Ignite Borders started with a journey.
In 2016, Tobias Schlitzke travelled through Southern Africa, including South Africa and Eswatini. What began as a personal trip became the inspiration for something much bigger. Along the way, he met young people with ideas, ambition and an entrepreneurial mindset — but often without access to the networks, mentors and practical business knowledge that entrepreneurs in more established ecosystems can take for granted.
For Tobias, who had spent much of his career working across countries and cultures, this raised a simple question: What if knowledge, experience and networks could travel across borders more easily?
That question led him to found Ignite Borders in Munich in 2016.
The idea was never to tell entrepreneurs how to build their businesses from Europe. Instead, Ignite Borders was created to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with experienced founders, executives, mentors and institutions who could share practical knowledge and help turn local ideas into sustainable businesses.
What started with connections between Europe and Southern Africa gradually developed into a broader network of entrepreneurs, volunteers, mentors and partner organizations.
From inspiration to action
Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world and enormous entrepreneurial potential. Yet millions of young people still face limited formal employment opportunities and unequal access to entrepreneurial education, capital and international networks.
Ignite Borders believes entrepreneurship can be part of the answer.
Through coaching, knowledge exchange, partnerships and cross-border connections, we aim to help entrepreneurs develop the confidence, skills and networks they need to build businesses that create opportunities in their own communities.
"Talent is everywhere. Opportunity, knowledge and networks are not. We want to help bridge that gap."
Our Mission
To connect people and knowledge across borders and empower young entrepreneurs to build sustainable and scalable businesses.
Our Vision
A world in which geography does not determine access to entrepreneurial knowledge, networks and opportunity.
Our Goals
- 01Encourage entrepreneurship and sustainable business creation across Africa.
- 02Connect African entrepreneurs with mentors, companies and institutions internationally.
- 03Expand access to entrepreneurial education and practical business knowledge.
- 04Create new relationships and opportunities across borders.
- 05Contribute to creating opportunities for young people through entrepreneurship.
Tobias Schlitzke — Founder & Chairman
Tobias Schlitzke is a German entrepreneur and international business executive whose career and personal journey have taken him across markets and cultures around the world.
His experiences travelling and working internationally shaped a belief that later became central to Ignite Borders: some of the most valuable things we can share across borders are not products or money, but knowledge, experience and human connections.
Ignite Borders grew out of that belief.
A conversation
“Talent is everywhere. Access to knowledge isn't.”
An interview with Tobias Schlitzke on why knowledge should travel across borders — and a dream to bring 54 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries together for one week.