BIC Africa participated in the Team Europe – Invest in Young Business Africa (TEI IYBA) Management Team Meeting and Workshops in Luxembourg and online on the 5th and 6th June 2025
On 5th of June, the TEI IYBA Management Team convened for a key meeting, beginning with an overview of the initiative. This was followed by an in-depth discussion on financial instruments designed to enhance women’s economic and financial resilience, including the presentation of a study and relevant case studies.
In the afternoon, a workshop co-hosted by the Growth Firms Alliance explored existing financing platforms, both established and those being built, that address challenges constraining nascent African SME investment markets. The workshop aimed to better understand and accelerate the development of these solutions by fostering collaborations among philanthropic and Team Europe actors to maximize the value of their corresponding resources. With a panel discussion featuring DFIs and funders facilitated deep dive conversations focused on learning and collaborative action including perspectives on moving forward.
On 6th of June, the meeting commenced with a presentation on the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative by the African Development Bank (AfDB). This was followed by an update on the four TEI IYBA programmes – IYBA-WIDU, IYBA-SEED, -IYBA-WE4A and IYBA-MCP + IYBA-Invest highlighting key developments. The session concluded with a discussion on TEI IYBA’s overall contributions to the Global Gateway initiative and its database, alongside an interactive Q&A session.
The TEI IYBA Management Team works closely with a coordinator and the Technical Assistance team, and with the support of EU Member States’ agencies, to implement the strategy approved by the Policy Steering Group. It develops the day-to-day work of the TEI IYBA. Full members comprise EU MS, development agencies, the Commission, European DFIs, the EIB and the EBRD.
First announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Financing for African Economies Summit in Paris in May 2021, TEI IYBA is dedicated to supporting early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs – especially women and young people – in Africa in launching, consolidating and growing sustainable, strong and inclusive businesses and creating decent jobs. It does so by extending financial and technical support at the early stages of those businesses’ development. It also strengthens the ecosystem of organisations that support them, such as incubators and accelerators. Ten EU Member States are part of TEI IYBA, with a shared goal of developing innovative projects and jointly scaling up Team Europe’s support to early-stage businesses in Africa.
We were honoured to participate in the TEI IYBA discussions, contributing to its mission by sharing BICAfrica’s experiences, lessons learned, and challenges. Our colleagues Laura Lecci, CEO EBN and Robert Sanders, Team Leader of BIC Africa at EBN had the opportunity to engage with TEI IYBA partners, leaders, and fellow participants, exchanging valuable insights on advancing entrepreneurship in Africa and bridging African and European ecosystems.
A heartfelt thank you to the TEI IYBA Management Team for the invitation. We look forward to continuing collaboration and contributing to meaningful progress.
Learn more about TEI IYBA here