Africa Basque Challenge
Bridging the Gap Through Collaborative Innovation
The Africa Basque Challenge (ABC) is more than just a competition—it’s an entrepreneurship experience where young people from across various countries come together to co-create social enterprises that address the pressing challenges in their communities. By bridging cultural, geographic, and ideological gaps, ABC empowers young multicultural entrepreneurs to transform local issues into globally resonant solutions.
Our Mission
At the heart of ABC is a simple yet powerful idea: innovation thrives when diverse minds work together. We aimed to empower young entrepreneurs with bold business ideas, encourage them to think “out of the box” and collaborate across borders. The challenge inspires participants to:
- Bridge Gaps: Unite local commitment with a global mindset.
- Embrace Diversity: Leverage cultural differences to spark creative, sustainable solutions.
- Create Impact: Develop social enterprises that address socio-economic challenges in innovative ways.
The Experience
- Co-Creation & Collaboration: Participants formed cross-cultural teams and co-designed social enterprises that were not only contextually relevant but also had the potential to make a global impact.
- A Community of Change Makers: ABC was designed to build a lasting community of entrepreneurs who remained connected beyond the challenge. This network serves as a foundation for continuous learning, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities long into the future.
- Empowering Global Thinkers: By encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and bold ideas, the challenge equipped the young innovators with skills to become tomorrow’s leaders—leaders ready to navigate and address complex socio-economic challenges on a global scale.
2018 Edition
Bridging Cultures, Igniting Innovation
The 2018 Edition of the Africa Basque Challenge (ABC) brought together bright young innovators from the Basque Country and Kenya, inviting them to create solutions that bridge the urban-rural divide. This edition was a celebration of intercultural collaboration—where creativity met opportunity, and diverse perspectives merged to spark socio-business transformation.
Embracing the MTA Methodology: Creating Teampreneurs
At the heart of ABC was our commitment to building “teampreneurs”—collaborative teams of young entrepreneurs who combine their skills and diverse perspectives to form sustainable businesses. This methodology:
- Fostered Collaboration: Participants worked closely in small, interdisciplinary teams, drawing on each other’s strengths to navigate challenges.
- Built Start-Up Mindsets: Through intensive bootcamps and mentorship, teams evolved from vision to venture, ready to make their mark on the socio-economic landscape.
A Unique Collaborative Experience
- Co-Creation:
ABC provided a dynamic platform for young people to form teams, engage in idea development and create startup projects. - Diverse Participation:
In this edition, 48 innovators from Kenya, Somalia, and the Basque Country united to tackle pressing local challenges with global insights.
Program Highlights
- Dynamic Bootcamps:
Two intensive boot camps laid the foundation for innovative thinking: - First boot camp in Kenya: Hands-on sessions focused on understanding local challenges and developing actionable ideas.
- Second boot camp in the Basque Country, Spain: Immersive experiences fostered intercultural exchange and refined business strategies.
- The founding of start-ups:
The challenge culminated in the formation of 11 companies.
Beyond the Challenge
Born out of existing relationships between foundations, academic institutions, and companies between Kenya and the Basque country, the Africa Basque Challenge 2018 Edition was a great first step towards fostering new socio-business realities.
This Edition not only showcased the power of intercultural collaboration but also set a new standard for how young innovators can become teamprenuers—harness collective creativity and develop venture concepts that have the potential to drive sustainable change. When diverse talents converge, especially in innovation hubs like Nairobi, groundbreaking solutions emerge that can reshape communities and influence the global stage.
2021 Edition
Empowering Youth for Accessible Healthcare
In this edition of our challenge, we united 40 visionary youth from Kenya, Senegal, the Basque Country, Spain, and France—aged 18 to 35—to break down barriers to healthcare access. By forming multicultural teams, these young innovators harnessed their diverse perspectives to design creative solutions that addressed critical challenges in health equity.
A Four-Phase Journey of Innovation
The challenge was structured into four distinct phases, each designed to cultivate ideas and transform them into tangible, impactful solutions:
Phase 1 – Boot Camp in Nairobi:
Participants kicked off the challenge in Nairobi, where immersive, hands-on sessions set the stage for innovative thinking. The vibrant energy of Kenya’s startup culture inspired a collaborative spirit and a focus on real-world healthcare challenges.
Phase 2 – Online Collaboration:
Building on the momentum from the initial boot camp, teams transitioned to an online format. During this phase, they refined their ideas through virtual workshops and mentorship sessions, leveraging global expertise to deepen their concepts.
Phase 3 – Second Boot Camp:
The journey continued with a second boot camp in the Basque Country, offering a different environment to further develop and validate their solutions. This phase reinforced cross-cultural collaboration.
Phase 4 – Online Incubation with Global Partners:
In the final phase, the teams entered an online incubation period supported by our global partners. During this time, they received expert guidance to fine-tune their strategies and prepare for real-world implementation.
Key Partnerships and Focus
With a dedicated theme on “Access to Healthcare”, this edition featured a crucial partnership with ANESVAD, ensuring that the solutions proposed were grounded in the realities of global health challenges. The cross-cultural collaboration not only enriched the creative process but also built bridges between different healthcare ecosystems, fostering lasting international partnerships.
The Impact of Collaboration
By bringing together diverse talents and perspectives from multiple regions, this challenge demonstrated the power of multicultural collaboration in driving social change. The innovative solutions developed by these young teampreneurs offered fresh, transformative approaches to overcoming healthcare access challenges.
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Get In Touch With Us
Phone: +254 (0)752 808808
ZUHURA AFRICA
PO Box 25375-00603
NAIROBI
KENYA