Key Takeaways
- • The African Development Bank (AfDB) has opened applications for a free, online venture capital investment training programme aimed at African institutional investors, to train 80 capital providers over three months.
- • The programme is coordinated through the AfDB's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab and delivered by implementation partner I&P Ecosystems, and forms part of the Boost Africa Programme with the European Investment Bank.
- • The programme targets a funding gap: African pension funds, insurers, banks and other institutions largely hold government bonds and listed securities rather than venture capital.
- • Application deadline is 13 November 2026, selection will be announced 20 November 2026, and the programme runs December 2026 to February 2027.
- • The AfDB aims to increase domestic capital flowing into high-growth African startups and reduce reliance on foreign startup funding.
Summary
The African Development Bank has launched applications for a capacity-building programme designed to help African institutional investors develop the skills and confidence to invest in venture capital funds, according to the bank's announcement. The initiative is free to participate in and is coordinated through the AfDB's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab (IEL), which sits under the bank's Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department. Delivery is handled by I&P Ecosystems, selected as the implementation partner.
The programme is a flagship initiative under the AfDB's Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy and forms a key component of the Boost Africa Programme, a partnership between the AfDB and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Boost Africa seeks to strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems by financing high-potential startups and improving access to investment capital.
According to the programme organisers, African pension funds, insurers, banks and other institutional investors manage substantial assets, but most remain invested in government bonds, treasury instruments and listed securities. Venture capital is significantly underrepresented despite regulatory frameworks in many countries permitting alternative allocations, leaving venture fund managers reliant on foreign investors. The programme identifies six barriers: limited venture due diligence expertise, misalignment with traditional approval and risk frameworks, lack of internal guidance, concerns about commitments of up to 10 years, limited access to fund managers and networks, and a shortage of peer-learning benchmarks.
The programme will train 80 capital providers over three months through eight two-hour live online webinars led by industry practitioners and a two-day intensive bootcamp. Topics include venture fundamentals and fund lifecycles, power-law returns, portfolio construction, valuation, dilution, ESG and impact considerations, due diligence, fund economics including management fees and carried interest, first-time fund commitments, and co-investment. The bootcamp uses African venture fund case studies and investment committee simulations, with participants grouped by institution type. Participants gain membership in a network of more than 50 domestic and international capital providers, and a select number will receive sponsored attendance at the next LP Peer Group Convening.
Eligible applicants must be headquartered in Africa, deploy capital within Africa, and either already invest in venture capital or be actively exploring a first allocation. Eligible types include pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, corporate venture arms, family offices, foundations and asset managers. The programme targets senior decision-makers such as CIOs, heads of investment, investment committee members and portfolio managers. Applicants must commit to all eight webinars, the bootcamp and baseline and endline surveys. Institutions may nominate more than one representative. Applications are submitted through the programme's online portal, with the deadline of 13 November 2026, selection on 20 November 2026, a two-week needs assessment after selection, and programme delivery from December 2026 to February 2027.
The programme is a flagship initiative under the AfDB's Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy and forms a key component of the Boost Africa Programme, a partnership between the AfDB and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Boost Africa seeks to strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems by financing high-potential startups and improving access to investment capital.
According to the programme organisers, African pension funds, insurers, banks and other institutional investors manage substantial assets, but most remain invested in government bonds, treasury instruments and listed securities. Venture capital is significantly underrepresented despite regulatory frameworks in many countries permitting alternative allocations, leaving venture fund managers reliant on foreign investors. The programme identifies six barriers: limited venture due diligence expertise, misalignment with traditional approval and risk frameworks, lack of internal guidance, concerns about commitments of up to 10 years, limited access to fund managers and networks, and a shortage of peer-learning benchmarks.
The programme will train 80 capital providers over three months through eight two-hour live online webinars led by industry practitioners and a two-day intensive bootcamp. Topics include venture fundamentals and fund lifecycles, power-law returns, portfolio construction, valuation, dilution, ESG and impact considerations, due diligence, fund economics including management fees and carried interest, first-time fund commitments, and co-investment. The bootcamp uses African venture fund case studies and investment committee simulations, with participants grouped by institution type. Participants gain membership in a network of more than 50 domestic and international capital providers, and a select number will receive sponsored attendance at the next LP Peer Group Convening.
Eligible applicants must be headquartered in Africa, deploy capital within Africa, and either already invest in venture capital or be actively exploring a first allocation. Eligible types include pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds, commercial banks, corporate venture arms, family offices, foundations and asset managers. The programme targets senior decision-makers such as CIOs, heads of investment, investment committee members and portfolio managers. Applicants must commit to all eight webinars, the bootcamp and baseline and endline surveys. Institutions may nominate more than one representative. Applications are submitted through the programme's online portal, with the deadline of 13 November 2026, selection on 20 November 2026, a two-week needs assessment after selection, and programme delivery from December 2026 to February 2027.
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