A Government Backed Entrepreneurship Engine
Senegal’s Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship (DER) is a public program launched in 2018 to finance and mentor young entrepreneurs. The initiative provides grants, low-interest loans, and business development services with a strong focus on women and youth.
To date, DER has funded over 18,000 businesses, injecting nearly $150 million into Senegal’s SME ecosystem.
Sector Diversity and Inclusion
DER supports ventures in agriculture, digital tech, manufacturing, and creative industries. Whether it’s a youth-led fish farming business in Saint-Louis or a fashion house in Dakar, the program offers tailored support to help early-stage companies grow.
Special efforts are made to reach rural areas through mobile outreach and local advisory hubs.
Technical Training and Acceleration
In addition to funding, DER offers entrepreneurship bootcamps, incubator partnerships, and market linkages to ensure long-term success. The initiative has also created a startup fund in partnership with the African Development Bank, enabling top performing businesses to scale beyond Senegal.
Inspiring a Startup Culture
With national banking, media promotion, and success stories emerging across the country, DER is changing how Senegalese youth view entrepreneurship, shifting mindsets from job-seeking to job-creation.
