Ancrages forum: supporting entrepreneurship in Africa (16 April 2025)

Supporting entrepreneurship in Africa

The Ancrages forum is a pioneering event that combines economic diplomacy, diplomatic action of local governments, and practical promotion of the various support programmes offered by the State for creative projects and entrepreneurship in France and Africa. Among these facilities are Choose Africa, conducted by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and BPI France, which has already led to investment of €2.5 billion in five years to support young innovative African businesses. Other facilities include the Meet Africa, Pass Africa and Digital Africa programmes, which offer these businesses rooted in many areas financial support and assistance in the crucial launch and scaling up phases of their growth trajectory.

While the Ancrages forum is led by Les Déterminés, all government operators have contributed to its success, such as the Agence Française de Développement/AFD and BPI France (economic aspects), France Volontaires (youth mobility), Business France (export) as well as regional bodies.

Marseille: global city and epicentre of actors from African diasporas

On 16 April 2025, the Ancrages forum will take place in Marseille, at the Palais du Pharo. Marseille was a natural choice for this second edition. The southern city is a crossroads for initiatives, led by the diasporas, shaping the bridges between France and the African continent (Forum Europe Afrique, Emerging Valley, Cuisines Africaines).

To encourage boldness and commitment, Ancrages Marseille will welcome business leaders, creators, athletes and scientists, demonstrating the diversity of success stories and trajectories. It also aims to build genuine connections between talents, businesses and institutions to support entrepreneurship and employability.

MEETING SPACES
Ancrages Marseille is also an immersive experience, with:

• An “Agora” village organized around specific themes, where participants can meet entrepreneurs, develop their networks and access practical, suitable resources.
• Inspiring accounts from role models that transformed their experience into a real strength.
• Round tables to work out the challenges of today and tomorrow.
• Participatory workshops to discover the programmes proposed by France’s government agencies (Bpifrance, Groupe AFD, Business France, France Volontaires, Institut Français, MansA - Maison des Mondes africains) and better understand the opportunities that exist to start a business, invest or get involved.

The event is open to the public and 3,000 visitors are expected. Ancrages Marseille is part of a process of collective mobilization and embodies a shared ambition, which is to create a positive and inspiring narrative for young people from the diasporas by highlighting exemplary trajectories and fostering genuine opportunities.

A look back at the first Ancrages forum

The first edition of the forum took place in 2024 in Lille, and brought together more than 2,500 participants and mobilized a large ecosystem of committed actors, with some 9 million people reached on social media. It enabled the launch of the “Fonds Maghreb” facility to assist the development of French businesses in the central Maghreb region (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia).

• Find out more about the launch of the “Fonds Maghreb” (in French)

Updated: April 2025