Westerwelle Foundation

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Westerwelle Foundation

We empower entrepreneurs in Africa, Asia & Latin America. How do we do this? Through our startup hubs and support programmes.

The Westerwelle Foundation was founded in 2013 by the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Guido Westerwelle and entrepreneur Ralph Dommermuth. At its core the Westerwelle Foundation aims at strengthening democracy and economies by creating opportunities for young people in emerging countries. We currently have four startup hubs in Africa: Tunisia, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya. Each Westerwelle S

tartup Haus offers co-working, capacity building and access to the local startup community. Our programmes support startups all the way from ideation to international acceleration. Our flagship programme is the Young Founders Programme, accelerating 50 founders from Asia, Africa and Latin America per year and ending with a conference in Berlin for the top entrepreneurs.

21/08/2026

Riziki Crystal started in one city but has a much bigger market in mind 🌍

She’s building .limited, an e-commerce platform for waste management, from Mombasa with ambitions to expand across Kenya.

Right now, she’s taking part in Wavemakers, a programme focused on Kenyan entrepreneurs, supported by the .

She joined the Wavemakers Mombasa Cohort to work on the things that come with that next stage: growing the business, exploring new markets and connecting with other founders.

Over seven months, the programme gives founders space to work through that next stage at alongside other entrepreneurs, with support to strengthen their businesses and make new connections.

Riziki is one of many founders, who inspire us with their big ambitions and the results to back it up.

19/08/2026

Launching the third cohort of AfroGreen in Tanzania, this time focusing on investment readiness ✍️

Even after doing the hard work of getting your business off the ground, you still have to have those awkward investor conversations. And just like building a business, getting good at those takes practice.

After two cohorts, Westerwelle Startup Haus Arusha is launching its third 11-month cohort with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania, working with 20 growth-stage climate ventures across renewable energy, circular economy and other climate-related sectors, with women-led ventures remaining a priority.

The founders will strengthen the parts investors need to see: financial models, capital structures, impact measurement, investment pitches and growth strategies.

We're bringing investors into the room too. At least 10 local investors will take part in dedicated sessions to build their understanding of climate ventures and the opportunities they present.

Applications close 17 October.

AfroGreen ClimAccelerator 3.0 is delivered by Westerwelle Startup Haus Arusha with support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania 💙🇹🇿

13/08/2026

When German companies think about sustainable business partners, Kenya rarely tops the list. We think it should.

The country is home to businesses working across local supply chains, food processing, clean energy, waste management, and other parts of the green economy.

Westerwelle Startup Haus Mombasa through the Kijani Enterprise Cooperation Lab (KECL), is helping growth-stage enterprises strengthen their readiness for future partnerships and expansion opportunities.

Meet the climate-smart agriculture and agri-food businesses in the cohort 🌱

🌾 Alma organic foods processes organic flours, edible oils, and natural products sourced from local farmers, with an existing focus on export.

🥣 Crystal Hub processes millet and cassava baby porridge using drought-resistant crops sourced from smallholder farmers, creating new value around climate-resilient crops and local food production.

🐟 Kilifish is strengthening the seafood value chain through hygienic handling, cold-chain processes, and modern retail.

There's a shared opportunity for stronger local value chains that can connect to international markets.

Know a German company working in food, agriculture, sustainable supply chains, or related sectors that should know these businesses? Reach out to us. 💙

12/08/2026

Rwanda has been putting serious infrastructure behind entrepreneurship for years and we have been part of the ecosystem since 2018.

Starting a business here is deliberately straightforward: registration is free, fully online, and officially takes six hours when the application meets the requirements.

That same push towards digital, accessible public services extends into the startup ecosystem, with initiatives like HANGA Venture Ignite and Innovate Rwanda creating more pathways for founders to access funding, support and connections.

We’ve seen that shift through our own work at Westerwelle Startup Haus KGL. Since 2018, we’ve worked with 680+ entrepreneurs at different stages across 16 programmes.

And Rwanda’s relatively small domestic market makes regional growth especially important, which is why market access and cross-border connections matter alongside early-stage support.

Rwandan startups raised around $25 million in 2025, but turning early traction into sustainable, growing businesses still requires access to the right capital, customers, expertise and markets.

That’s where we’ve seen our role: working alongside founders to turn ideas into stronger businesses, and connecting them to the people, knowledge and opportunities that can help them take the next step 💙

10/08/2026

Westerwelle Startup Haus Accra status check ⬇️

🤝 Ecosystem & Partners

Alhassan Muniru, Sarah Rukundo, and Paul have been meeting the people and organisations already driving entrepreneurship across Ghana. They're having conversations with entrepreneurs, support organisations, and government and non-governmental partners, where they've been asking one simple question: Where can WSH Accra genuinely add value?

🛠️ Renovation

The space is taking shape and the furniture we procured is on it's way. Stay tuned for a peek behind the scenes.

