Are you an e-health start-up interested in funding? Apply for the Investing in Africa i3 Program before 26 June 2023
Are you an e-health start-up interested in funding? Apply for the Investing in Africa i3 Program before 22 May 2023
Investing in Innovation (i3), a pan-African initiative invites e-health start-ups to the Investing in Africa i3 Program. i3 aims to accelerate the development and scale-up of innovative solutions that improve the availability, accessibility, affordability, quality and visibility of health products at scale in Africa. The Program seeks to advance access for start-ups traditionally excluded from funding and support, including women-led companies and founders in Francophone Africa.
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
- Grant of USD 50,000 to support commercialization and impact
- Access to leading donors, industry and institutional players who will facilitate introductions to customers
- Tailored investment readiness support delivered by leading innovation experts
- Opportunities to participate in i3’s flagship event, the i3 Marketplace, which connects innovators with potential partners and investors
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be based in Africa
- Be developing a solution that addresses a health product distribution challenge in Africa
- Be at the early- or growth-stage
- Have a strong team with the experience and expertise to execute on their business plan
To apply for the Program, visit: i3 Applications
Do you struggle to maintain quality for your products or services without increasing costs? Here are tips on how to cut costs without affecting quality.
Do you struggle to maintain quality for your products or services without increasing costs? Here are tips on how to cut costs without affecting quality.
Most businesses struggle to maintain quality products and services without incurring extra costs. Cutting costs in a small business without affecting the quality of products or services can be challenging, but it’s possible with careful planning and execution. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Streamline operations: Evaluate your business processes and identify areas to improve efficiency. This may involve automating tasks, consolidating roles, or reorganizing your team structure. For instance, when invoicing clients, you can structure it to ensure the process is consistent and that any employee in your business can replicate it. Here are a few steps to streamline and structure your invoicing process.
- Reduce overhead expenses: Find ways to lower your fixed costs, such as negotiating better lease terms, reducing utility bills, or finding more affordable insurance providers. For example, Rwanda Energy Group (REG) offers promotions on electricity purchases (double units) if they are made at the start of the month. You can use this opportunity to reduce your electricity bill by purchasing more units, which will be doubled, lasting longer.
- Optimize inventory management: Keep track of your inventory levels and avoid overstocking or understocking. Implement an inventory management system to help you make informed decisions about purchasing and stocking, improve your cashflows, and save money. To optimize inventory, small businesses can use inventory management techniques, including ABC analysis, batch tracking, economic order quantity, and just-in-time inventory.
- Outsource non-core tasks: Consider outsourcing tasks not central to your business, such as accounting, marketing, or IT support. This can help you save on labour costs and focus on your core competencies. Hire freelancers instead as needed.
- Implement cost-effective marketing strategies: Utilize digital marketing channels, such as social media, email marketing, and content marketing, which can be more affordable and effective than traditional advertising methods like radio or print ads. Run ad campaigns on Facebook (most popular in Rwanda) and customize your ads to target specific groups of people who are most likely to buy your products or services.
- Negotiate with suppliers: Build strong relationships with your suppliers and negotiate better pricing or payment terms. Explore the possibility of bulk purchasing or joining a purchasing group to get better deals.
- Encourage employee engagement: Engaged employees are more productive and can help your business save money in the long run. Foster a positive work environment, provide opportunities for growth and development, and recognize employees’ contributions. Award employees who have been exceptional at their jobs and provide non-financial benefits such as break rooms and day meals.
- Continuously evaluate and adjust: Regularly assess your cost-saving strategies and adjust as needed. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices to ensure your business remains competitive and efficient. Constantly check with financial regulatory authorities to keep track of new regulations such as new taxation policies (recently passed to reduce taxes for small businesses) and new small business development facilities such as the Economic Recovery Fund.
Remember, it’s essential to maintain the quality of your products and services so that your customers keep coming back for more. Focus on strategies that improve efficiency and reduce waste without compromising customers’ experience.
