By Abdi Ali
Published February 13, 2016
A French telecommunications service provider has launched an online space for information in French and English devoted to entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East.
Orange, the French company, calls the new space The Entrepreneur Club. It says the club puts entrepreneurs in touch with a variety of instruments that support start-ups. It also provides practical information and tools for company creation.
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Orange says entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East contribute to their countries’ development and reputation. Besides giving them access to quality voice and data services, Orange says it supports small and medium companies in the region; for instance, through the Orange Prize for the social entrepreneur in Africa and by working with a number of local incubators such as CTIC in Senegal and CIPMEN in Niger.
The Entrepreneur Club redirects the entrepreneur towards ecosystem instruments suited to his or her situation, such as legal environment, how-to sheets, best practices, tips and video verbatims.
Some of the current issues addressed on the website include Eight factors to consider when purchasing a franchise; Ten rules for entrepreneurs to live by; Imagine with Orange; Is my idea a real business opportunity?; and Is buying a distressed company a bargain or burden?
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While some entrepreneurs need the support, hosting and coaching that incubators provide, others want to improve their payment options with Orange’s APIs, many others are looking for financing. In addition to Orange’s local B2B services, the Net surfer is introduced to services such as Imagine with Orange, Orange Partner, Orange Developer, Orange Fab and Orange Digital Ventures.
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“At Entrepreneur Club, experienced entrepreneurs from Africa and the Middle East talk about the problems they have encountered and what they do to overcome them. Specialized journalists and lawyers contribute technical articles and practical advice in easy-to-understand language,” Orange says.
