Connecting businesses with the right people and stakeholders

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is a consultancy company and professional business network for Nordic companies doing business in Africa. AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® has existed for 10 years with the ongoing goal, which is to build the most connecting and value-adding bridge between Nordic and African ecosystems, clusters, companies and organisations. AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® invites Nordic companies in different sectors and industries, with interest in Africa, to become members of the network. InAFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®, we arrange network activities in the form of seminars, cluster meetings, investor pitch meetings in the Nordics as well as business delegations to African countries and seminars in Africa, in collaboration with our local partner.

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is represented locally in Africa in collaboration with our local partner. We invite existing ecosystems, clusters, investors and local partners in African countries to become member of AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®. Our network is currently well-established in South Africa and soon in Kenya and Nigeria in 2022.

We provide consultancy services to co-create value to your business

1) Selecting the right market

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® provides consultancy related to identifying the right market for your business. One the first barriers to overcome, if you are about to enter the African markets, is to select the country/countries. Africa is a huge continent with +50 countries, different market size, sector focus, national strategy, population and culture. Nordic companies do mainly business in 14-16 African countries depending on which sector they represent. Population in Africa will double within 30 years, and five of the worlds largest mega cities will be located in Africa. This is due to the fast moving urbanisation and internet penetration is rapidly increasing with huge investments in infrastructure, digitalisation and the youngest population at the time being.   

2) Making a sustainable business plan 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® assist companies carefully and methodologically with the preparations of market entry. Setting up a business in emerging markets, and scaling up, is a challenging task as the market structures, business culture and practices are very different from Nordic markets. Setting up a sustainable business in the African markets requires careful research and deep-dive analyses. Creating a business plan tailored for each market enables you to test and verify your business case before investing heavily in the market.

3) Identifying a local partner and developing a business model

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® has a wide network all over Africa and assists companies in identifying potenital local partners. It is crucial to start up business with a suitable local partner, no matter where you intend to do business. Finding the suitable partner is often demanding and resourceful and depending on the right network of relevant business people; including how to access these. 80% of the Nordic companies start doing business with a local partner in a Joint Venture and later a merger/acquisition. Engaging with local partners can be a very good idea as your local partner is well-connected and established in the local community. Starting all over by yourself is the most demanding approach.       

6) Partners

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK is the largest business network for companies, institutions and diplomats with focus on doing business in Africa, in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. We offer members of AFRICA INNOVATION NETWROK® the possibility to become partner and hereby get exclusive marketing access on our webpage www.africainnovationnetwork.com. Partners have their own landing page, with own logo and company description and contact details and other relevant content. As web partner, you get direct business through our website and on our SOME. Web partners are evaluated before they are selected exclusively to ensure they match our company values and goals.     

SEMINARS 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® facilitates 4 -5 seminars in Denmark each year and 2- 3 seminars in Norway, Sweden and Finland.  

The seminars cover a wide range of topics relevant for companies that are doing business, or wish to do business, in the African region.  The seminars focus specifically on the operational business opportunities in Africa from a Nordic perspective, including: 1) company cases with a wide geographical representation in Africa and covering various sectors and industries, 2) challenges and barriers, 3) solutions, and 4) scaling up.  

BUSINESS DELEGATIONS

We arrange business delegations to countries in Africa with a focus on specific industries and entities (e.g. UN agencies). The business delegations include: 1) Site/company visits, 2) meetings relevant representatives, potenital partners, distributers and clients, 3) individual meetings, 4) meeting relevant officials, and 5) networking and knowledge sharing with the other companies. 

EMBASSY ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS

We also facilitate roundtable meetings in collaboration with the African embassies present in the Nordic countries. It is a gateway to African diplomacy and learning about the ongoing political agendas. The meetings focus on 1) Trends and local developments plans, 2) business opportunities, 3) networking & meet-and-greet with the ambassadors, 3)  import and export plans/opportunities. 

CLUSTER ROUNDTABLE MEETINGS

Our Nordic business clusters are within healthcare and the UN focusing on various African countries. We facilitate 6 roundtable meetings in Denmark, 2 in Norway, 2 Sweden, and 2 in Finland in each cluster a year. We kindly invite companies to join our AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® business clusters that are involved with:

• Healthcare and lifescience
• UN

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