Please share your experience in reducing costs while maintaining the quality of your products and services.
Are you an entrepreneur needing mentorship, training, and investor access? Apply for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip before 31 May 2023.
Are you an entrepreneur needing mentorship, training, and investor access? Apply for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip before 31 May 2023.
Startup Africa Roadtrip, a non-profit initiative launched by BeEntrepreneurs APS to support and drive cutting-edge social innovation in developing countries, invites applicants for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip.
The program aims to identify startup founders, innovators, and young talent intending to develop products and services with a high potential impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Selected startups will participate in a free week of training and co-planning at Norrsken House Kigali in August 2023, with a chance to win a fully funded trip to Italy in spring 2024.
Participants travelling to Italy will present their business ideas to Italian professionals, universities, and investment funds. Trip participants will be supported to build strong relationships with local and Italian stakeholders for a win-win business approach and create a collaborative, multicultural, and innovative ecosystem without barriers and borders.
To apply for the program, visit Applications
Are you a start-up that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator - The Catalytic Programme
Are you a start-up that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator – The Catalytic Programme
22 On Sloane, an African Startup Campus, invites applicants for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator -“The Catalytic Programme, designed for start-ups in the pre-seed and seed stages. The Programme focuses on supporting high-impact digital start-ups to launch, commercialise and scale.
Interested applicants should have innovative ideas in tech fields, including education, commerce, financial services, gaming health or building tech-enabled products or services in Africa.
Participants in the Programme will receive the following benefits
- USD 200,000 worth of capacity-building support
- Free residency at the 22 On Sloane campus in Johannesburg
- Access to an investor network with a combined value of over USD 500 million
- Access to USD 10,000 cash seed investment
To apply for the Programme, visit: Applications
Urifuza gufungura ikigo cy’ubucuruzi kita ku mibereho myiza? Egera Amina Umuhoza, rwiyemezamirimo akugire inama.
Kuberako guhanga imirimo yerekeranye no guteza imbere imibereho myiza bikomeza gutera imbere ku isi yose, u Rwanda rwabonye ba rwiyemezamirimo benshi bakora imirimo yo guhanga udushya mu bijyanye no guteza imbere imibereho myiza batanga ibisubizo ku bibazo by’ingutu bibangamira abaturage kurusha ibindi. SME Response Clinic yaganiriye na Amina Umuhoza washinze ikigo cy’ubucuruzi giteza imbere imibereho myiza cya Dukataze; icyo kigo kikaba kigamije guha abantu bakiri bato amakuru ku byerekeranye n’ubuzima bw’imyororokere no kubaha ubushobozi mu bwo mu rwego rw’ubukungu. Abyikoreye mu kazi ke, Amina yafunguye sosiyete yitwa Saye Company Limited, ikigo cy’ubucuruzi giharanira inyungu kigurisha ibicuruzwa bikorwa n’abagenerwabikorwa b’ikigo cye. Twaganiriye n’Amina aduha ibitekerezo ku byerekeranye n’icyo bisaba kugirango umuntu abashe gucunga ikigo cy’ubucuruzi giteza imbere imibereho y’abaturage gikora neza. Dore bimwe mu bitekerezo yaduhaye:
Kugira umurava no Gukunda icyo ukora: Kugirango umuntu abashe kuba rwiyemezamirimo uteza imbere imibereho myiza y’abaturage mwiza biterwa n’ibintu byinshi, ariko muri byose icy’ingenzi kurusha ibindi ni ukugira umurava no gukunda icyo ukora. Nk’umugore ukiri muto, yabonye bagenzi be bababazwa no kutagira ubagira inama no kutagira ubumenyi ku byerekeranye n’ubuzima bw’imyororokere. Amaze kubona ko ibi byaba uburyo bwo kubafasha, yatangiye akora ibikorwa byamufasha kubaka ikigo cy’ubucuruzi cye nko kwitabira gahunda z’amahugurwa ajyanye n’iterambere ry’ubucuruzi agamije kugira ubumenyi ngiro no kugirango abashe kumenyana n’abandi ba rwiyemezamirimo bahuje ibitekerezo. Kugira umurava no gukunda icyo yifuzaga gukora ni cyo kintu cyihishe inyuma ya buri kintu cyose Amina akora.
