Cabo Verde Digital

What Cabo Verde Digital does

Cabo Verde Digital is a government program operated by the Government of Cabo Verde, under the Secretary of State for Innovation and Professional Training, that promotes digital entrepreneurship and innovation across the country's eight islands and diaspora. Established around 2019–2020, it runs a portfolio of complementary programs covering the full startup lifecycle — pre-incubation (Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital, offering up to 180,000 ECV per project), international immersion and visibility (GoGlobal, providing access to Web Summit, GITEX Africa, and 929 Challenge), hackathons (Re!nventa across four islands), acceleration (BoostCV), diaspora founder pathways (Rabida), and digital skills training for youth (Skodji Digital and Kodê Verde). The platform also maintains the Fintech Islandz Hub (the country's first dedicated fintech innovation center, launched September 2023), a Startup Database of 58+ companies, the annual Digital Awards Cabo Verde, and a direct government-to-startup communication channel (Governo Aberto às Startups / GAS) that feeds into the Startup Act regulatory reform initiative.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight and accessible: a Webflow-based public website, Airtable-hosted application forms, a Startup Database directory, and Skodji Digital hubs that bundle Linux computers, Starlink connectivity, and offline AI tools for deployment in schools on remote islands. The platform's value to founders is not software infrastructure but program access — funding, mentorship, masterclasses (400+ hours delivered through Bolsa), and institutional pathways to international conferences and recognition. The "Spin-Off CVD" formal recognition status functions as a trademarked quality mark for alumni startups.

The business model is government grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: programs are free to participants and the entity does not charge for services. Capital flows in from the World Bank ($40M Digital Cabo Verde Project), African Development Bank (Morabeza Innovation Project), Luxembourg Development, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, FPEF (Employment and Training Promotion Fund), and the Government of Cabo Verde itself. Implementation is delivered through a partner network including Pro-Empresa, TechPark, NOSi Akademia, four universities (UNICV, Jean Piaget, Santiago, Mindelo), Unitel T+, and Rift One. Outreach and ecosystem engagement run through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, YouTube, a multilingual blog, and event-driven GTM around Digital Awards, GoGlobal, and the Re!nventa series. By 2026, the program reported 300+ founders supported, 150 startups created, 36M ECV invested via Bolsa, 1,500M ECV raised cumulatively by ecosystem startups, an 85% employment rate among Kodê Verde alumni, and a national ecosystem ranking of 74th worldwide (up 13 positions from 2021, with the second-fastest growth in West Africa at 31.3%).

Name

Cabo Verde Digital

Legal name

Cabo Verde Digital

Website

https://digital.cv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cabo Verde Digital is a Government of Cabo Verde program that operates a national digital entrepreneurship ecosystem across eight islands and the diaspora, delivering pre-incubation funding, acceleration, digital skills training, hackathons, a fintech innovation hub, and international conference access to young Cape Verdean founders and MSMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

Keywords

• Digital entrepreneurship programs
• Startup incubation services
• Innovation ecosystem development
• Digital skills training
• Government technology programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santiago

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Program Funding: Cabo Verde Digital operates as a government program sponsored by the Government of Cabo Verde in partnership with local and global organizations. The Digital Cabo Verde Project is a flagship $40M initiative funded by the World Bank. The program provides funding and support to startups rather than generating direct revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cabo Verde Digital is the Government of Cabo Verde's flagship program for digital entrepreneurship and innovation, delivering free pre-incubation, incubation, acceleration, hackathons, digital skills training, fintech innovation, diaspora engagement, and international immersion to Cape Verdean startups, founders and youth. It provides funding (up to 180,000 ECV through Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital), mentorship, international exposure at Web Summit, GITEX and 929 Challenge, and operates physical innovation infrastructure including Skodji Digital hubs and the Fintech Islandz Hub.

Product overview

Cabo Verde Digital is a comprehensive government platform promoting digital entrepreneurship and innovation in Cabo Verde. It operates as a multi-program ecosystem offering pre-incubation (Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital), international immersion (GoGlobal), hackathons (Re!nventa), digital skills training (Skodji Digital, Kodê Verde), acceleration (BoostCV), and a dedicated fintech innovation center (Fintech Islandz Hub). The platform also maintains a startup database, annual awards (Digital Awards), and a diaspora support program (Rabida). The ecosystem is funded by the World Bank's $40M Digital Cabo Verde Project and managed through partnerships with Pro-Empresa, FPEF, and various international organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spin-off CVD: Official status awarded to innovative startups originating from Cabo Verde Digital programs, recognizing innovation, entrepreneur profile, and economic/social impact.
• Governo Aberto às Startups (GAS)

