More than 1000 Nordic companies are operating and investing in Africa

Focusing on the differences in business culture will optimise your business and save valuable time of operation

We have arranged and facilitated more than 140 seminars about doing business in Africa

At each seminar the case companies will provide insights on scaling, strategy and partnerships

 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is the largest business network in the Nordics with focus on investments and trade in Africa

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is the gateway to business in Africa

ABOUT AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®

 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is the leading professional and private business network for Nordic companies with business interests in Africa. 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® has existed for more than 12 years with the goal of forging the most exciting and value-adding connections between Nordic and African business interests. We connect investors, ecosystems, clusters, companies and organisations across continents and create dynamic spaces for meetings, networking, exchange of knowledge and experience, and exploration of Nordic-African business.

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK is a private, unbiased and independent professional network, facilitated by Nordic–African Consultancy. Members and seminar participants provide the network’s core funding. This entails complete autonomy from special interest and AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK does not hold party political ties and does not promote specific industrial or organisational agendas. While close dialogue with members and collaboration with our partners to the benefit of other members is a valued and valuable tenet of AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®, the network is operated in accordance with the values and policies of Nordic-African Consultancy. 

We arrange network activities in the form of seminars, cluster meetings, roundtables, investor pitches and diplomatic in the Nordics as well as business delegations to African countries and seminars in Africa in collaboration with local partners.

CROSS-SECTORAL SEMINARS IN THE NORDICS


2025

  • TBA soon, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • TBA soon, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • TBA soon, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • TBA soon, Copenhagen, Denmark.

2024

2023

2022

2021

  • December 16th, pitch: “Investor Pitch“, Copenhagen, Denmark. 
  • June 14th, cross-sectoral seminar: 10 year Anniversary seminar “Innovative and successful Nordic companies doing business in Africa” (First physical event post COVID-19), Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • April 13th-16th, business delegation: “Healthcare Business delegation” to South Africa” (Cancelled due to COVID-19), Johannesburg, South Africa. 
  • March 18th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Nordic Innovative Digital Solutions in Africa” (Cancelled due to COVID-19), Stockholm, Sweden.
  • March 18th, pitch: “Investor pitch” (Cancelled due to COVID-19), Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • February 11th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Infrastructure in Africa“ (Cancelled due to COVID-19), Copenhagen, Denmark.

2020

  • December 17th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Strategic and operational advise on Africa”, Oslo, Norway. 
  • November 11th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Digital Healthcare business in Africa”, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • September 16th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Where are the Nordic innovative companies doing business in Africa?”, Copenhagen, Denmark. 
  • June 25th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Public private partnerships with significant impact in Africa“, Oslo, Norway.
  • June 18th, cross-sectoral conference: “Nordic investor pitch – business with an impact in Africa“, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • June 4th, cross-sectoral seminar: “Nordic digital healthcare business with an impact in Africa“, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • June, 1st – 5th, “Business delegation to South Africa” + “Cross-sectoral seminar in South Africa”, Johannesburg, South Africa.
  • April 2nd, cluster meeting: “Kickoff of Tourism & Hospitality Cluster“, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • March 5th, cross-sectoral conference: “Unlock the growth opportunities in Africa“, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • February 25th – 29th, business delegation: “Nordic Business delegation to Kenya”, Nairobi, Kenya.

2019

THE POWER OF NETWORKING


AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® is all about connections. However, the network is equally about improving knowledge and understanding. 

At seminars, we always invite specialists, experts and knowledgeable speakers to give presentations on key topics in African business contexts, e.g. funding your business, critical infrastructure, sustainable business etc. Likewise, we present relevant and interesting business cases, from a range of African countries and sectors, to share their experiences with network members. And we always incorporate plenty of breaks for mingling, networking and discussing business opportunities. The true value of AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® lies in these meetings, exchanges and in the sharing of knowledge. 

In our experience, differences in business environments in the Nordics and on the African continents are many and important, as are the business cultures. Understanding these differences is key to business success and smooth operations.

THE ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP

Gateway to diplomacy

Meet South African and Nordic diplomats and learn more about the local and Nordic political framework

Discuss business

Discuss business opportunities in the Nordics as well as in South Africa with potential clients, partners, authorities, organisations and diplomats

Networking

It´s about knowing the right people when doing business in the Nordics and South Africa. Meet the right people with the competences you need for scaling up your business in both the Nordics and South Africa. 

Knowledge sharing

Meet companies already operating in the Nordics and get valuable information about how to do business with Nordic companies and Nordic business people. 

  • Networking: “Doing business in the Nordics and in Africa is all about valuable, relevant contacts and connections. Meet the right people and get access to the competences you need for establishing and scaling your business – in the Nordics or in Africa.”
  • Knowledge sharing: “Get introduced to companies already operating in the Nordics or in Africa. Gain knowledge about doing business in novel markets and unfamiliar business structures and cultures.”
  • Discuss business: “Learn about the innovative solutions offered by peers. Discuss business opportunities and possibilities for cooperation with potential clients, suppliers, partners and cross-sectoral stakeholders.”
  • Gateway to diplomacy: “Meet distinguished representatives from the African or Nordic diplomatic corps. Learn about regional, national and local frameworks, plans and priorities.”

Not a member yet?

Large Company

EURO 3,500 (ex. vat)
  • More than 250 employees

Medium Company

EURO 2,500 (ex. vat)
  • Less than 250 employees

Small Company

EURO 1,500 (ex. vat)
  • Less than 50 employees

Partner

EURO 5,500 (ex. vat)
  • As partner you´ll be listed on our webpage and posted on SoMe.
  • As partner you must add value to the members of AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® IN THE NORDICS

Ever more Nordic companies engage in business ventures in African countries. We estimate that more than 1000 Nordic companies do business in Africa. We believe that Nordic companies can make a significant difference in Africa with innovative solutions fit for the current and future needs of African consumers and societies.

Nordic-African business takes place at many different stages and in even more different modes – from simpler exchanges such as direct sourcing or exports to fully fledged market penetration and collaboration with local partners, or more extensive forms of market presence with local subsidiaries or complex operations. One set of exciting approaches to establishing and doing sustainable business in African markets, increasingly adopted by Nordic companies, is consortia across the value chain, multi-stakeholder collaboration or public-private partnerships. In AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®, members exchange ideas and experiences with all these ways of doing business in Africa. 

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK® invites all Nordic companies, across sectors and industries, with interest in Africa, to become members of the network. We facilitate cross-sectoral seminars with focus on broad topics and business megatrends as well as sector-specific business clusters, focused roundtables and targeted business delegations. 

STATEMENTS

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK seminars are great events to meet with other organisations and people who actively develop business and projects in the fastest growing and youngest continent on our planet. They are also great for establishing pan-Nordic contacts

Aape Pohjavirta

Funzi Chief Evangelist, Founder , Funzi (Finland)

The seminars organised by Africa Innovation Network are great platforms for being updated on relevant subjects when doing business in the growing African economies and to meet and share experience with like-minded. If Africa is part of your future strategy, this network is highly recommendable

Ib Albertsen

Investment Director , IFU (Denmark)

Africa Innovation Network arranges interesting and insightful seminars about businesses opportunities in Africa. A continent full of opportunities and also potential missteps that should be avoided. The seminars are a great platform for networking and for sharing experiences. If you intend to do business in Africa, then we recommend keeping an eye on the seminar program

Hans Becker

CEO, Red Flash (Sweden)