Guteza imbere ubumenyingiro: Kugirango ba rwiyemezamirimo babashe gukora neza, bagomba kugira ubimenyingiro runaka bubafasha guteza imbere ubucuruzi bwabo burimo nko kumenya kuganira n’abantu, imicungire y’imari no gutekereza ku ngamba ziba zigomba gufatwa. Ba rwiyemezamirimo bateza imbere imibereho myiza y’abaturage bagomba kubaka ubumenyi n’ubunararibonye ndetse no mu bindi byiciro by’ubumenyingiro- ubuyobozi, kwishyira mu mwanya w’undi, kugira ubwenge mu bijyanye n’amarangamutima no kubana n’abandi, guhimba no guhanga udushya, no kumenya kwihanganira ibibazo. Ubwo Amina yatangiraga ubucuruzi, yasabye gukurikira amahugurwa ku byerekeranye no guteza imbere ubucuruzi kuri ba rwiyemezamirimo bakora ibikorwa bigamije guteza imbere imibereho myiza kugirango abashe kumenya ibyo ashobora gukenera kugirango azabashe gutera imbere. Bitewe n’amahugurwa nka gahunda yo kwihangira imirimo ya Tony Elumelu, Amina yungutse ubumenyingiro mu byerekeranye n’ubuyobozi; ibyo bikaba byaramufashije guhuza no kuyobora itsinda ry’abantu banyuranye kandi bafite ubumenyingiro mu kigo cy’ubucuruzi cye.
Kumenyana n’abandi: Nk’uko Amina abyivugira, yabashije kumenya amahirwe anyuranye ariho yo kubona imari no guteza ubucuruzi imbere abifashijwemo n’abo babashije guhura imbonankubone n’abandi babashije kumenyana hakoreshejwe ikoranabuhanga. Nka rwiyemezamirimo ukora ibikorwa byo guteza imbere imibereho myiza y’abaturage, kubaka ihuriro rikomeye ahuriramo n’abandi bantu bakora mu rwego rumwe cyangwa mu nzego zifitanye isano n’urwe ni ingenzi. Bifasha ba rwiyemezamirimo kuvumbura amahirwe mashya, kubona ibyerekezo byiza, no kumenyekanisha ubucuruzi. Kumenyana n’abandi bishobora gukorwa mu buryo bubiri: Kujya mu bikorwa bihuza abantu n’abandi imbonankubone cyangwa kuganira n’abandi mukora kimwe mu rwego rwo kwihangira imirimo yo guteza imbere imibereho myiza hifashishijwe ikoranabuhanga.
Are you struggling to access funds to grow your business? Learn from Clementine Mukamana, a business coach, on how best to prepare yourself to maximize your chances of accessing funds.
One of the most pressing challenges for entrepreneurs, especially startups, is financing. Inadequate access to finance or capital prevents entrepreneurs from effectively executing core business activities and expanding their ventures. Many entrepreneurs in Rwanda, especially startups, lack much-needed information on how to best prepare themselves before venturing out to source funding for their businesses.
