Senegal aims to become a leading technological hub in West Africa through various initiatives, including the Demo Day of the “Challenge+ Dakar” program, whose second edition was held on Tuesday, July 1st in Dakar. Led by HEC Paris, in partnership with the Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship of Women and Youth (DER/FJ) and the Embassy of France in Senegal, the event brought together investors, economic decision-makers, institutional partners, and key players in African innovation.
At the heart of this 2025 edition were 17 start-ups representing 7 key sectors (education, environment, agriculture, services, culture, communication, and real estate), led by 21 entrepreneurs who were trained and supported for nine months in an intensive program combining strategic mentoring, academic rigor, and project structuring.
A tech scene in full effervescence
As Senegal now ranks 8th in Africa in terms of fundraising, and first in Francophone Africa (according to Partech Africa, 2024), this Demo Day illustrates the growing strength of a Senegalese entrepreneurial ecosystem that is increasingly structured and visible internationally.
The selected start-ups, from various sectors such as fintech, edtech, agritech, or clean energy, presented high-impact projects that offer concrete solutions to local challenges, with continental or even global ambitions.
“Challenge+ Dakar is also an institutional commitment: to create a more inclusive, resilient, and competitive ecosystem,” emphasized Dr. Aïssatou Mbodji, General Delegate of DER/FJ. She added, “The selected projects are a promise of transformation, for sectors, for territories, for our economy.”
A structured and inclusive growth model
Beyond a simple closing event, the Demo Day is intended to be a strategic milestone in the trajectory of these young startups, allowing them to enhance their attractiveness to investors and accelerate their scaling up.
“Since its launch, Challenge+ Dakar has highlighted the richness of a dynamic ecosystem and the strength of ideas carried by a new generation of Senegalese entrepreneurs,” said Christine Fages, Ambassador of France to Senegal. This Demo Day, she continued, “fully embodies a shared ambition: to combine excellence, impact, and openness.”
LionsTech Invest: catalyst for a connected ecosystem
This program is part of LionsTech Invest, a joint initiative of DER/FJ and the Embassy of France, aiming to strengthen support for start-ups, increase their visibility to investors, and structure a more connected, resilient, and sustainable ecosystem.
Whether it is to bring together tech players, facilitate fundraising, or support the emergence of local investor networks, LionsTech Invest acts on the entire entrepreneurial value chain. An essential lever to anchor innovation in Senegal’s economic and social reality.
A sustainable and exportable dynamic
With Challenge+ Dakar, HEC Paris exports its academic and entrepreneurial expertise to serve a generation of founders determined to transform local opportunities into global solutions.
Thus, this 2025 Demo Day is more than just a springboard: it sends a strong signal of a Senegal in motion, betting on its youth, ingenuity, and talent. To shape the future of digital Africa.
