A new department was launched by E4Impact Foundation at the beginning of 2021: it’s the Business Development Africa (BDA), aimed at supporting the development of partnership between Italian and African companies. Its creation is a great opportunity for Italian companies, as Africa has a big potential that many Italian entrepreneurs don’t know or don’t consider.
Africa is, in fact, the second largest continent, encompassing 54 countries and boasting 15 years of sustained GDP growth. Its population is currently 1,3 billion and is set to double by 2050. The average age is very young, 19,5 year, and the urbanization trend is the fastest in the world but, despite the large investments already done, there is still a huge need for infrastructures of any kind. The middle class is growing rapidly and really appreciates Italian style and quality. Moreover, the African Continental Free Trade Area started on January 1st 2021, is the largest free trade area in the world.
Being the African economy, as well as the Italian one, led by SMEs, doing business together is much easier. This is the point from which the activities of the Business Development Africa department will start. The BDA, as a team of senior professionals with long experience in international business, leverages E4Impact’s networks of entrepreneurs and contacts in 17 African countries to help Italian SMEs approach the African markets and vice-versa, minimizing the risk and increasing the success rate from both sides.
The professionals involved are three: Marco Locati, Maurizia Rota and Giorgio Sartori, and the activities that they will carry out, directly or through selected partners, are several:
- feasibility studies, market analyses, check of export readiness of the company;
- business model analysis, definition of the most suitable partnership model, business plan;
- consultancies for process optimization, social impact analysis;
- search of possible partners mainly within the E4Impact networks of companies, selection and training of local staff;
- support for legal / fiscal / contractual aspects in African countries;
- search of funding sources.
The new service will work as a bridge between Italy and Africa, expanding in this way the range of activities offered by E4Impact Foundation.