SDGs | June 28, 2021

Madagascar’s Sayna secures investment to offer digital skills-training in francophone Africa

Jessica Pothering
ImpactAlpha Editor

Jessica Pothering

ImpactAlpha, June 28 – Nearly 95% of Africa’s youth are informally employed. Antananarivo-based Sayna upskills young people to meet the continent’s growing need for digital skills.

Three-year-old Sayna provides online training courses and “microtask” job-matching. Unlike other digital-upskilling ventures, like Samasource or Andela, Sayna’s platform serves students and businesses in Africa’s French-speaking countries.

The woman-led venture secured an undisclosed amount of early-funding from impact investors Miarakap, based in Madagascar, and Investisseurs & Partenaires, which invests in impact companies in francophone Africa. Sayna’s financing includes a €100,000 repayable advance from I&P Acceleration Technologies, which offers capital and technical assistance to Africa’s digital startups.

The company, which has trained 200 students, is aiming to reach 8,000 in the next few years. It is partnering with U.S.-based tech bootcamp Holberton.