ELISA Ignite transforms African student innovation into real ventures that generate local economic value. By connecting universities, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, we build a Pan-African pipeline of ventures designed, tested, and scaled within local communities.

useful links:  Download the ELISA Ignite Concept Note

Venture Tracks
ELISA Ignite focuses on sectors with the greatest potential to create jobs, strengthen local economies, and address Africa's most pressing challenges. Each track is aligned with market opportunities across the continent and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Agri-Tech & Food Systems:
Climate-smart production, post-harvest efficiency and localized value chains.

Digital Economy + Infrastructure:
FinTech, EdTech, and decentralized energy solutions expanding access and productivity.

Health + Biotech Innovation:
Scalable healthcare delivery, diagnostics, and local manufacturing capacity.

Cross Border Trade + Business Systems:
Logistics, payments, and operational systems enabling seamless African market expansion.

The ELISA Ignite Model
ELISA Ignite transforms universities into venture creation hubs by bringing together interdisciplinary student teams, faculty, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to develop ventures that address real market needs. Through hands-on collaboration and problem-solving, participants gain practical experience while building the next generation of African entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders.

A Venture Creation Platform

Creating real businesses
not just ideas

Pan-African By Design

Building businesses that collaborate and scale across borders

Embedded in Universities

Turning campuses into year-round innovation hubs

Backed By the ELISA Network

Supported by a community of entrepreneurs, mentors, coaches, and industry partners. Not just theory.

ELISA Ignite is More than a Competition!

Partner with ELISA Ignite
We invite corporations, foundations, investors, universities, and ecosystem leaders to help build Africa's next generation of entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders. Partnership support enables:

  • University program delivery across Africa
  • Student venture grants and seed funding
  • Coaching, mentorship, and enterprise development support
  • Digital collaboration and venture-building platforms
  • Pan-African showcases, investor engagement, and market access opportunities

Strategic Value for Partners
ELISA Ignite provides partners with a unique opportunity to engage directly in Africa's next generation of enterprise creation. Partners can:

  • Identify and engage emerging founders early
  • Support venture creation across multiple African markets
  • Advance youth development, entrepreneurship, and economic inclusion goals
  • Build meaningful visibility within the African business ecosystem
  • Access innovation and market insights from across the continent
  • Contribute to sustainable enterprise growth and job creation

Why ELISA Ignite Matters
Africa's future will be shaped by the businesses Africans build.

ELISA Ignite helps ensure that ideas developed in African universities become enterprises that create value, jobs, and opportunity on the continent.

  • African solutions developed for African challenges
  • Enterprises built and retained within local economies
  • Value creation that benefits communities and markets
  • Ventures designed for long-term sustainability and growth Cross-border collaboration that strengthens regional integration

Together, we can transform promising ideas into ventures that create jobs, strengthen economies, and expand opportunities for students, universities & communities.

Delivering measurable impact across Africa
ELISA Ignite delivers measurable outcomes through a scalable, multi-year model that transforms student ideas into ventures with real market potential.

  • Student-led ventures launched and supported
  • Increased university visibility through entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Access to seed funding and real-world entrepreneurship training for students
  • Cross-border business networks and market pathways created
  • New local jobs, enterprises, and local economic activity created
  • Measurable development impact aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals ie., water saved, waste reduced

Explore how we can deliver measurable impact together.
Reach out to us here or email Tony or Lydiah:

Lydiah Onchiri
Director for Partnerships, ELISA Business Network
lydiah@elisanetwork.com

Tony Sgro
Founder & CEO, EdVenture Partners
tony@edventurepartners.com