Comorian incubators INNOV’LAB and OUSSAID at the BIC Africa soft-landing and conference in France

Two Comorian incubators, Innov’lab and OUSSAID, recently took part in the first edition of the EBN | BIC Africa 2024 Soft-Landing program, held in France from June 10 to 12. This program aims to strengthen the capacities of African incubators by offering them the opportunity to immerse themselves in the European entrepreneurial ecosystem, a valuable experience for two of Comoros’ leading innovation players.

Ms Anazra Mohamed, representative of the OUSSAID incubator, was welcomed to Chartres by THE PLACE incubator, run by the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Meanwhile, Said Hachim Fouad, head of Innov’lab, was welcomed by the Descartes incubator in Paris. This immersion in the world of European incubation enabled them to discover the practices and techniques adopted by their French counterparts.

The Comorian incubators were able to observe and understand the importance of the services offered to startups in Europe, from coworking and acceleration programs to fund-raising strategies.

In addition to the services on offer, the two representatives were able to see the decisive impact of networking with strategic partners, such as universities, public agencies and local business communities.These collaborations are essential for identifying and supporting high-potential startups, a strategy that Comorian incubators are now planning to deploy.

These new insights and enriching exchanges strengthen the capacity of Comorian incubators to become catalysts for innovation and entrepreneurship in the Comoros. The model of entrepreneurial development observed in France could inspire similar initiatives in the archipelago, facilitating the establishment of a more resilient and prosperous local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Alongside the Soft-Landing program, Comorian incubators also took part in EBN’s annual conference in Nantes on June 13. This gathering brought together some 300 business leaders, policy-makers and incubation experts from all over Europe, to exchange ideas and explore new avenues for collaboration. Discussions and workshops provided participants with a global view of trends and innovations in the field of incubation, as well as opportunities for international partnerships. On the strength of this experience, the Innov’lab and OUSSAID incubators are ready to integrate the lessons learned from this immersion into the Comorian ecosystem. The objective is clear: to propel business incubation in the Comoros to a higher level by providing appropriate support for local entrepreneurship, while contributing to job creation and innovation in the archipelago.