On April 16th, we concluded the incubation programme MOZALISI-KIN. For a year, in partnership with Ingenious City, Africalia has accompanied 12 young entrepreneurs from the cultural and creative sector in Kinshasa. They presented their projects and entrepreneurial progress during the Démo Day.
MOZALISI-KIN
In February 2024, Africalia and Ingenious City launched a call for candidates for cultural and creative entrepreneurs based in Kinshasa. Following the selection process, the incubation programme MOZALISI-KIN kicked off in March 2024. The goal? Strengthen Kinshasa’s enterprises working on the creation, development, (re)production, promotion, diffusion, or commercialisation of cultural goods, services, and activities.
All programme long, the entrepreneurs benefitted from training modules in business and the CCIs, from group and individual coaching, from creative mentorship, and from access to experts in specific domains. This approach encouraged the practical and theoretical integration of the entrepreneurial training modules (such as HR, business plan, accountancy, etc.) and creative modules (such as commercial strategy and digital marketing, resource mobilisation, etc.).In this way, Africalia aims to reinforce the essential role of cultural entrepreneurship in the development of the DRC’s creative ecosystem. A pitch during the incubation phase has determined the six startups who were awarded a grant of €3000.
Démo Day
On April 16th, the 12 startups came together in Kinshasa for the grand finale of the programme: Démo Day. In front of an audience of institutional representatives, partners, artists, and other sectoral actors, they shared what they have learned from MOZALISI-KIN and explained how the programme has boosted their entrepreneurial activities. It was a memorable moment, highlighted by the certificate ceremony and the inspiring words from Dorine Rurashitse, Africalia’s Managing Director, and Christian Kadiambiko, Programme Manager at Ingenious City, as they reaffirmed the importance of investing in cultural entrepreneurship, a sector offering countless opportunities to Congolese youth. During an info fair and networking reception, the 12 newly certified entrepreneurs were able to discuss their creative activities in more detail with a highly interested audience.
If the successful conclusion of MOZALISI-KIN has taught us one thing, it is that the future of cultural entrepreneurship in the DRC is looking bright!
Watch the video report of Démo Day here.
The entrepreneurs
So who are the 12 entrepreneurs who will put the lessons learned from the Africalia and Ingenious City programme into practice to develop not only their own businesses, but also Kinshasa’s entire creative industry? You can discover them in this video!
MOZALISI-L'SHI
Following the completion of our entrepreneurship programme in Kinshasa, it is time for the launch of MOZALISI-L’SHI. Implemented in partnership with the incubator UKAMILI Digital City, this programme targets cultural and creative entrepreneurs in Lubumbashi. From April 23rd to 25th, the 15 pre-selected participants got together for the first training session of the programme, dedicated to cultural administration and the SDGs and led by Luc Mayitoukou. Stay tuned for more information on the programme and Lubumbashi’s startups!
©Ingenious City
