What WIDU.africa does

WIDU.africa is a development cooperation programme and online platform operated by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and co-financed by the European Union and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (with additional alignment to the EU's Global Gateway strategy). Founded in 2019 and headquartered at GIZ's Eschborn offices, WIDU connects members of the African diaspora living in Europe with African micro and small business owners to co-apply for matched grants — typically a EUR 300–EUR 5,000 WIDU grant paired with diaspora and entrepreneur contributions in ratios of 1:1:2 (first round) or 1:1:1 (subsequent rounds), plus three mandatory business coaching sessions.

The core product is a cloud-based online platform built and operated by LOOM GmbH, supporting the full grant lifecycle: registration, identity verification (via IDnow and WebID PhotoIdent KYC), investment plan submission, document upload, coaching coordination, and disbursement tracking. The platform supports English, French, and German; payments are routed to mobile money, bank accounts, or cash/cheque via GIZ country offices. Analytics are handled by Matomo, and a beta chatbot provides automated text-based answers to predefined topics. WIDU runs three grant products — the Original WIDU Grant, the WIDU Rapid Response Grant (crisis support), and the WIDU Local Call Grant (thematic/regional, no diaspora required) — alongside free business coaching delivered through GIZ-contracted coaching organisations.

The business model is explicitly non-commercial: WIDU charges no fees to diaspora donors or African entrepreneurs at any stage, and the programme warns users against brokers and middle-men. All funding comes from EU and Gates Foundation co-financing channelled through GIZ, with diaspora contributions counted as private investment mobilisation rather than revenue. As of the latest disclosed metrics, WIDU has supported 7,770 businesses, disbursed EUR 13.0 million in grants, mobilised EUR 12.0 million in private investment, and contributed to 18,680 created and maintained jobs across 10 African countries (Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia), with diaspora participation now open across all 27 EU member states plus Switzerland and Norway.

Name

WIDU.africa

Legal name

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Website

https://widu.africa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WIDU.africa is a non-commercial development platform operated by GIZ on behalf of BMZ and co-financed by the EU and the Gates Foundation, matching African diaspora donors in Europe with African entrepreneurs to provide grants of EUR 300–5,000 plus free business coaching across 10 African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microenterprise Development Grants and Coaching

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds (BPADAOAE), Grants, Subsidies & Intergovernmental Transfers (BPAIAEAF)

Keywords

• Diaspora grant funding
• Microenterprise financing
• Business coaching services
• Small business grants
• Development cooperation programme

Headquarters

HQ city

Eschborn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant funding (not commercial revenue): WIDU.africa is a development programme, not a commercial entity. It does not generate revenue from customers. The programme is entirely funded by co-financing from the European Union and the Gates Foundation, with implementation by GIZ on behalf of BMZ. All WIDU grants and coaching services are provided free of charge to both diaspora donors and African entrepreneurs. No fees are charged at any point in the process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WIDU.africa operates an online platform that connects African diaspora members residing in Europe with African micro and small business entrepreneurs, combining matched grant funding (€300–€5,000) with free professional business coaching. Diaspora donors contribute private funds matched by WIDU grants in 1:1:2 or 1:1:1 ratios; grants are disbursed to entrepreneurs in 10 African countries while contracted coaches provide mandatory onsite verification and advisory support across three structured funding rounds.

Product overview

WIDU.africa is a unified online platform operated by GIZ that combines financial support and professional coaching to strengthen micro and small businesses in Africa. The core offering consists of the WIDU.africa Platform which administers three distinct grant programs: the Original WIDU Grant (matched funding up to EUR 3,000-5,000 based on diaspora and entrepreneur contributions), the WIDU Rapid Response Grant (crisis support up to EUR 3,000), and the WIDU Local Call Grant (standalone funding up to EUR 5,000 without diaspora involvement). These grants are complemented by mandatory Business Coaching from GIZ-contracted experts and a structured Investment Plan module that entrepreneurs must complete. Free WIDU Information Sessions hosted by diaspora partner organizations provide onboarding support. The platform connects African diaspora donors in Europe with African entrepreneurs to facilitate private investment combined with WIDU subsidies for job creation and economic development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original WIDU Grant

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,770 businesses supported, 18,680 jobs created and maintained, 13.0 million euros in grants disbursed, 12.0 million euros in private investment mobilised, 46% female entrepreneurs.

