DRC Launches COPA Digital to Fund Startups and Digital SMEs

The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing to launch COPA Digital, a new programme that will provide grants and business support to startups, digital small and medium-sized enterprises, incubators and other organisations working in innovation.

The initiative is being developed to address funding, skills and business support gaps facing the country's digital ecosystem. Its first cycle will run as a pilot for about 16 months once activities officially begin.

Programme Moves Into Preparation

The government formalised COPA Digital on 18 September 2026 in Kinshasa through a memorandum of understanding between the TRANSFORME Project Coordination Unit and the Digital Transformation Project (PTN) Management Unit.

The agreement allows the two units to begin preparing the programme and its funding mechanism. However, applications are not yet open.

Several details still need to be finalised, including eligibility requirements, beneficiary categories, grant amounts, application procedures and how the use of funds will be monitored.

Once these elements are approved, COPA Digital will select projects and provide funding and other support as beneficiaries develop their businesses.

Targeting Gaps in the Startup Ecosystem

COPA Digital forms part of the PTN's third component, which focuses on advanced digital skills and innovation.

The programme is intended to strengthen digital businesses and organisations supporting entrepreneurs. It will also target companies developing products for the Congolese market, with the potential to create jobs in the digital economy.

A World Bank assessment published in 2021 found that most startup activity was concentrated in Kinshasa, Goma and Lubumbashi. The assessment also pointed to limited access to finance, training and business support.

Incubators and accelerators were relatively limited, while existing programmes often focused on basic services such as workspace, internet access and entrepreneurship training.

Access to investment was another constraint. Many entrepreneurs relied on their own funds to finance their businesses, while venture capital remained difficult to access.

The World Bank also identified shortages in digital skills and technological capacity as barriers to developing products and taking businesses to scale.

COPA Digital is now being structured to address some of these gaps through a combination of grants, skills development and business support. Its pilot phase will provide an opportunity to test how the programme can support digital businesses and the organisations that help them grow.