Wow — we’re already nearing the end of the first month of the year, and it’s been a full and energizing start at Africa 2100. From students across the continent to members of the diaspora outside of the continent, we’ve been deeply engaged in conversations, programs, and initiatives that reaffirm why this work matters.
Launching the Arise Student Ambassador Program
In our continued efforts to shift mindsets early — from job seekers to problem solvers and job creators — we officially launched the Arise Student Ambassador Program. We received applications from students across 6 countries, a strong signal that young people are hungry for leadership, entrepreneurship, and agency in shaping their futures.
Over the past few weeks, we hosted multiple virtual onboarding workshops, bringing together passionate student leaders eager to grow their entrepreneurial mindset, strengthen their leadership capabilities, and build vibrant entrepreneurship communities on their campuses. During these sessions, students explored the realities of youth unemployment, their potential role at the forefront of change, and the importance of supporting their communities.
Many shared a common motivation: they see talented peers with ideas, but without access to guidance, tools, or the confidence to act. The Arise program is designed to meet that gap head-on by empowering students to lead, share knowledge, and inspire action within their schools.
These ambassadors are not just participants — they are early builders of the movement, helping us foster a generation that sees entrepreneurship not as a last resort, but as a viable and impactful path forward.
Listening to the Diaspora: Customer Focus Group Conversations
As we continue refining our product–market fit, we hosted the first in a series of customer focus group discussions with members of the African diaspora who opted in through last year’s Sawubona survey. The sessions were a powerful listening exercise.
Participants candidly shared their interests, motivations, fears, and constraints when it comes to engaging with the continent — from investment readiness and trust concerns, to the need for better structures, transparency, and founder preparedness. What stood out most was the shared desire to do good meaningfully, paired with a need for clearer pathways, stronger safeguards, and deeper relationships. We’re grateful to Kate Endeley for the excellent facilitation.
These insights are already shaping how we think about platform design, trust-building mechanisms, and support structures for entrepreneurs and allies alike.
This dialogue reaffirmed a core belief of Africa 2100: sustainable impact begins with listening. As we integrate these learnings, be on the lookout for new and improved platform features designed to increase engagement, trust, and momentum across the movement.
Africa 2100 Podcast: Midway Through the Season
With the release of Episode 6 this week, we’re officially past halfway through the current season of the Africa 2100 Podcast. Each episode spotlights remarkable returnees and changemakers navigating the realities of building, investing, and living across borders.
We’d love to hear from you — what insights have resonated most with you so far? Which stories have challenged or inspired your own thinking about engagement with the continent?
Looking Ahead: Foundation Readiness & Fundraising
Finally, we’re excited to be preparing for our next Foundation Readiness Program cohort later this year. To realize this, we’ve initiated a fundraising campaign aimed at shifting the mindset of up to 75 participants across at least 3 countries toward entrepreneurship and job creation.
If you’re reading this and feel called to collaborate — whether as a partner, sponsor, mentor, or ally — we invite you to join us. Together, we can expand access to opportunity, empower communities through entrepreneurship, and improve lives in tangible, lasting ways.
The year is just getting started — and the momentum is building.
Invest in people. Invest in possibility.
Your donation helps Africa 2100 foster opportunity through entrepreneurship.