In an interview with the SME Response Clinic, Clementine Mukamana, a Business Coach working at the African Management Institute as a Sourcing Associate, shared tips on how entrepreneurs can position themselves to access funds for their businesses. Here are the highlights:
Highlights
Have a clear vision for your business: A clear vision provides an entrepreneur direction and purpose, facilitating better decision–making. According to Clementine, entrepreneurs should be clear on what they want their business to look like before seeking funding. This will help them maintain focus by prioritizing business activities that will help them secure the funds they need to kickstart or grow their business. For example, you might be interested in agribusiness. Network with people in the same industry and enrol for skills development programs to help you learn business growth tools, which in turn will help you pitch for funding from financial providers
Have proper business documentation: Proper documentation is critical for any business looking to access funds. During her training sessions, Clementine focuses on three aspects: understanding the problem your business is trying to solve, the solutions and the target market. A clearly documented business plan helps an entrepreneur effectively communicate with investors or potential funders for their business. Clementine also adds that it is critical to have certified documentation from business regulatory authorities before you think of sourcing for funds. These may vary depending on what type of business an entrepreneur is running, but the most common include business registration and tax registration documents.
Source for funds: When asked about available funding opportunities, business coach Clementine mentioned entrepreneurs should not limit themselves to traditional funding sources such as grants from donor organizations and loans from financial institutions. Funding opportunities can come from networking sessions, where entrepreneurs can meet potential customers, investors, and business partners. She also encourages entrepreneurs to enrol in training programs with an element of funding. Through such programs, an entrepreneur is often offered an opportunity to pitch their business to potential investors.
For more insights and opportunities, visit smeresponse.clinic
Are you thinking of starting a social enterprise? Learn from Amina Umuhoza, a social entrepreneur making an impact on young women in Rwanda.
As social entrepreneurship continues to grow globally, Rwanda has witnessed many innovative social entrepreneurs offer solutions to the most pressing challenges faced in society. The SME Response Clinic spoke with Amina Umuhoza, Founder of the social enterprise Dukataze, which aims to equip young people with information on reproductive health and economic empowerment.
Through her work, Amina also started Saye Company Limited, a for-profit enterprise that sells products made by beneficiaries of her organisation. We spoke to Amina, who shared some insights about what it takes to run a successful social enterprise. Here are the highlights:
Passion: Being a successful social entrepreneur depends on several things, but passion is one of the most important. As a young woman, she saw her peers suffering from a lack of guidance and knowledge about their reproductive health. Knowing their must be a way to support them, she began to engage in activities that would help her build her enterprise, such as participating in business development training programs for skills development and networking with like-minded entrepreneurs. Passion for her cause is what is behind everything Amina does.
Skills development: For entrepreneurs to succeed, they need certain skills to grow their business, including things like communication, financial management and strategic thinking. Social entrepreneurs need to build their knowledge and experience in an even broader set of skills – leadership, empathy, emotional and social intelligence, creativity and innovation, and grit. When Amina started the business, she applied for business development programs for social entrepreneurs to help learn what she would need in order to grow. Through programs such as the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship program, Amina acquired skills in areas like leadership, which helped her to assemble and lead a diverse and skilled team in her enterprise.
Networking: According to Amina, she was only able to learn about different financing and business development opportunities from her physical and online networks. As a social entrepreneur, building a solid network with people working in the same or related industries is crucial. It helps entrepreneurs discover new opportunities, find quality leads, and increase business visibility. Networking can be done in two ways: attending physical events or engaging online with fellow industry players in the social entrepreneurship.
For the full interview with Amina Umuhoza, check the next slide.
Full Interview
Question: Tell us a bit about yourself and your social enterprise.
My name is Amina Umuhoza, and I’m the Founder of SAYE Company Limited/DUKATAZE.
We conduct a number of activities, but the most prominent ones include producing and sharing creative tools such as games and booklets with content about fighting teenage pregnancies and support for adolescents in talking about their reproductive health.
We do it in a fun and engaging way, which helps the adolescents we work with feel free and comfortable. In addition, we’ve got Kigali Menstruation Station located in Nyamirambo, which is a forum where young girls and boys learn about reproductive health without feeling embarrassed. The Station also offers a teen mom incubation program and other services. Understanding that not everyone can travel to the Station, we also offer training to those who are far from the Station. To do this, we work closely with local partners to carry out community outreach programs in districts outside of Kigali and in schools where we have clubs like “Let’s talk about us” (LTAU). So far we have trained 5010 adolescents on sexual reproductive health and also we are currently conducting a training of trainers for 200 students to become peer educators.
