Innovators Retreat – Africa Scaleup Program 

The IE Africa Center Social Innovators Retreat – Africa Scale Up program, held between November 27th and 30th, 2023, aimed to foster a distinctive intellectual exchange for Africa’s forefront social innovators. These social entrepreneurs employ novel strategies to address systemic challenges, potentially serving as global models. The program, conducted in partnership with the MIT Legatum Center, Ashoka, and Acumen, sought to amplify their impact and facilitate knowledge sharing.

During the four-day program held at our Madrid campus, the Fellows gleaned insights from IE Professors and each other. IE Professor Youssouf Traore delved into the intricacies of deep tech scalability, while Prof. Concepción Galdon championed a holistic approach to social entrepreneurship, spanning the realms of social impact, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. Prof. Grace Obado illuminated Africa’s population dynamics and urbanization trends, emphasizing untapped opportunities. On day three, the spotlight shifted to social innovation and impact measurement, guided by Prof. Rachida Justo, while MIT Professor Valeria Budinich facilitated a collaborative exploration of systems change. The program concluded with sessions led by Profs. Simon Gifford and the program’s Academic Director, Joe Haslam, focusing on nurturing entrepreneurial strengths and evaluating essential competencies for sustained progress in addressing social and environmental challenges.

I am humbled by the drive and passion of these exemplary and visionary entrepreneurs who are working tirelessly to address some of the continent and indeed the world’s most pressing challenges – ENIOLA HARRISON, Director IE AFRICA CENTER