Ogooué Labs signed on November 19 an agreement of more than 13 million FCFA ($23k) with the French Development Agency, to provide Gabonese populations with official information on the Coronavirus and the means to protect themselves from it.
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
He is well versed on issues of ESG (sustainability), media and entertainment law, corporate finance and governance.
He is also an award-winning writer