The BOOST program is a significant milestone for Cabo Verde’s digital and economic development, especially as the country positions itself as a rising innovation hub in West Africa and across the Lusophone world.

The Government of Cabo Verde, in partnership with the World Bank’s UGPE (Unidade Gestora de Projetos Especiais) has launched BOOST. This transformative new program, launched on Monday, July 28, and implemented by Djassi Africa, is designed to support early-stage Cape Verdean startups and entrepreneurs, regardless of their location worldwide. It is a proposal of the Government of Cape Verde, coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Economy in collaboration with Pró Empresa and Cabo Verde Digital.

“Together, we’re proving that the Cabo Verdean entrepreneurial spirit knows no borders. We believe in the talent of our people — wherever they are — and we’re here to support them,” said Pedro Lopes, the Secretary of State for Digital Economy, in a LinkedIn post.

Unveiled at the newly opened Parque Tecnológico Arquipélago Digital de Cabo Verde (Cape Verde Tech Park), a world-class tech park and innovation hub, BOOST aims to support 150 startups across strategic sectors, including fintech, agritech, healthtech, and edtech. The program reflects Cabo Verde’s bold commitment to building a digital nation rooted in inclusion, entrepreneurship, and global reach.

A core ambition of BOOST is to ensure inclusive innovation. The program is targeting at least 50% women-led startups and 30% participation from the Cape Verdean diaspora, reinforcing the government’s vision of a borderless approach to nation-building. By engaging talent both on the islands and abroad, the program affirms a belief in the entrepreneurial spirit of Cabo Verdeans everywhere.

BOOST offers intensive capacity building, with a strong online curriculum covering entrepreneurship fundamentals, product development, and go-to-market strategies. Participants will also benefit from access to experienced mentors drawn from African and global tech ecosystems, creating pathways for real-time feedback and guidance. At the heart of the initiative is a vibrant community of founders, fostering peer learning and strengthening networks across continents.

In addition to mentorship and training, BOOST is designed to create real opportunities for visibility, pitch readiness, and connections to funding and acceleration programs. The goal is to equip startups with not only the tools to grow but also the exposure needed to scale.

Launching the program within Cabo Verde’s new tech park underscores the country’s broader digital transformation agenda. As a symbol of innovation and national ambition, the Parque Tecnológico will serve as the nerve center for programs like BOOST, creating jobs, diversifying the economy, and positioning Cabo Verde as a rising digital hub in the region.

This launch comes at a time when Cabo Verde is asserting its place on the global digital map. The country ranked 98th out of 133 economies in the 2024 Network Readiness Index (NRI) with a score of 39.75. As a global benchmark that evaluates how nations harness information and communication technologies (ICT) for development, competitiveness, and transformation, the NRI highlights Cabo Verde’s growing commitment to digital innovation and inclusive progress.

The latest development complements earlier efforts. In May this year, the Secretary of State for the Digital Economy revealed in an interview with Agence Ecofin that the country had introduced “Reinvent Cabo Verde,” a program that invites startups to solve public and private sector challenges through hackathons, with winning projects receiving up to $5,000 in support. Lopes also emphasized the “Cabo Verbo Digital” initiative, which supports 200 young people annually through scholarships and funds around 100 startups, with two co-founders receiving six minimum wages, along with marketing and logistics support.

Together, these initiatives are laying the groundwork for a digitally empowered, globally connected, and innovation-driven Cabo Verdean economy.

Hikmatu Bilali