One might wonder, how do we manage to do all this? We have a shop that features home decoration items in Nyarugenge City Market called Home Decor, where we produce locally made products. We also have partnerships with international organisations that help us to implement some of our programs such as juno&me from Germany and My Period is Awesome from Uganda.
Question: Where did you get the idea and the initial investment to start the company?
When I was growing up, I realized that teenage pregnancies were common and that more can be done to prevent unintended pregnancies by talking about reproductive health. My idea was to tackle this challenge but in a way that could be sustainable financially and not dependent upon grants or donors.
Where did I get the capital? Initially, I used to write poems and I won different awards. Then, I saved the money I got from those poems and used it for transport to go to different meetings related to my social enterprise.
Later on, I participated in YouthConnekt Awards and was awarded RWF 500,000 as one of the top 30 entrepreneurs. This was my real starting capital.
Question: How did you develop your enterprise over time?
Building a business requires different skills. I started the business when I was 21 years old, with no sufficient skills at the time. But, thanks to different training and incubation programs I participated in, I really learned a lot. I managed to the get the skills I needed and later realized that I needed a skilled team to work with. In addition to those skills, it was important to have passion as well, and I have always felt very passionate about this work.
Question: What challenges did you face launching this enterprise?
The first challenge I faced was the fear of starting something new that nobody else in our family nor my close friends had ever tried. I sought peer mentors to advise me and also joined training programs to learn how to run such an enterprise.
Also, I had no capital, and that was the second challenge. The only thing I had was the talent of reciting poems from which I could get RWF 20,000 or RWF 30,000, which I would use for ticket fees when I was going to seek different partners or use it for internet to learn about different programs by people in the same domain.
Question: What are your plans for the year 2023?
I consider this year 2023 as a year for expansion. We started in 2017, so the enterprise has been running for almost six years. It has been like raising a child, and now that child has grown up, learning to walk by themselves. For 2023, we would like to build partnerships that can help us extend our services to more places (other districts), building on our working proof of concept to serve more adolescents. We have reached eight districts so far, and this year, we would like to reach five more.
Question: What advice would you give to other social entrepreneurs?
I would advise other young social entrepreneurs or those with their ideas in the incubation process to keep up. They are doing the right thing. They may sometimes wonder if they are doing the right thing, but I’m telling them the truth, they are unique.
Whenever you identify a problem in society, and you find a solution to that problem and manage to generate income, there is no greater joy.
Stay the course and try to find role models or mentors from whom you can freely seek advice in difficult situations.
Also, look around for different opportunities, especially through social media used by entrepreneurs in the same industry. That will help grow their enterprise.
Are you a start-up company that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Incubation Programme
Are you a start-up company that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Incubation Programme
22 On Sloane, an African Startup Campus, invites applicants for the 22 On Sloane Incubation Programme, designed for entrepreneurs launching new ventures. The Programme focuses on supporting entrepreneurs in identifying market opportunities, developing a growth strategy, assessing financing options, and ensuring business profitability.
