Do you want to help startups that have innovative solutions to local challenges? Would you like to manage an investment fund for early-stage startups? Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) provides fund managers with capital to invest in early-stage startups.
What is OCIF?
OCIF is a subsidy programme that provides fund managers with capital to invest in early-stage startups. OCIF aims to stimulate innovation and improve access to finance for entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East.
OCIF is an addition to the existing Orange Corners incubation/acceleration programme. These programmes give young entrepreneurs access to training, networks and facilities to start or scale their businesses.
For whom?
OCIF is for fund managers that want to:
- Encourage entrepreneurs in target locations to turn innovative solutions to local challenges into practical business plans.
- Contribute to the medium to long-term development of the private sector and the business climate in target locations.
- Tackle youth unemployment and promote economic growth by supporting startups.
Your organisation must have accreditation to provide (interest-bearing) loans.
OCIF locations
OCIF target locations include:
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Ghana
- Iraq-Baghdad
- Iraq-Erbil
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sudan
Budget
There is 12.6 million euros available for OCIF. Fund managers can apply for a subsidy of up to 1.4 million euros.
Quick scan
You can only submit a formal application if you have completed a quick scan.
Apply for OCIF
OCIF has 3 rounds of applications. The first round is for applications that focus on Iraq-Baghdad, Iraq-Erbil, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Mozambique and Nigeria. The first round opened on 15 April 2021 at 12:00 CEST and closed on 28 April 2021 at 12:00 CEST.
The second round is for applications that focus on Ghana, Senegal and Sudan. The second round opened on 8 July 2021 at 12:00 CEST and closed on 19 July 2021 at 12:00 CEST.
The third round for applications that focus on Iraq-Baghdad, Iraq-Erbil and Sudan will open on 21 September 2021 at 12:00 CEST and close on 4 October 2021 at 12:00 CEST.
Please read all the documents under the publications section carefully before applying for OCIF.
Publications
Find out more
For more information about OCIF, visit the Orange Corners website.
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency manages OCIF on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.