Information and Networking Services

Dr. Susanne Geipert, the Business Scout for Development of the Hessian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HIHK), who was sent on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, will be delighted to advise and support you with individual advice on the various funding and financing offers for your engagement in developing countries. She assists with applications for funding projects and arranges contacts from international and local networks of German development cooperation.

The Africa advisor at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) Giessen-Friedberg is also available to answer any questions you may have on the subject of market entry in Africa, support and networking opportunities.

AGYLE is a program of the Agency for Business and Economic Development for young leaders from Africa and Germany. Young executives from different countries are connected and can find innovative approaches and business models for current global challenges. This not only generates new ideas, but also an exclusive and interdisciplinary business network. Participants learn and discuss with experts and mentors and can thus develop their leadership skills.

The following countries can currently participate in the program:

You can find more information here.

The Business Network Africa has been set up by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) since the beginning of 2019 to provide greater support services for German companies entering the African market. It is part of the Development Investment Fund for Africa launched by the German government in 2019.

The network aims to connect established players in German foreign trade promotion and provide companies with a bundled offer consisting of custom-made advisory tools.

The participants in the business network include, e.g., the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK), the federally owned foreign trade promotion agency Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the BMWi market development program, the BMWi export initiatives, as well as associations, societies and government-funded institutions focused on Africa and the German organizations abroad.

The Business Network Africa serves to support German companies in identifying and examining concrete business opportunities in Africa. Interested companies can contact the network for an initial consultation or with a concrete business idea.

The regional focus of the business network is on the current twelve countries of the Compact with Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia.

As part of the network, local consulting services will also be expanded. The Chamber of Commerce Abroad network will be further developed, cross-national industry competence centers will be set up, and the GTAI's presence will be extended.

In Germany, the advisory competence will be increased by a virtual Africa Business Guide which will be created by the GTAI. It serves as a first point of contact for companies on business issues relating to Africa as well as support and funding offers from German foreign trade promotion.

In 2015, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) founded the Strategic Partnership Technology in Africa network (previously Digital Africa). The network links European companies with development cooperation organizations in a targeted manner so that they can work together and develop joint solutions.

Large as well as small and medium-sized enterprises are active in the network. The partners jointly develop projects in the fields of education, energy, health, good governance, agriculture and mobility. Expert groups exchange innovative approaches and ideas. In cooperation with the companies, the Digital Africa Strategic Partnership team develops suitable concepts, connects the players with local contacts and helps on the search for financing models. Furthermore, private-sector projects that contribute to the realization of the global sustainability goals are initiated and supported.

An important part of the network is the exchange with experts of the German development cooperation in Africa. This contact makes it possible to look into business opportunities, check practicability and find local cooperation partners.

More information on the Strategic Partnership can be found here (German).

Make-IT is an initiative of the BMZ and partners from the European digital industry to jointly promote the start-up scene in the digital sector of developing and emerging countries. The aim is to improve employment prospects in the local digital sector and thus contribute to sustainable economic growth.

This will contribute to the implementation of the Marshall Plan with Africa. In the Make IT Alliance, the BMZ cooperates with companies, associations, investors, funding institutions and other local partners. Participants benefit especially from the contact with and the practical knowledge of successful companies in the digital economy with the ideas and innovative power of young founders of tech startups.

Involvement in the Make-IT alliance ranges from support for selected startups through its own funding programs to voluntary mentoring and participation in events.

Through involvement in the Make IT Alliance, tech entrepreneurs gain improved access to local investment opportunities and business partners. Plus, local expertise on supplier, sales and service structures is provided. The understanding of the local business climate and political risks is improved, the own innovation culture is strengthened and synergies with other support programs of the Make-IT partners are created.

More information can be found on the website of the Make-IT Africa initiative.

In addition to the networks mentioned here, the BMZ also offers other instruments for consulting on development policy issues and networking. These include consultations in German Chambers and Associations via Business Scouts for Development. At selected German Chambers of Commerce abroad, the ExperTS offer consultations on development policy issues. Questions about sustainable engagement in emerging and developing countries will be answered by the Agency for Business and Economic Development (AWE).