Develop 1,000 future business leaders in Zimbabwe

The entrepreneurial journey is not easy but worth taking nonetheless.This is why we are so delighted to share with you how our learner venture teams are progressing. 

In January  all our Class of 2022 Virtual Innovation Accelerator  teams managed to register their companies and are now legally recognised entities in the business fraternity. This is a huge milestone for these young entrepreneurs as they advance towards equal participating opportunity in the economy. Company registration for the ventures means the ability to trade thereby allowing them to openly operate and market their products.

The teams  also started connecting with advisors who are keenly assisting them to transition their projects from being mere ideas to thriving ventures. The learner teams acknowledge the value that comes from the advice, experience and networks that the advisors are providing. 

Emergination Africa introduced Incubation and Learn sessions to support emerging entrepreneurs and immerse them in the company of local industry. This came from the realization that the life of entrepreneurs needs constant support from individuals that believe in them.  The Incubation and Learn sessions are designed to create opportunities for our ventures to create new synergies with local businesses that will boost their growth rate by bringing local knowledge, operating experience and market opportunities. 

To start with, the Emergination Africa team hosted a Physical meetup to determine the needs of the teams. This was fruitful as it bridged the gap left by virtual meetings. Using Venture teams' feedback, successfully launched our first Incubation and Learn session dubbed 'Venture Accelerator Pitch Night' on the 30th of March 2023. The event was well attended with 12 teams from our business ventures displaying their prototypes and pitching their  products to respected members of the business community in Zimbabwe. Key businesses that were part of this session include Pro Feeds ,Zim Trade and Deloitte Zimbabwe to name a few. The event was also graced by the  Germany  Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Michel Ott. The pitch night was worth all the effort as it exposed learners to an engaging crowd which shared invaluable insights for improving their businesses in order to thrive in this cut throat economy.There was also a networking session where learners and guests connected to find collaboration for growing the new ventures. EA is excited to share that some companies and individual business persons have opened doors for potential  partnerships with the learner ventures.  

To top off our 1 Quarter of 2023, Five of our Eight VIA teams from our first VIA ventures class of 2021 were accepted into the finals of the Anzisha Prize and are already busy with their assignments. The Anzisha Prize is an initiative between Mastercard Foundation and African Leadership Academy. Through its three-year fellowship program, young business owners have the opportunity to scale their businesses and gain business acumen through expert coaches. Just to add some context, Emergination Africa applied for the Anzisha Prize back in 2015 but unfortunately we could not make it to the finals. To be able to see these learners get further than us is a dream come true. We applied to Anzisha in our 4th year of university, our learners are applying in their 1st and 2nd year of university. If they are able to get further ahead and faster than we did, it's testimony that our programs are making a positive impact.

Thank you for being part of our vision of seeing an African continent where all young people can create opportunities for themselves and others.