NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

By Mfonobong Nsehe

Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais, a Swiss-Angolan, is a successful entrepreneur and the founder of the African Innovation Foundation (AIF), a Swiss-based organization that promotes innovation and sustainable development for Africa. The African Innovation Foundation mobilizes innovators across the continent to release untapped potential in Africa, enhancing the way Africans live, work, and learn. The Foundation also awards the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA), an annual award that provides $150,000 to individuals who develop and deliver market-oriented solutions to African challenges. The IPA honors and encourages innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new products, increasing efficiency or saving cost in Africa.

I recently had a brief chat with Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais to learn about the African Innovation Foundation and to pick his brains on how private and public institutions on the continent can improve access to funding for innovative entrepreneurs.