At the Viva Technology trade show in Paris, Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA), led by CEO Jérôme Hénique, and risingSUD, represented by President Bernard Kleynhoff, signed a three-year strategic partnership to support African startups within the Orange Digital Center network. The collaboration focuses on facilitating these startups’ establishment and growth in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, a dynamic economic hub in the South of France.
The partnership aims to connect innovation ecosystems across Africa, the Middle East, and Southern France, providing tailored support from risingSUD to Orange Digital Center startups to expand into a region hosting 500,000 companies, including global leaders and emerging innovators.
OMEA reinforces its commitment to internationalizing startups from Africa and the Middle East through the Orange Digital Center network, active in 17 African and Middle Eastern countries and eight European countries. The network offers free access to digital skills training, project support, incubation, acceleration, and financing.
In 2024, risingSUD helped 14 African companies establish a presence in Southern France, including Guépard from Tunisia’s Orange Digital Center, which opened an office in Marseille. This partnership will extend risingSUD’s expertise in project development, financing access, and networking to more startups, while also enhancing talent exchange between the South of France and Orange Digital Centers.
Jérôme Hénique emphasized the partnership as a significant step toward promoting African innovation globally and supporting startup growth through acceleration in France. Bernard Kleynhoff highlighted the South of France’s strategic position as a bridge between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, positioning it as France’s leading region for African investment projects and a gateway for Mediterranean business development.
