Orange Middle East and Africa and risingSUD have signed a strategic partnership to support the establishment and growth of African startups in the Orange Digital Centre network in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in the South of France.
The three-year partnership aims to bring together innovation ecosystems in Africa, the Middle East, and the South of France. Specifically, startups from the Orange Digital Centre network will benefit from tailored support from the teams at risingSUD, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region’s economic attractiveness and development agency, to establish themselves in the South of France.
They will thus join a dynamic region that is already home to 500,000 companies, including global leaders and startups that are inventing the world of tomorrow.
With this partnership, Orange strengthens its support for the internationalisation of startups from Africa and the Middle East and reaffirms its commitment to developing the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Deployed in 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and eight countries in Europe, the Orange Digital Centre network is a free and accessible ecosystem for all. It brings together, in one place, digital skills training for young people, support for project leaders, incubation, acceleration, and startup financing.
In 2024 alone, risingSUD supported the establishment of 14 African companies in the South of France, including the startup from the Orange Digital Centre in Tunisia, Guépard, which opened an office in Marseille. This partnership will allow more startups from Africa and the Middle East to benefit from risingSUD’s expertise, ranging from project development to access to financing and networking with international partners. It will also facilitate access for talent and startups from the South region to the Orange Digital Centres network.
“This partnership with risingSUD marks a key step in our ambition to promote African innovation internationally. It is a continuation of the support we offer startups through our Orange Digital Centres. By facilitating their establishment and acceleration in France, particularly in the South region, we are giving young African companies the means to accelerate their growth,” said Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa.
