MAJEP – Matching Social Entrepreneurs – a new Co-creation Program for African and Japanese Entrepreneurs
April 10, 2025
Tokyo, Japan – Date: African Diaspora Network Japan (ADNJ) and Ashoka Diaspora have joined forces to design the "Matching African and Japanese Entrepreneurs Program, (MAJEP)" a groundbreaking initiative designed to foster cross-cultural collaboration and socio-economic development between Africa and Japan.
About the Program
After 8 years of living and working in Japan, African Diaspora Network Japan Leader, David Kpondehou realized that Japan’s business leaders with their experience of running some of the longest lasting companies in the world could share their business longevity, resilience and wealth building experience with Africa’s social entrepreneurs towards ensuring the long-term viability and impact of their organisations.
On the other hand, Africa, with its surge in innovative entrepreneurial ventures driven by its dynamic and expanding youth population offers a unique growth and innovation opportunity for Japan’s older business populace. Hence the concept for this entrepreneur matching and co-creation program was born.
Program Objectives: The Matching African - Japanese Entrepreneurs Program (MAJEP) aims firstly to inspire connection, co-creation, innovation and partnership between Japanese business leaders and Ashoka Africa social entrepreneurs. Secondly, it hopes to be the birthing ground for valuable new ideas that can be implemented in both partners’ countries.
This will contribute to bridging the gap between Africa and Japan, promoting mutual understanding, respect and cross-cultural collaboration and lead to strengthened socioeconomic ties for both sides.
The program will consist of the following components:
Entrepreneurship Call-out: Entrepreneurs from Japan and countries in each of the five African regions (North, South, East, West and Central) are invited to submit their applications and existing impact ideas or business solutions.
Matching Entrepreneurs: A kick-off session to connect the best-fit partner matches for the co-creation program.
Co-Creation and Ideation: Matched participants will be supported with resources for co-creating impactful ideas that can be launched in both their countries and organizations.
Presentation & Pitching: Matched entrepreneurs will be provided with spaces to present their co-created ideas to government officials, industry experts, and investors for seed funding and support starting with TICAD 9 in August, 2025.
Implementation of co-created projects by matched entrepreneurs in both their countries.
Interested Participants:
Application: Entrepreneurs from Japan and Ashoka Africa fellows who are passionate about bridging Africa and Japan through impact-focused businesses are invited to submit applications and existing business or social impact ideas here: Entrepreneurship Co-creation Application - Google Forms. The initial phase of this initiative will be active April through August 2025, while the second phase will conclude by March 2026. For more information on this innovative bridge-building initiative, please visit MAJEP-Matching-African-and-Japanese-Entrepreneurs-Program-1.pdf
About the Organisers:
About Ashoka: Ashoka is the largest network of social entrepreneurs worldwide, with more than 3,800 Ashoka Fellows in over 90 countries, putting their system changing ideas into practice on a global scale. Ashoka identifies and supports the world-leading social entrepreneurs, learns from the patterns in their innovations, and mobilizes a global community that embraces these new frameworks to build a world where everyone is a changemaker.
About ADNJ: The African Diaspora Network Japan (ADNJ) is a dynamic community of individuals with African heritage and affiliations, dedicated to strengthening socio-economic ties between Japan and Africa. Serving as a unified platform "United Africa in Japan" ADNJ fosters collaboration between Japanese and African communities through a reliable and inclusive network. ADNJ promotes engagement in community-building, entrepreneurship, business, and cultural exchange.
Contact: Iveren Ityoikaa – African Diaspora Partnerships Manager for Ashoka (iityoikaa@ashoka.org) David Kpondehou – African Diaspora Network Japan President (dkpondehou@adnjapan.org)
