Stimulating Economic Growth : Entrepreneurship Forum Targets 20,000 Participants

There is no time to waste! Reason why the organizers have already set the ball rolling for the second continental entrepreneurial forum dubbed “Inspire Week.” The launch held on Friday, October 20, 2023 in Douala. As a sign of the seriousness and commitment by organizers to attain the target of 20,000 participants, come December 4-8, 2023. “Inspire Week” is organized by Pan-African Associates, P2A, in collaboration with Institut Universitaire de la Côte, Douala.

In-person, Online Participation
Lydie Nkengne, Head of Communication for “Inspire Week,” said organizers have packaged an innovative entrepreneurial forum this year. “The participation format will be hybrid, meaning that lectures and tutorials will be held in person and online. Then, there will be a tutorial for young people in digital marketing. It will last four days and will be paid for through an online platform. Finally, this year's theme, “Green economy and artificial intelligence: Challenges and opportunities in Africa,” has been making headline news these days. Moreover, participants will have the opportunity to meet investors during the tutorials,” Lydie Nkengne explained.

10,000 People Mobilized
“The first forum enabled Pan-African Associates to secure a foothold in Cameroon and co-opt a dozen projects which were initiated in its project incubators called “Impulse.” The projects have for some time penetrated the Cameroon market. The first forum also enabled us to mobilize nearly 10,000 people in person. These included investors, development actors, businesses, Small and Medium-size Enterprises, SMEs, international organizations, State institutions, students, project leaders, coaches and African mentors,” Nkengne pointed out.

Inspire Week’s Peculiarity
According to her, what makes “Inspire Week” special is that the event allows for “real and fruitful connection between senior and junior entrepreneurs. It is the meeting place between young aspiring entrepreneurs and experienced entrepreneurs on an international scale to share experiences and strengthen the ecosystem,” Nkengne noted.

Targeting 20,000 Participants  
“This year, we want to mobilize nearly 20,000 people online and in person. We expect increased mobilization of young student entrepreneurs and project leaders from throughout Cameroon and Africa. In the next 10 years, we want five multinational firms created and managed by Cameroonians to go operational in the country in order to promote the creation of jobs,” Lydie Nkengne said.

Forum Content
Meanwhile, the second “Inspire Week” to run from December 4-8, 2023 in Institut Universitaire de la Côte, Douala will comprise entrepreneurial competitions, exhibitions and sales, fairs, as well as lectures and master classes or tutorials. All aimed at highlighting the spirit of innovation and creativity. “Inspire Week” is a national initiative aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and stimulating the local economy, organizers say.
The fair aims to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, students and the general public to encourage the sharing of experiences and development of promising new projects.  

Entrepreneurial Contest
One of the highlights of the forum will be the organization of the entrepreneurial contest. Participants will have the opportunity to present their innovative projects before a jury made up of experts in the field, with the possibility of winning prizes and benefitting from personalized support to make their ideas reality.
The contest will see the presentation of innovative projects in green economy carried out by young student entrepreneurs and other young people in Cameroon. It will be done through the following stages: a pre-selection of projects, a voting phase of the best projects pre-selected online, a selection of finalists, a bootcamp, a pitch competition in front of a jury and an awards ceremony.

Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for pre-selection, applicants must show proof of legal registration, innovation, sustainability and the motivation of the entrepreneur. Registration is free via the portal: https://form.jotform.com/Pan_African/appel-a-projet. The deadline for registration of projects is November 1, 2023. Projects will be pre-selected based on their contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, general presentation/template economic status of the company. The presentation of proof of its existence and the motivation and commitment of the project leader.

Project Selection Process
The 20 pre-selected projects will be displayed on Pan-African Associate’s website from October 1, 2023. Then, the projects will be subjected to an online g...