Future of Work Africa 2021
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Village Capital, with the support of IFC, is launching Future of Work Africa 2021 – an accelerator supporting and scaling startups across Sub-Saharan Africa that help young people find jobs, build careers, and prepare for the future of work.
Africa’s workforce is projected to be the largest in the world in the coming decades, with hundreds of millions of people below the age of 25 starting to look for work. But there are simply not enough quality jobs for this young and growing population. Nearly half of young people on the continent are unemployed, and in some countries, more than four out of five work in the informal sector, with fluctuating incomes and few if any benefits. While agriculture has long been the continent’s top sector, more and more of Africa’s population is moving to urban areas, where jobs in the formal sector are in short supply.
Our accelerator will support entrepreneurs building for-profit, market-based solutions across the education, employment, and benefits spectrum that can help young people in Sub-Saharan Africa better prepare for and manage the future of work.
Advisory Board
- Douglas RowlingsSenior Vice President, Head of Africa Relationship Management, Moody's
- Leah AnyanwuHead of Africa Partnerships, Kizazi
- Audrey ChengCEO and Founder, Moringa School
- Krista DavidsonHead of Programmes & Operations, Injini
- Adam GrunewaldFounder and CEO, Lynk
- Aashti Zaidi HaiExecutive Director, Global Schools Forum
- Maryana IskanderChief Executive Officer, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
- Chris MaclayDirector of Youth Employment, Mercy Corps
- Teresa MbagayaPrincipal, Imaginable Futures
- Ona MeyerProgram Officer: Jobs & Livelihoods, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
- Julia MoffettFounder and CEO, Future of Learning Fund
- Abdul MohamedPortfolio Manager, Acumen Fund
- Josephine NdaoChief Entrepreneurship and SME Development Officer, African Development Bank
- Emeka OnyiaSenior Manager Innovation and Product Development, Afreximbank
- Jennifer Cotter OtienoChief Executive Officer, Education Design Unlimited
- Anne PartridgeCOO, Optimizer Foundation
COHORT COMPANIES
Eligibility
Ventures must address youth unemployment through the following:
• Innovations like upskilling/reskilling programs
• Credentialing programs
• New approaches to apprenticeship or employment matching,
• Financial health for informal workers, and/or
• Edtech
THE WORKSHOPS
Our accelerator will support entrepreneurs of early-stage ventures building for-profit, market-based solutions across the education, employment, and benefits spectrum that can help young people in Sub-Saharan Africa better prepare for and manage the future of work. Participants can expect our renowned investment readiness curriculum, engagement with mentors and investors, and peer collaboration.
Cohort 1
Sprint Week: May 18-21
Work Week 1: June 15-17
Work Week 2: July 20-22
Closing Week: Aug 17-20
Cohort 2
Sprint Week: May 25-28
Work Week 1: June 22-24
Work Week 2: July 27-29
Closing Week: August 24-27