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGIZ is the implementing organisation of WIDU.africa, commissioned by BMZ on behalf of the German government. GIZ operates the WIDU Platform, manages grant disbursements, contracts coaching organisations, conducts project verification, and coordinates country-level operations across all participating African and European countries.
• AdvansGhanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn November 2024, WIDU partnered with AdvansGhana to launch the 'Follow-On Finance' initiative, aimed at enabling supported businesses to scale their operations by providing access to additional financing beyond the WIDU grant.
• Advisory Board OrganisationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WIDU Advisory Board includes representatives from: AfricanBIB, BMZ, Deutsche Afrika Stiftung e.V., European Union, Gates Foundation, Institut für Weltwirtschaft Kiel (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), Kenyan Women in Germany e.V. (KWIG), RedStart Tunisie, Transparency International Deutschland e.V., and VKII e.V. The board meets twice yearly and provides strategic guidance, knowledge, and recommendations to WIDU.africa.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• iFundWomen: Crowdfunding platform providing grants, coaching and community to women entrepreneurs. Directly comparable to WIDU's women-focused Local Calls (#SheBuildsBusinesses) and grant-plus-coaching model.
• Kiva: US-based crowdfunded microloan platform that lets individual lenders fund entrepreneurs globally, including Africa. Highly comparable to WIDU in combining donor capital with entrepreneur funding and tracking outcomes, though Kiva relies on repayment rather than grants.
• Village Enterprise: Nonprofit operating a graduation model providing cash grants, training and mentoring to African entrepreneurs in Uganda, Kenya and other countries. Directly comparable to WIDU on grant-plus-coaching delivery for micro-businesses in Africa.
• Milaap: India-headquartered crowdfunding platform enabling diaspora to fund education, healthcare and small business loans in South Asia. Highly comparable diaspora-funded model, though geographically focused on India rather than Africa.
• myAgro: Nonprofit enabling smallholder farmers in West Africa to purchase inputs via layaway, combining mobile money, vendor networks and coaching. Comparable to WIDU on African small-business/microenterprise focus and mobile-money disbursement mechanics.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF Entrepreneurship Programme): Pan-African entrepreneurship programme funding and mentoring African SMB founders with seed capital, training and mentorship. Closely comparable to WIDU on grant funding, training, and African SMB focus, though TEF is private-sector-funded and larger in scale.

Broad incumbents

• Acumen: Global impact investor backing early-stage social enterprises serving low-income customers, including in Africa. Comparable mission of using philanthropic capital for poverty alleviation, but delivers via equity/loans rather than grants.
• Grameen Foundation: Long-established microfinance and poverty-alleviation nonprofit. Broader in scope than WIDU but highly comparable mission of serving micro-entrepreneurs with capital and coaching, particularly through digital tools and partner institutions.
• Positive Planet (formerly PlaNet Finance): International NGO supporting entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Africa and other emerging markets, historically with diaspora-financed microenterprise programmes. Comparable diaspora + microenterprise development model, though broader in scope and geography.

Regional players

• African Development Bank – Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Development Fund (YEIDF): AfDB-managed programme providing grants and capacity-building to African youth entrepreneurs, including through bank and NGO partners. Comparable institutional grant-and-coaching model for African SMBs, though implemented as a multilateral fund rather than a diaspora-led platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPaTEg_QvV9Z1MKBwC9IzOw
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIDU.africa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/widu-africa

Compliance1 record

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 WIDU.africa