Original Story Published by: Nicholas Moore for CGTN
Entrepreneur contestants of Kente and Silk Startup Competition in Beijing: (L to R) Yaa Anima Opare Appiah, founder of Nani’s Creations, Botlhale Seageng, founder of Circle Africa Tours and Emhatsion Issac Tekle, founder of Let’s Recycle.
China-Africa business ties are increasingly being built on two-way ideas combining the best of both sides, with a growing number of China-based African entrepreneurs striving to turn their startup ideas into reality.
While Chinese investment in African infrastructure has long been reported on, the effects of cultural exchanges, foreign study placements and closer business ties are cultivating a new generation of young African entrepreneurs.
The recent Africa Week – a series of events in Beijing focusing on African culture, tech and business—concluded with a pitch competition that saw young African entrepreneurs look to win 30,000 yuan (4,680 US dollars) in startup funding.
The five competing entrepreneurs came from across the continent, pitching ideas ranging from green technology to African jewelry design.
One factor that they all shared was a connection to China. Most were postgraduate students, using their experiences of living in the country to identify niche markets linking Africa and China, or business concepts that could be established in China before being exported back to the continent.
