CTIC Dakar opens doors to encourage West African start-ups

Public and private institutions have opened West African ICT startup incubator CTIC Dakar in the capital city of Senegal. The new facility will avail local entrepreneurs of expertise and support to strongly increase their chance of success and reduce the considerable risk of failure often experienced by business creators. CTIC Dakar cites unspecified studies showing that businesses that start with the support of incubators have twice the success rate of those that do not. The incubator will focus on administrative, commercial, marketing and accounting aspects, as well as providing clients with the necessary infrastructure for their businesses to succeed. Two levels of support are in place, one for ICT businesses already on the ground and another for entrepreneurial ideas that have not yet materialised. CTIC Dakar's backers include former telecom monopoly Sonatel, which offers some services under the Orange Senegal brand, telecom regulator ARTP, management training provider CDE, human resources specialist GIZ, and network, furnishings and fittings supplier Adie.