Are you a European small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) active in Africa?

Are you looking for investment or buyers for a new project in Africa?

Apply to participate in the Third Japan-Africa Business Forum.

The call for applications is closed.

The event report can be downloaded here.

The Third Japan-Africa Business Forum opened a virtual B2B matchmaking from 29 June to 16 July 2021 and exceptionally invited European SMEs* with experience in Africa to meet with Japanese companies wishing to enter African markets.

The event was organised with the aim to bring Japanese companies and investors to Africa and was financed by the Japanese Ministry of Finance and the African Development Bank.

Official website available here.

Press release of the African Development Bank available here.

* SMEs are companies meeting the standard European Commission criteria for an SME.

Matchmaking supported by the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

The EU-Japan Centre took part in the virtual matchmaking event organised during the Third Japan-Africa Business Forum. The EU-Japan Centre had a virtual booth within which EU SMEs and clusters with experience in Africa were co-exhibiting.

The EU-Japan Centre launched an call for applications to recruit EU SMEs and clusters with experience in Africa and looking for Japanese partners for joint projects in African markets.

Selected participants could benefit from with the following elements:

• A preparatory online meeting prior to the Third Japan-Africa Business Forum;
• Remote participation in a B2B matchmaking during the Third Japan-Africa Business Forum via the EU-Japan Centre's virtual booth from 29 June to 16 July 2021;
• Access to the event's webinars from 29 June to 8 July 2021;
• Debriefing after the event (questionnaire);
• On a case-by-case basis, support in following up with Japanese leads met during the event.

Objectives

• Promote EU SMEs already active in Africa to increase visibility toward an audience of Japanese companies interested in doing business in Africa and looking for partners in the continent.
• Increase EU SMEs' knowledge about promising sectors and business opportunities in Africa as well as EU-Japan business cooperation in Africa.
• Maximise partnering opportunities with Japanese companies looking to invest/buy/start or expand a business in Africa.

Participant profile

The EU-Japan Centre's virtual booth hosted EU SMEs and clusters headquartered in one of the 27 EU Member States, or in the U.K., or in countries participating in the COSME Programme.

At the time of the call for applications, applicants had to be active in one of the five priority areas targeted by the event:

• "Light up Africa": energy, oil & gas, renewable energy, geothermal energy, off-grid solutions, independent power producers (IPP), etc.
• "Feed Africa": agriculture and related technologies, food transformation.
• "Industrialise Africa": manufacturing, projects of new factories, need for off-takers/buyers.
• "Integrate Africa": SMEs involved in infrastructure projects in Africa.
• "Solutions to improve the quality of life of African people": healthcare and telemedicine, education, access to water/sanitation/hygiene, waste management, technology for development including digital and offline/off-grid solutions, etc.

At the time of the call for applications, applicants had to show a concrete project in Africa and explain the types of Japanese buyers, investors, technology partners or any other type of business partners that they were looking for in Africa.

Eligibility

Applicants had to meet the following eligiblity criteria:

• Meet the standard European Commission criteria for an SME;
• Be an SME headquartered in one of the 27 EU Member States, or in the U.K., or in countries participating in the COSME Programme;
• Have experience with African markets and/or African partners. Companies with a highly innovative product/service/technology that has been successfully applied in developing/emerging countries outside Africa, and with the project to target Africa in the near future might be considered;
• Be >50% EU (or COSME partnering country) owned;
• Be an organisation that is an EU (or COSME partnering country) juridical person;

Applicants had to:

• Be a citizen of an EU Member State, or the U.K. or a COSME partnering country;
• Be at least 20 years of age at the date of submission of the application form;
• Work in a management position with proven experience in industry;
• Be supported by his/her employer;
• Commit to attend the meetings planned during the event;
• Have a good command of English.

Selection

The main criteria for selection were:

• The above-mentioned eligibility criteria;
• The above-mentioned 5 priority areas;
• A proven business experience in African markets;
• The innovative aspect of the product/service/technology offered by the company;
• The strategy of the participant's company regarding Africa and regarding Japanese partners;
• The professional & educational background of the candidate.

Participation fee

Participation was free of charge for the selected EU SMEs. 

Selected EU SMEs had access to the event's webinars and virtual matchmaking platform through the EU-Japan Centre's virtual booth.

Past editions

• More information on the First Japan-Africa Business Forum (2014) available here.
• More information on the Second Japan-Africa Business Forum (2017) available here.

Terms and conditions

Disclaimer

In no event will the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation be liable for any advice or information given by the organisers of the Japan-Africa Business Forum.

In no event will the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, punitive, exemplary, consequential or subsequent damages or any loss of business or profits, regardless of legal theory, whether or not the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation has been warned of the possibility of such damages, for the use, non-use or omission of any information or advice provided by the Japan-Africa Business Forum.

Confidentiality

Successful candidates will receive an invitation-only access to the B2B matchmaking platform of the Japan-Africa Business Forum 2021 that must be kept confidential. Successful candidates have the duty to keep all information received from the Japan-Africa Business Forum confidential unless otherwise stated by the organisers of the Japan-Africa Business Forum. The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation will keep confidential all information provided by the candidates for the application.

Copyright

The Japan-Africa Business Forum, the African Development Bank and the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation are protected by copyright, logos, trademark, and such other intellectual property rights. In no event the candidates are granted any right, title or interest in the aforementioned trademarks, logos and other intellectual property rights. Any intellectual property right owned by the candidates will remain the property of the candidates.