Products and services

• Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital Government pre-incubation program providing selected Cape Verdean technology founders with seed funding of up to 180,000 ECV, structured mentorship, and access to the broader Cabo Verde Digital ecosystem. Targets young entrepreneurs (18-35) with technology-based business ideas.
• GoGlobal International immersion program that takes selected Cape Verdean startups to global technology conferences including Web Summit, GITEX, and the 929 Challenge, providing international exposure, investor access, and market visibility.
• Re!nventa Hackathon Series Hackathon series organized by Cabo Verde Digital to engage Cape Verdean innovators, surface new technology solutions, and feed promising teams into the broader pre-incubation and incubation tracks.
• Skodji Digital Digital skills training program delivered through the TechHub Network of physical hubs equipped with offline AI tools, Linux systems and Starlink connectivity, targeting young Cape Verdeans seeking digital employment and entrepreneurship capabilities.
• Kodê Verde Digital literacy program delivering foundational digital skills to Cape Verdean citizens to broaden access to the digital economy and feed participants into more advanced tracks such as Skodji Digital and Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital.
• Fintech Islandz Hub Dedicated physical innovation center providing fintech startups operating in or entering the Cape Verdean market with co-location, specialized mentorship, and proximity to financial-sector regulators.
• Balcon Digital Web portal organized by startup stage that serves as the central entry point for Cape Verdean founders to discover and apply to Cabo Verde Digital's pre-incubation, incubation, acceleration, and funding programs.
• Startup Database Public directory of Cabo Verdean technology startups, tracked on the StartupBlink global ranking platform, providing visibility for the domestic ecosystem to international investors, partners, and customers.
• Spin-Off CVD Recognition program celebrating Cape Verdean startups that have successfully spun out of the Cabo Verde Digital ecosystem and graduated into operating, scaling ventures.
• BoostCV Acceleration program for Cape Verdean startups that have progressed beyond pre-incubation and are preparing to scale, with structured mentorship and connections to international markets and follow-on capital.
• Rabida Dedicated program for Cape Verdean entrepreneurs based in the diaspora across thirteen countries, supporting them to launch, relocate or scale technology ventures back into the domestic Cabo Verdean ecosystem.
• Tech4Good Open innovation initiative that leverages Cape Verdean startup talent to address social and public-interest challenges, often in partnership with government institutions and NGOs.
• Digital Awards Cabo Verde Annual awards event celebrating Cape Verdean technology and innovation achievements, recognizing top startups, ecosystem contributors, and digital innovation milestones.
• Morabeza Fund Funding program for Cape Verdean digital projects, accessed via the Balcon Digital platform, providing capital to selected beneficiaries in line with the broader Cabo Verde Digital mandate.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74th place worldwide in Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 (up from 87th in 2021)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Microsoft CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 September 2023Memorandum of Understanding signed in New York for Microsoft's Digital Development Program. Includes support for Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, school connectivity, digital literacy promotion, infrastructure/platform implementation, and e-Government capacity building. Microsoft invited to establish presence at TechPark.
• Pró-EmpresacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInstituto de Apoio e Promoção Empresarial de Cabo Verde - key implementing partner for startup support programs including Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital.
• TechPark (Parque Tecnológico de Cabo Verde)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology park providing physical infrastructure for innovation hub and Fintech Islandz Center. Host venue for Digital Awards ceremonies.
• NOSicoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNOSi Akademia provides software engineering training through professional internships with certification, JumpStart, and Ticseed pre-incubator programs.
• Unitel T+minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUnitel Creative Camp innovation contest implemented by Business Incubation Center. CTIO Hélio Varela serves as CVD Ambassador.
• 929 ChallengeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Macau Entrepreneurship and Innovation Association enabling Cape Verde startups to participate in 929 Challenge competition in Macau.
• Universities (UNICV, Jean Piaget, Santiago, Mindelo)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partners participating in Bolsa Cabo Verde Digital program as implementing organizations.
• Rift OneminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnology partner responsible for installation, operationalization, and technical support of Skodji Digital hubs.
• Web SummitcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership enabling GoGlobal program participants to attend Web Summit events in Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro for international visibility and networking.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Rwanda Ministry of ICT and Innovation: Rwandan government body running national digital transformation, startup support, and innovation programs (e.g., Rwanda Innovation Fund) — a leading African peer in government-led digital entrepreneurship in a small economy.
• Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA): Kenyan government entity operating the Konza Technopolis innovation city — comparable African state-led effort to build a digital hub with physical infrastructure, startup programs, and international partnerships.
• Senegal Numérique (Agence de l'Informatique de l'État): Senegalese government entity leading the country's digital strategy and entrepreneurship programs — a fellow West African, Lusophone-adjacent government peer pursuing a comparable digital-ecosystem development mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Smart Africa Alliance: Pan-African AU-led alliance coordinating digital transformation across African Union member states — operates at a continental scale that includes Cabo Verde and provides the higher-level policy and funding framework Cabo Verde Digital aligns with.
• ADD (Agence de Développement du Digital - Morocco): Moroccan state agency implementing the national digital development strategy including startup and innovation support — a larger, more mature North African peer of Cabo Verde Digital's mandate and operating model.
• Startup SG (Enterprise Singapore): Singapore government-backed startup ecosystem brand offering grants, accelerators, and international access — provides a mature, scaled blueprint for what state-led startup ecosystem coordination can become.

Direct peers

• Startup Estonia: Estonian government initiative operating a national startup support platform with founder visas, e-Residency integration, and ecosystem promotion — a globally recognized blueprint for small-country government-led digital entrepreneurship that Cabo Verde Digital explicitly mirrors.
• Startup Portugal: Portuguese government-backed national startup ecosystem program promoting tech entrepreneurship through funding, mentorship, and international exposure — the closest linguistic, governance, and program-design analog to Cabo Verde Digital.
• Startups Brasil (StartupBR): Brazilian government-backed national startup acceleration program providing acceleration grants, international immersion, and ecosystem support — direct Lusophone peer comparable in mission, structure, and program mix.

Others

• NOSi (Cabo Verde's State IT Operator): Cabo Verde state IT operator running NOSi Akademia coding training — a domestic implementing partner that operates adjacent digital skills programs and shares the same national-policy ecosystem remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/caboverdigital
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CaboVerdeDigital
• Facebookfacebook.com/caboverdigital
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cvdgital
• Instagraminstagram.com/caboverdigital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cabo Verde Digital