📃 Recruitment

Thank you to everyone who applied for the Finance & Ops and Community & Marketing roles! Alhassan has been reviewing the stack of applications and we'll be getting back to all candidates over the next weeks after careful review.

There's still plenty to do, but we're excited by the conversations we've had so far and even more excited to see where they lead.

More updates soon 💙

04/08/2026

As sustainability standards continue to rise, companies are looking for partners who can help deliver practical climate solutions.

Kenya's green economy is already home to businesses doing exactly that.

Through the Kijani Enterprise Cooperation Lab (KECL), we're supporting growth-stage enterprises as they strengthen the governance, compliance, and ESG practices that help unlock international partnerships.

Meet the renewable energy and clean mobility businesses in the cohort ⚡

☀️ Lamexon Energy Solutions designs and delivers solar energy systems, battery storage, and solar-powered water pumping solutions for homes, businesses, and institutions.

🔋 Daveon Solar Solutions is expanding access to reliable renewable energy through solar installations for households and businesses across Kenya.

🚲 Bike Is Best Kenya is making low-carbon transport more accessible through electric bike rentals, tours, and sales.

Know a German company working in renewable energy, clean mobility, or sustainable infrastructure that should have these businesses on its radar? We'd love to make the introduction. Reach out to us. 💙

03/08/2026

Alexandra Gatare, what a time it has been 💙

It is hard to put into words what your leadership has meant to Westerwelle Startup Haus Kigali and to all of us who have had the privilege of working with you.

More than 4 years ago, you joined as the Community & Marketing Coordinator, bringing your fresh ideas and sharp ability to make stuff happen.

Since then, the titles changed to Manager and Country Director, while you kept on delivering results and improving systems in your calm and confident manner.

Thank you for every opportunity you created, every lesson you shared, every problem you helped solve, and every time you showed up for the team and the wider community.

The Haus will not feel the same without you, and honestly, neither will the group chats.

We are sad to see you go, but incredibly proud of everything you have accomplished and excited to see what your next chapter brings.

Wishing you nothing but the very best.

And honestly, good luck finding coworkers half as cool as us. We set the bar dangerously high

29/07/2026

European companies are under growing pressure to build more sustainable value chains.

Kenya is home to a growing number of businesses already working in waste management, circular economy, and resource recovery, with many looking to build international partnerships.

Through the Kijani Enterprise Cooperation Lab (KECL), Westerwelle Startup Haus Mombasa is supporting growth-stage Kenyan enterprises as they strengthen their governance, compliance, and ESG practices to better align with the expectations of German and European partners.

Meet the circular economy businesses in the cohort ♻️

🌊 Baus Taka Enterprise is tackling marine plastic pollution through tech-enabled waste collection, segregation, and recycling.

🧱 Bofa Splash Waters combines drinking water production with plastic recycling, transforming waste into paving blocks, furniture, handwashing stations, and other circular economy products.

🏡 Pollucare Recyclers provides door-to-door waste collection and resource recovery services, helping divert waste from landfill while creating value from recyclable materials.

These businesses are already building practical solutions for a more circular economy. KECL is helping ensure they also have the systems, documentation, and governance needed to build long-term international partnerships.

Know a German company that should have these businesses on its radar? We'd love to make the introduction. Reach out to us. 💙

28/07/2026

Tunisia’s startup ecosystem doesn’t get talked about nearly as much as some of Africa’s larger markets.

But spending the last nine years working alongside founders here through Westerwelle Startup Haus Tunisis has shown us just how much is happening beneath the surface.

There’s strong technical talent, a Startup Act that helped create one of the region’s most supportive policy environments, and founders building products in AI, fintech, healthtech, software, and digital services.

What stands out most, though, is how early many startups start thinking beyond their home market. With a relatively small population of 12 million, regional expansion isn’t a long-term ambition.

African startups received just 0.6% of global venture capital in 2024, making access to the right partners, investors, and regional markets just as important as access to funding itself.

Over the years, we’ve seen founders move from local traction to investor conversations and market validation across East Africa, and partnerships that simply wouldn’t have happened without cross-border connections.

As Alay Aridhi, put it: “Talent is not what we lack, it’s the pathways that help that talent grow.”

Those experiences have reinforced something we believe strongly: startup ecosystems grow faster when they’re connected to each other, not competing in isolation.

24/07/2026

Reintroducing Paul Steffens.

If you've been around for a while, you might remember Paul joining the Foundation.

He's been our go-to for finance, operations, and stakeholder management in Germany. He's also been supercharging a lot of our processes with smoother online tools and AI.

Now, he's stepping into the role of Managing Director.

Together we will be doubling down on strengthening our ties to German and European partners, while continuing to optimize the way we work as a global team. Lean and effective, but committed to impact and integrity.

By focusing on stronger and long-term partnerships and AI-powered processes, our goal is to grow our impact and expand our network of startup hubs to more countries over the next years.

As an organization focused on young entrepreneurs, we're proud to have someone young and entrepreneurial lead this process 💙

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