Ubuntu, launched in July by the social incubator Kufanya, is a soft landing program designed for Tunisian startups aiming to expand their services and products into the Francophone African market. It emerged from a recognized need within the Tunisian ecosystem, as companies and startups seek to explore opportunities presented by various countries.

Venturing into the African market is no easy task for a startup or a small business. Aside from financing challenges, the sub-Saharan African market has its own distinct characteristics. Regulations, demand, and market needs vary from one country to another. Therefore, the initial task for a startup is to gather information and data related to the market they wish to enter. Additionally, they require the necessary guidance to develop a market entry strategy. This is precisely what the Ubuntu program offers.

It serves as a soft landing program for Tunisian startups looking to internationalize their services in the Francophone African market, particularly in countries like Cameroon, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, and Rwanda. The application process was launched in the previous month of July. After the selection phase, which concludes by the end of August, 15 Tunisian startups will be chosen. A second phase of the program, executed by the social incubator for migrant entrepreneurs, Kufanya, and supported by the Flywheel fund, will follow with another selection process.

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A Long-Standing Ambition for the African Market

Covering a range of sectors from health tech to web development and finance, the chosen startups operate in diverse fields. Loïc Oyono Eboutou, Deputy Director of Kufanya, emphasized, “We have a wide array of industries. We haven’t focused on a specific sector; it could be health tech, web development, fintech, or the environment. Our aim isn’t to center on one domain. The intention is to open a door, a bridge to sub-Saharan African markets that many Tunisian entrepreneurs struggle to access.”

He added, “As it’s often said, Africa is the future. By 2050, one in four people on Earth will be African. Therefore, we Africans should benefit from this rich ecosystem, from the youth with an average age of 18 — in contrast to the US, where it’s 38. We’re talking about an internet penetration rate of nearly 40%. So, it’s a highly expansive target, and it’s advantageous for us Africans to leverage this through South-South collaborations.”

The Cameroonian engineer mentioned that the Ubuntu program arose from a recognized need in the Tunisian ecosystem. With a focus on sub-Saharan African markets, Tunisian companies and startups desire to explore opportunities in these different countries. However, they often approach this endeavor inadequately due to a lack of expertise or unfamiliarity with market specifics. Eboutou explained, “Before leading an incubator, I was an entrepreneur myself and initially a student on Tunisian soil. I spent five years studying here, and interestingly, during that time, every year I would have at least five Tunisian companies contacting me to try to enter sub-Saharan African markets, especially my own country, Cameroon. Among these companies, perhaps 2 or 3 would attempt, but fail in their endeavors. It’s precisely for these reasons that we conceived this program.”

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He further added, “People somewhat venture into sub-Saharan Africa with closed eyes, yet these are distinct markets with their own unique realities. Particularly, it’s the targeted market data that isn’t truly known by startups aspiring to internationalize in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s a complex set of factors that contribute to their major struggles in this market. And that’s where the Ubuntu program comes in.

Support Offered by the Accompaniment Program

To address the gaps and challenges of accessing sub-Saharan markets, the incubator proposes not only a mentorship and partnership program but also a training and awareness program for the Francophone African markets. “Of course, this will also involve gatherings for a platform to share experiences between Tunisian startups and others from sub-Saharan Africa.”

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Indeed, to achieve success, the incubator leverages its network: African incubators, as well as ambassadors and entrepreneurs who have succeeded in establishing themselves. Eboutou added, “There will be training sessions with incubators that are already present in various countries. There will also be one-on-one coaching sessions led by Tunisian experts. Additionally, there will be sessions with various ambassadors with whom we have connections, as well as individual sessions with incubator leaders from these different countries.”

Thus, the program’s primary objective is to provide these startups with targeted market data, enabling them to undertake commercial projections and a certain level of implementation. Upon arriving in these countries (the program also covers amenities and transportation costs), entrepreneurs can solidify these aspects through a comprehensive market study. They also gain the opportunity for fiscal and legal consultation regarding the local context, facilitated by professional networks present on-site.

Ultimately, startup founders can establish service sales and marketing agreements for the products and services they intend to offer. “It’s important to note that we won’t sell the product or service on their behalf in these markets; we provide them with the tools to do what they know best,” Eboutou concluded. It’s worth noting that Kufanya, which supports migrant entrepreneurs in Tunisia, has been present in Sfax since 2019. It operates a shared space allowing project initiators access to lodging services. To date, the incubator has successfully implemented three incubation programs, including one dedicated to supporting vulnerable migrant women by establishing income-generating activities. Since its inception, the incubator has trained 100 entrepreneurs, with 30 companies introducing marketable services in the local market. Eboutou explained, “Our intention is to initiate a broader discussion because it’s not solely about aiding startups seeking internationalization. We also aim to establish an investment fund dedicated to these entities, as, beyond the lack of terrain knowledge and training, there is also a cost issue.”

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Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert. 
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard