SPECIAL AWARDS EMERGING Valley
November 26 2025- Thecamp
Provence Africa Connect
When Europe and Africa meet in Marseille
Aix-Marseille-Provence, the leading exporter to the Mediterranean and the 5th largest global digital connectivity hub, is today much more than a territory: it is a strategic bridge between Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa.
Here, innovation ecosystems, major corporations, startups, and African talent come together to collaborate and create the economic models of tomorrow.
At the heart of this dynamic, the Metropolis has a clear ambition: to make Marseille the Euro-African hub for sustainable innovation.
The Provence Africa Connect program is living proof of this vision.
A metropolitan initiative focused on the future
Launched by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropole in 2021, the Provence Africa Connect initiative aims to:
- attract economic operators working with Africa,
- support innovation and entrepreneurship,
- unite and showcase African talent present in the region.
Each year, this initiative strengthens Marseille’s role as the Mediterranean capital of co-innovation and as the natural gateway to Europe for African startups.
Soft Landing Provence Africa Connect
The Euro-African springboard for innovative startups
Are you an African startup active in GreenTech, HealthTech, Cultural and Creative Industries, BlueTech, or AgriTech?
Do you dream of expanding your market to Europe and building bridges with a region full of opportunities?
- Welcome to Provence!
The Soft Landing Provence Africa Connect program offers you 8 months of personalized support to turn your dream into a concrete presence.
A hybrid journey combining remote strategic coaching, immersion in Marseille, and exclusive meetings with investors and local stakeholders.
360° support
✔️ Targeted training and advice
Refine your international strategy, discover the keys to a successful setup, and benefit from tailored support for your administrative and financial processes.
Refine your international strategy, discover the keys to a successful setup, and benefit from tailored support for your administrative and financial processes.
✔️ Customized meetings
Gain access to business and R&D opportunities with companies, laboratories, and institutions in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis.
Gain access to business and R&D opportunities with companies, laboratories, and institutions in the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis.
✔️ Post-establishment support
Ensure a sustainable presence through business connections between Africa and Europe, with ongoing guidance from local ecosystem experts.
Ensure a sustainable presence through business connections between Africa and Europe, with ongoing guidance from local ecosystem experts.
The 2025 Soft Landing startups on the main stage of EMERGING Valley
In 2025, the startups from the Soft Landing Provence Africa Connect cohort will experience a highlight moment:
they will be guided, coached, and prepared by international investors and mentors before stepping onto the Main Stage of EMERGING Valley for the summit’s final segment.
they will be guided, coached, and prepared by international investors and mentors before stepping onto the Main Stage of EMERGING Valley for the summit’s final segment.
🎤 At 6:00 PM, they will showcase their solutions in an exceptional pitch session, in front of an audience of investors, decision-makers, and partners from Europe, Africa, and around the world.
A unique opportunity for visibility, recognition, and networking for the program’s champions.
Why Marseille ?
A metropolis at the heart of Europe-Africa exchanges
- Over 12,000 participants and 750 speakers hosted by the Emerging Valley forum since 2017.
- Over 650 startups and 350 investors engaged in Africa-Europe innovation.
- 10,000 African students and talents trained annually in the region.
- 6 key sectors of excellence: Health, Digital, Energy & Environment, Maritime & Logistics, Cultural & Creative Industries, Tourism & Lifestyle.
Marseille is also:
📍 France’s leading port,
✈️ A direct air network to major African capitals,
and an internationally recognized innovation ecosystem where universities, incubators, and investors intersect.
📍 France’s leading port,
✈️ A direct air network to major African capitals,
and an internationally recognized innovation ecosystem where universities, incubators, and investors intersect.
A collective program, led by top-tier stakeholders
Around the Metropolis, a strong network supports each selected startup:
- Africalink – Africa-Europe entrepreneur community supported by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce.
- KEDGE Entrepreneurship – Training and coaching for impact-driven entrepreneurs.
- Accélérateur M – The Aix-Marseille City of Innovation and Knowledge.
- Marseille Innovation – The leading incubator in the South of France.
- Eurobiomed – HealthTech competitiveness cluster.
- ANIMA, Provence Promotion, CISAM, and Emerging Valley – Catalysts for Euro-Mediterranean partnerships and investments.