Become part of the ELISA Business Network
advance your business, project or idea...

Our diverse member network includes innovators and visionaries who value opportunities to share ideas and support the expansion of business in Africa

Portal profile
Manage your member profile and photo, update your biography, set communication preferences and more.

Bootstrap briefs
Access self-paced entrepreneurial and leadership content. A new topic is added to the ELISA portal every Tuesday.

Luminaries
Learn from and be inspired by luminary articles on successful Africa focused founders, entrepreneurs and leaders.

Send private chat messages
to any Insider, Affiliate or Corporate member on the ELISA portal

Network
When other members find your profile on the portal you gain new contacts, recognition and exposure for your business, projects or ideas

Find other members
Use search tools to find other members, add them as new connections and collaborate

Contribute content
Post public updates and comments for all members to see and publish additional resources on Bootstrap Briefs

Project pages
Design your own online pages. Publish, brand and promote your business, products, projects or ideas.

Confabs
Build relationships and grow your network at virtual confab events, featuring inspirational speakers and small group breakout sessions. 

Networking
Connect with new contacts, attend events and gain recognition or exposure for your business, projects or ideas.

ELISA is an entrepreneurial ecosystem

Often due to job scarcity, SME founders defy economic hardships and start businesses. SMEs today create approximately 77% of all jobs in African and produce as much as half of the GDP in some countries. In our view, the promotion of entrepreneurship will be central to the transformation of the continent - and increasingly, business leaders view Africa as the next great growth market and the best place in the world to invest. 

ELISA exists to counter the perceived challenges of doing business on the continent by providing access to a business network, training and mentorship for the development of products, technologies or services that can enable Africa to thrive. With so many unmet needs, including local development of independent sources of food, power, water, waste management and other utilities, the potential for growth on the continent is limitless. From large businesses to small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) which support supply chains and distribution networks, everyone has a part to play in driving innovation and fueling economic growth in Africa.

frequently asked questions

IS THERE ANY COST TO JOIN ELISA BUSINESS NETWORK?
No, there is no cost to join the ELISA Business Network. Anyone can create a profile and start accessing our business community.

CAN I JOIN ELISA IF I AM NOT AN AFRICAN ENTREPRENEUR?
Members of the ELISA Business Network are from anywhere in the world. You don't have to have a business, but you should be intersted in supporting or learning about business in Africa.

I HAVE NOT YET STARTED TO OPERATE MY BUSINESS, CAN I STILL JOIN THE ELISA BUSINESS NETWORK?
Yes, operating a business is not a requirement for joining ELISA.

HOW LONG WILL I BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE BOOTSTRAP BRIEFS?
Once a Bootstrap Brief has been released it is saved permanently on the ELISA portal. All members of the ELISA Business Network continue to have access to Bootstrap Briefs for as long as you have a profile on the ELISA portal.

WILL I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING EXTRA TO ACCESS BOOTSTRAP BRIEFS?
There is no extra cost to access any of the content and features on the ELISA portal.

CAN I SHARE THE BOOTSTRAP BRIEFS WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH OR GO TO SCHOOL WITH?
The ELISA portal is designed to be accessed by individual members of the ELISA Business Network. You can invite your friends or colleagues to visit create a profile for themselves on the ELISA portal.

DO THE BOOTSTRAP BRIEFS INCLUDE ANY DOWNLOADABLE MATERIALS?
Yes, some of the Bootstrap Briefs include downloadable documents and tools designed to enhance your ability to learn and retain the knowledge, as well as implement the training.

HOW MUCH CONTENT IS INCLUDED WITH EACH BOOTSTRAP BRIEF?
Bootstrap Briefs vary in length and the content differs, however they're designed to be concise and comprehensive. You should be able to review each topic in less than 10 minutes. 

CAN I REVIEW A BOOTSTRAP BRIEF MORE THAN ONCE?
You can search for and review any of the ELISA Bootstrap Briefs at any time. You can also save topics for future review or return to a topic to see if additional content has been contributed to the topic.