At its debut appearance at VivaTech, Europe’s premier innovation summit, Africa Global Logistics (AGL) announced a strategic partnership between its Yiri Innovation Center and Digital Africa, a subsidiary of Proparco (AFD Group). The collaboration aims to bolster African startups, particularly in transport, logistics, and industry, by combining expertise and networks to drive transformative, locally relevant solutions across the continent.

Since its inception in June 2024 in Abidjan, Yiri has emerged as a cornerstone of African innovation. Marking its first anniversary, the center is scaling up its flagship Accelerate program, which concluded its inaugural cohort on May 15, 2025. The program supported four startups—Alia, Eazy Chain, Paps, and Tambour—with tailored mentorship, connections to over 32 companies and investors, and pilot projects within AGL. Notable outcomes include Alia’s AI-powered legal assistant being adopted by five AGL subsidiaries in Côte d'Ivoire, Eazy Chain’s maritime logistics solution expanding in West Africa, Paps enhancing last-mile delivery in Senegal and Burkina Faso, and Tambour’s mobile laundry service streamlining employee equipment management in Côte d'Ivoire.

The new partnership with Digital Africa, known for its Fuzé program offering financing and technical support, will amplify these efforts. The second edition of Accelerate will expand to West and East Africa, with innovation challenges in Côte d'Ivoire and Rwanda to select ten startups for intensive support and co-investment. These startups will gain access to AGL’s pan-African network and opportunities for large-scale deployment.

“This partnership is a leap forward in our mission to nurture African startups,” said Stéphane Collet-Manent, AGL’s CIO. Grégoire de Padirac, CEO of Digital Africa, added, “By bridging innovation with industry needs, we’re empowering entrepreneurs to address Africa’s logistics challenges.”

The Accelerate program’s call for applications will launch in September 2025, with details available on AGL’s website. This alliance underscores AGL and Digital Africa’s commitment to positioning Africa as a global innovation hub.