Interested participants should fulfil the following to apply:
- Have a registered business in the process of launching (with proof of concept) or have launched with revenue not exceeding USD 110, 000
- Have a product that addresses current and future demands that are tech-enabled
- Founders should demonstrate a clear intention to grow their business and attract investment
Entrance into the Programme is subject to the following:
- Business case assessment
- Company evaluation
- Psychometric test
- Assessing whether the business is aligned to 22 On Sloane’s vision
Participants in the Programme will receive the following benefits:
- R1500 (USD$100) per month
- 24-hour/7days week access into 22 on Sloane
- Hosting an event at the Atrium (1 event inviting up to 50 people) 7 in relation to your start-up
- Uncapped WI-FI
- Workspace (A desk and chair)
- Connecting you to various networks in your industry
To apply for the Programme, visit: Applications
Are you a social entrepreneur with a solution aligned with the UN's SDGs? Apply for the UNLEASH Plus incubation program before 31 March 2023
Are you a social entrepreneur with a solution aligned with the UN’s SDGs? Apply for the UNLEASH Plus incubation program before 31 March 2023
UNLEASH, a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 with the aim of developing solutions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building capacity for youth globally, invites applicants for the UNLEASH Plus incubation program. UNLEASH Plus is a 6-month incubation program for entrepreneurs working on social and environmental challenges in line with the UN’s SDGs. Through the program, participants will receive skills development training, and tools, to test their early-stage solutions and design for llarge-scaleimpact.
Through a partnership with Chemonics International, UNLEASH Plus supports teams with existing prototypes to become impactful social ventures. Participants will have access to learning materials, the opportunity to join interactive workshops, receive direct support from experts and make connections to investors and partners during the program to accelerate their intended impact.
The program will be implemented in 3 phases:
The Roadmap: Basecamp is a practical two-day event where participants meet and witness pitches from other teams in their cohort. Participants also engage with their mentors and align on the vision, business model and priorities for their 6-month plan during the program.
The Journey: The second phase is the core 21-week virtual program that focuses on team development, solution testing and refinement, strategy, and pitching. During this phase, the goal is to launch the first complete solution that will attract the right customers, partners, and funders to accelerate the participant’s journey.
The Future: in-person program in India for top 25 teams. The last phase is the in-person finale of UNLEASH Plus during the Global Innovation Lab Karnataka (India). During this phase, teams will receive intensive tailored support from world-class experts to refine strategies, meet with potential partners and pitch their solutions to investors awarding cash prizes at the Dragon’s Den.
Interested applicants should fulfil the following to apply:
- Have at least 2 active team members participating throughout the program
- Be willing to commit at least 8 hours per team per week
- Have at least half of the team members aged 35 years or younger
- Have a validated, working prototype of a solution that addresses one or more of the SDGs
- Have documented feedback, references, or testimonials from early testing with actual users or prospective customers that demonstrate market demand for the solution
- Have a solution responsive to one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
- Be a legal entity with the ability to receive funds
- Have raised a maximum of 50,000 USD raised to date
To apply for the program, visit: Submit application
Are you an early-stage venture interested in scaling up? Apply for the e-Track Programme before 29 March 2023
Are you an early-stage venture interested in scaling up? Apply for the e-Track Programme before 29 March 2023
The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) Solution Space, in partnership with Ayoba, a free instant messaging app, invites applicants for the e-Track Programme. The e-Track Programme is a two-phase early-stage venture accelerator and capacity-building programme for high-impact entrepreneurs in South Africa and beyond. It is designed to support participants in building scalable businesses with international potential.
Successful applicants take part in the following:
- A five-week Venture Launch course that focuses on validating the venture concept
- A twelve-week Venture Exploitation course aimed at accelerating the development of the validated venture
Interested applicants should have solutions relevant to the African market and global potential. Applicants can apply in teams or as individuals as part of an existing venture. They should have a prototype or minimum viable product ready for early-market testing to further establish the product and market fit. Additionally, the initial concept should demonstrate a deep and intimate understanding of the problem and market need or opportunity.
Selected participants will benefit from the following
- Access to technical support and mentorship from Ayoba field experts,
- Workshops and clinics to learn fundamentals and core business skills
- Access to pro-bono partners and a network of consultants to support with specialist expertise such as legal, human resource, digital user experience, and venture capital
- Feedback from the Ayoba team and network of experienced mentors and industry partners
- Networking with Ayoba’s community of vibrant entrepreneurs
To apply for this program, visit: e-track programme applications