Nadya Eka Lestari
TechInAfrica — The biggest global telecommunications operators in the world, Orange, is acknowledged for its expertise in innovation. The Orange Digital Centre in Tunis, Tunisia was launched in April 2019 and recognized as one of its kinds in the Middle East and Africa. With more than 5,000 employees across its international research labs, Orange provides a wide range of activities as a support system for startups and offers training to young people of Africa.
Asma Ennaifer, Chief External Relations, CSR, and Innovation Officer for Orange, mentioned, “From training young people in coding, prototyping to startup support, acceleration and finally investment in budding entrepreneurs, these new sites are intended for all kinds of different people,” she states.
Orange Digital Centre has four strategic programs which aim at particular types of individuals, such as:
- The coding school
Orange’s coding school is free and focuses on students, young graduates, and young entrepreneurs.
- The FabLab Solidaire
Orange has a digital workshop that is open to young people and lets users creating prototypes and leverage 3D printers, milling machines and laser cutters.
- Orange Fab
A startup accelerator designed to build upon relationships with the Orange Group and tailored to assist entrepreneurs with the development of management skills, and commercial capabilities within startups.
- Orange Digital Ventures Africa
Orange owns a $55.6 million investment fund for startups in the Middle East and Africa that focuses on entrepreneurs.
Tunisia as a perfect market to grow
Regarding Tunisia’s growing market, Ennaifer says, “Africa is a virgin area for the fintech market,” affirms Ennaifer. “In fact, the fintech landscape has grown at an annual rate of approximately 24% over the last 10 years. If we compare it with the developed region, the African continent must become more digitalized, so that the fintech market will grow. This makes it a very attractive market to invest in.”
Ennaifer mentions that the rapid development of technology has led Orange to combat digital exclusion and encourages the company to provide accessible innovations to more people across 19 countries in the Middle East and Africa through ”inclusive innovation”.
Furthermore, Ennaifer emphasizes, “The success of digital transformation inevitably relies on inclusion!” Orange has established partnerships with 27 universities in Tunisia throughout the country and has deployed five subsidiaries of coding school – the “Orange Tech Clubs” – in universities in the regions of Kef, Sousse, Nabeul, Tunis, and Sfax. “With the support of the Orange Foundation, Orange has deployed five FabLabs Solidaires, including one mobile FabLab, with the aim of covering the entire territory,” she elaborates. “Thanks to these programs, Orange Tunisia was able to accompany and train more than 16,000 young students in the coding school.”
Providing opportunities for youth
“Youth unemployment is a worrying problem worldwide,” Ennaifer explains, regarding the importance of young people and its reinforcement of young people’s preference for Orange.
“According to the World Bank, the global youth unemployment rate in 2017 was around 13.4%. The majority of African countries are struggling with significantly higher rates (e.g. Tunisia 36.3%; Ivory Coast 25%).” Ennaifer points to the fact that young adults in higher education are facing the same unemployment rates, yet the services offered by the Digital Centre will assist in combating this issue. “The Orange Digital Centre is the place where the youth can be trained to get ready for their first job or professionally reconvert if needed,” she explains. “They also can develop their ideas by putting at their disposal machines that are not affordable, and also coaches to accompany them.”
Challenges and future
“Orange’s objectives of supporting inclusive economic development, youth employment, and to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation are in line with the development goals formulated in the Agenda 2030.”
Orange has employed 18,000 people in Africa and the Middle East and now interests in creating local well-trained young people in a massive amount.
Ennaifer puts it, “As Orange continues to build on the Orange Digital Centre, its expanding network will allow the exchange of experience and expertise between the beneficiaries to address international markets.”
Via Africa.BusinessChief.com
