The second edition of the Congo Basin Innovation Days drew to a successful close on Friday 18 September 2026 in Brazzaville. Ten start-ups stood out from the 40 applications to continue their journey as part of Innovation Outre-Mer and gain access to its support and investment network. They have therefore been shortlisted for the IOM 11 competition, scheduled to take place from 23 to 27 November 2026 at Station F in Paris.
The 10 winners selected for the Innovation Outre-Mer 11 competition, scheduled to take place from 23 to 27 November 2026 at Station F in Paris, were announced on Friday 18 September 2026 at the close of the second edition of the Congo Basin Innovation Days. These start-ups from the Congo, Gabon, the DRC and Chad won over investors following the pitch sessions organised as part of the event.
It was unlike anything we’d ever experienced before, because it involved presenting our projects to entrepreneurs, defending them, defending our vision and, above all, defending what we’d already achieved.
Christian Mwamb Rubemb, Project Manager, Makala Vert – DR Congo
It was a great surprise for me to discover that my project had been shortlisted amongst the ten finalists. We have a wonderful adventure ahead of us and we’re going to give it our all to see it through to the end. I’m a computer engineer by training, but I’m also an entrepreneur in two sectors. In particular, in the agri-food processing sector, specifically the processing of products sold under the Lina Yao brand – which, incidentally, gave rise to the plastics project we presented during the Congo Basin Innovation Days. This initiative involves collecting and recycling plastic waste into recycled polyester fibres for use in the fashion industry, event decoration and furniture upholstery.
Angelina Zara Abialo, Founder of Plastisse – Congo
The diversity of the profiles and projects presented during this second edition also made a strong impression on the patrons of the JIBC. Chantal Dagnaud was particularly struck by the richness of the initiatives led by this new generation of African entrepreneurs.
This edition was a particularly rich one, as nine countries were already represented amongst the start-ups that took part which is in itself very significant in the Congo Basin – and what ultimately stands out for me is a great deal of energy, a great deal of motivation, a genuine enthusiasm, a real thirst to learn, to get stuck in, to understand the rules and I think that, beyond the ten who were selected to continue the journey,I believe this event marks a turning point today.
Chantal DAGNAUD, Patron of the second edition of the Congo Basin Innovation Days – Guadeloupe
From Kinkala to Brazzaville, the 2026 JIBC event combined agroecological immersion, exchanges between entrepreneurs, demonstrations of innovative solutions and meetings with investors. Technical workshops, the Innovation Village, a masterclass on financing, B2B meetings and pitch sessions gradually brought project leaders closer to opportunities for partnerships and funding. With the selection of ten start-ups set to continue their journey within the IOM network, this edition now aims to turn the connections forged into projects, investments and, ultimately, genuine scaling up.
