Startup Act Hackathon: Leveraging Decision-Thinking

Session Description

This interactive workshop invites participants to step into the shoes of entrepreneurship stakeholders—from entrepreneurs themselves to policymakers—to co-create startup-support policies using a participatory decision-thinking process developed by i4Policy to support effective policymaking. Known as ADDIS—Agenda-Setting, Drafting, Decision-Making, Implementation, and Sense-Making—this framework empowers participants to collaboratively design Startup Acts that address real-world challenges entrepreneurs face, from access to finance and regulatory complexity to inclusion and infrastructure gaps.

In a fast-paced, practical “policy hackathon” format, teams will respond to simulated disruptions, negotiate competing interests, and pitch their Startup Act to the room. 

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, policymaker, or ecosystem advocate, this workshop offers a hands-on opportunity to explore:

• how inclusive, well-designed policies can unlock entrepreneurship and drive sustainable growth;
• the power of participatory methods to shape startup ecosystems that are not only resilient but responsive to the needs of those they serve;and
• lessons from Startup Acts implemented across Africa and globally.

Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of what makes startup policy effective—and how they can help shape it.

Session Recap: 
Placing People at the Heart of Startup Policy Development

This interactive session, led by Belinda Bar, a co-director at the Innovation for Policy Foundation, explored the vital role of participatory approaches in developing effective entrepreneurship and startup policies. Drawing on the ADIS framework (Agenda setting, Drafting, Decision making, Implementing, Sensemaking), the session highlighted why involving stakeholders improves policy quality, strengthens trust, and reduces polarization. Attendees engaged in a simulated policy hackathon, role-playing as founders, investors, and policymakers to co-create a hypothetical startup act for a fictional country, navigating budget constraints and diverse perspectives. Case studies from Senegal and Nigeria were shared as successful examples of inclusive policy development processes that fostered a strong sense of ownership among citizens.

Outline

• Introduction to the Innovation for Policy Foundation and the session's focus on participatory policy-making

• Discussion of policies and incentives that support or hinder startup progression, with examples from attendees

• Overview of Decision Thinking and the ADIS framework as a structured approach to inclusive policy development

• Explanation of the benefits of participatory approaches: improving policy quality, strengthening trust, and reducing polarization

• Presentation of tools for increasing participation, including workshops, policy hackathons, and digital platforms

• Defining "startup," key criteria, and examples from the Tunisian Startup Act

• Detailed case studies of participatory startup act development in Senegal and Nigeria, highlighting process, tools, and outcomes

Interactive Workshop: Simulating a policy hackathon to develop a startup act for Lamora, a fictional country

• Assigning stakeholder roles (founder, investor, policymaker)

• Defining startup criteria, eligibility, incentives, and government investments within a budget

• Adapting to a budget cut scenario

• Group presentations, discussing policy choices, disagreements, and rationales

• Reflection on the workshop experience and the value of collective decision-making

• Sharing resources and opportunities for further engagement

Notable Quotes

• "We are a small not for-profit organization that focuses focuses on placing people at the heart of decision-making and this is inclusive of our work in entrepreneurship where we essentially work to make sure everyone has a seat at the table when developing policy when it comes to entrepreneurship and startup policies."

• "Why a participatory approach? We found that it improves policy quality. Making sure that those people who are going to be affected by a policy are part of the decision-making process naturally will make it more likely to be a success... It strengthens trust... And finally it reduces polarization."

• "...one of the most interesting things about running it through this participatory process is that till today everybody feels they own it. Right? So it's it's a case where people still talk about it and say our act which is usually... very unusual for policy..."

Key Takeaways

• Involve all stakeholders: Effective startup policies are best developed by engaging a diverse group including entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, academics, and support organizations to ensure relevance, buy-in, and comprehensive solutions

• Utilize structured frameworks: Tools like the ADIS framework provide a clear, step-by-step methodology for navigating the complexities of policy development in a participatory manner, from identifying challenges to evaluating outcomes

• Define key terms collaboratively: Precisely defining what constitutes a "startup" is a foundational step for designing targeted policies and eligibility criteria; while challenging, this definition benefits greatly from collective input

• Navigate real-world constraints through dialogue: Policy development involves balancing competing priorities and making compromises, especially under constraints like budget limitations; participatory processes facilitate the necessary negotiation and finding common ground

• Foster ownership for greater impact: A participatory approach builds a strong sense of community ownership over the resulting policy, significantly increasing its acceptance, support, and likelihood of successful implementation

Resources Mentioned

• ADIS framework: Acronym for Agenda setting, Drafting, Decision making, Implementing, and Sense making – a decision approach used to support policy development

• Citizen Engagement Platform: An online platform enabling public input on developing policies

• Policy Hackathons: A rapid, collaborative workshop method for uncovering challenges and co-creating solutions with ecosystem players

• Digital Engagement Tools: Examples mentioned include Facebook chatbots (used in Senegal) and WhatsApp chat boxes (used in Nigeria) for broad citizen participation

• Ecosystem.build website: A platform hosting resources, methodologies, tools, and contact information from the Innovation for Policy Foundation and partners

• Partner Resources: Mentioned contributions from AGCAE, Utre University, and Smart Africa available on ecosystem.build

Action Items

• Visit the ecosystem.build website to explore available resources and tools that can support your policy development efforts

• Share your contact information with the Innovation for Policy Foundation team to continue the conversation and engage with their work

• Consider how the principles of participatory policy development and the ADIS framework can be applied within your own context