Estonia hosts Team Europe partners and digital social innovators from 7 African countries

Launched under the EU's Global Gateway Strategy, the Data Governance in Africa Initiative  supports the African Union and regional institutions in developing a fair, inclusive, and sustainable data economy. By addressing critical issues such as data fragmentation and misuse, the TEI seeks to ensure that digital transformation serves all communities, leaving no one behind.

The gathering in Tallinn marked the initiative’s six-month milestone and provided an opportunity to reflect on progress and set new action points and priorities for the future.

Alongside the TEI discussions, the Think Like an Investor programme participants attended capacity-building workshops run by Veridian, a South African impact agency, to help them refine their marketing and investment strategies.  This programme is designed for digital social innovators (DSIs), who are leveraging digital technologies to address some of the continent's most pressing development challenges, including access to quality healthcare, climate-resilient agriculture, financial inclusion, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and bridging the digital divide.

While in Tallinn, the DSI entrepreneurs also participated in Latitude59, Estonia's flagship tech and startup event, the e-Governance Conference, and the Africa Business Forum. In Helsinki, they attended a Finnpartnership seminar. These events provided a platform to build connections, exchange ideas, and potentially find investors to scale their impact-driven ventures.

"At Latitude59, it’s been incredibly valuable to connect with startup experts, many of whom are not only knowledgeable but also very responsive," said Bruno Mweemba, Managing Director at DSI Panuka Agribiz. "Everyone here knows why they’re attending and comes with a clear purpose, which makes the conversations seamless and deeply engaging across different startups."

Mweemba added, "Participants truly appreciate the exposure this programme and ESTDEV have provided, especially the chance to reconnect with one another. We’ve used each other as benchmarks, and it’s inspiring to see the progress everyone has made since the last time we met."

The Think Like an Investor programme is a joint project run by ESTDEV and HAUS, under the Data Governance in Africa framework. Ten DSI entrepreneurs from seven African countries - Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, and Senegal - were selected due to their strong potential for societal impact, scalability and cross-border reach.

“It’s been powerful to see African innovation meet European expertise in Estonia. This bootcamp is all about building confidence, clarity, and cross-border connections,” said Shirin Namiq,  Digital Social Innovations Expert at HAUS, the Finnish Institute of Public Management.

"We're not just building systems; we're shaping a digital future grounded in African realities and powered by local innovators," commented Laura Roop, project manager of the Data Governance TEI at ESTDEV. "These entrepreneurs are creating scalable solutions with the potential to drive lasting change across the continent. With Team Europe, we combine resources to amplify that impact where it matters most."

The Data Governance in Africa TEI is funded by the European Union and five Member States - Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, and Germany. It is jointly implemented by Digital Africa, Enabel, ESTDEV, HAUS, Expertise France, and GIZ. This TEI aims to build inclusive digital ecosystems that uphold data rights, foster innovation, and promote sustainable development across Africa.