Key DCO Initiative

STRIDE

Fueling global innovation and breaking barriers for digital prosperity

“To create a thriving, interconnected ecosystem for digital entrepreneurs, where founders across regions have equal access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to scale their innovations and drive sustainable economic growth.”

STRIDE operates through a structured network that includes Member State Focal Points (MS FPs) and a Steering Committee (SC). The MS FPs consist of government-nominated officials from DCO Member States, who facilitate data access and connect policy with implementation. The SC includes DCO Member State representatives comprising entrepreneurs and investors, providing strategic direction and market insights. Additionally, Operational Working Groups consisting of Member State FPs, SC members, and DCO—drive targeted projects to foster entrepreneurship and innovation, with three active groups currently engaged in the We Elevate program across Rwanda, The Gambia, and Nigeria.

Our mission

STRIDE’s mission is to, notably:

  • Support the sustainable and inclusive growth of the Digital Economy in DCO ecosystems.
  • Harmonize Member State policies and streamline digital ecosystem integration in DCO countries.
  • Catalyze alignment between governments, the private sector, and non-profits to support entrepreneurs across DCO Member States.

Objectives and initiatives:

  • Fostering cross border expansion through Nexus
  • Facilitating access to finance through DealZone
  • Digital transformation through WE-Elevate

WE-Elevate:

WE-Elevate empowers women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (W-MSMEs) in DCO Member States to embrace the digital revolution. This multi-pronged initiative offers W-MSMEs the tools and resources they need to thrive in the digital age.

Active in Rwanda, The Gambia and Nigeria

WE-Elevate empowers women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (W-MSMEs) through key pillars that promote sustainable growth and digital transformation. The initiative takes the participants through a comprehensive journey starting with technical and business training, followed by an onboarding process, tailored growth advisory, and a dedicated success representative which will guide them along the way.

WE-Elevate actively attracts and recruits participants from DCO Member States with a focus on women and youth led businesses.

It also provides the technical platform with the needed payment processing and logistics integrations to enable the sale and delivery of products and services through their personalized ecommerce site.

Through these initiatives, WE-Elevate ensures W-MSMEs have the resources and support needed to thrive in a digital economy

Key Initiatives

Center of
Excellence

The DCO Center of Excellence for Cross-Border Data Flows is a think tank focused on cross-border data flows. Through research, knowledge…

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Digital Prosperity
Awards

Celebrating digital advancement through innovation with the Digital Prosperity Award

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Digital Economy Navigator

The Digital Economy Navigator (DEN) is a global assessment tool enabling countries to understand their level of digital economy maturity, find opportunities for growth, and benchmark progress over time

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Observatory for Digital
Empowerment

The DCO Observatory for Digital Empowerment is a recognition by the DCO member states that current cultural, societal, economic and regulatory…

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IMPACT

IMPACT advocates for a multilateral partnership framework that facilitates the adoption of digital solutions, promotes knowledge sharing…

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Startup Guides

The Digital Cooperation Organization Startup Guides initiative is an unparalleled resource designed to empower foreign entrepreneurs and facilitate the startup establishment process as they embark on the transformative journey of expanding their companies across the DCO Member States.

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