Meet the Tôshikas. 

Where African Startups and Innovators Unite with Japanese Investors for Sustainable Development!

About

The word “Tôshika” (投資家) means “Investor” in Japanese.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been actively engaged in unleashing the potential of young entrepreneurs across Africa, providing critical policy advisory support, technical cooperation, and facilitating financial contributions. 

UNDP recognizes the dearth of publicly available information about the vibrant startup ecosystem in many African regions that add to investor hesitancy. We also recognize the critical gaps in terms of investment readiness of startups, which is caused by lack of pre-investment exposure to and communication with prospective investors.

In a strategic move, UNDP is initiating a groundbreaking project named “Meet the Tôshikas,” supported by catalytic funding from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan (METI). This project seeks to delve deeply into the African startup ecosystems, identifying and addressing fundamental elements hindering their growth and investment.

Japanese investors are always pivotal to this kind of endeavour. As a co-organizer of TICAD (The Tokyo International Conference of African Development), UNDP supports their increased contribution to Africa, including startups with great impact and growth potential. Their participation brings not only financial support for African startups but also valuable expertise and networks to take the startup ecosystems to the next level. 

Through "Meet the Tôshikas," UNDP aims to bring about transformation of how investors find, capacitate and invest in African startups. This year 2024, the project is implemented in Angola, South Africa, and Zambia.