The National Institute for Support to Small and Medium Enterprises (INAPEM) and entrepreneurs from the province of Huila recently discussed various points of view linked to innovation and digital entrepreneurship and how these tools can be applied as catalysts for socioeconomic change in Angola.
The conversations arose as part of the presentation of the Envolver Project and the National Network of Incubators, an initiative led by INAPEM in partnership with the Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI) Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (IPS), both institutions in Portugal.
Speaking at a meeting to present the Project, its coordinator, Nuno Teixeira, stated that the idea is to contribute to the growth and diversification of the Angolan economy, making startups, micro, small and medium-sized companies easier to obtain financing.
He highlighted that it is a “big” challenge, especially for micro and small companies as they are segments that involve a lot of distrust on the part of financiers, which is why they hope that young people from Huíla will become interested and participate in the initiative.
"We chose to provide tools, work instruments that bring the financial, public and private sectors closer together, from the preparation of business plans, feasibility studies, risk analyzes on companies to the financial control of projects, all duly adjusted to the reality of Angola", said.
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Nuno Teixeira mentioned that they are now inviting incubators and consultancy companies to apply so that they can bring together entities that will be certified, so that each one can later have projects to monitor.
He stated that the idea is not to have many projects at the beginning, but in the first months to create the capacity to test and see if it will work and, from the second semester onwards, to expand the possibility of submitting an application with the tested project and to make available a financial package of large size.
He said that they will launch the competition next April to have incubators and accelerators, as well as consultancy companies, to be able to apply to monitor the projects and in May, open the doors to initiatives to be followed.
