7th November 2019
Sello Motseta
In a effort to play an important and vibrant role in community socio-economic development Stanbic Bank Botswana has for the fourth year running partnered with Seedstars World and Botswana Innovation Hub(BIH) to support a pitch competition for start ups in Botswana.
Seedstars World is the largest start up competition for emerging markets and fast growing start ups, the event sees the best local seed stage start ups take the stage and compete for a chance to represent Botswana at the Seedstars Summit in Switzerland.
Onkabetse Morapedi, Stanbic Head of Enterprise Banking, said “Stanbic Bank Botswana’s continued commitment to sustainable youth employability in the country as well as entrepreneurial development. As a Bank we have a great interest in supporting the creation and sustainability of a business ecosystem in Botswana to ensure that the potential and established entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need to develop.”
He said, “If we are to help support and grow our businesses, we need to work on creating the kind of relationships that make that possible. It is for this reasons we have sponsored this global platform for the fourth consecutive year.”
The partnership is in line with Bank’s entrepreneurship and innovation lab under its Jobs for Youth in Africa(JfYA) strategy. The aim is to create 25 million jobs and equip 50 million young people with skills to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial success by 2025.
According to officials in Botswana, it is estimated that the unemployment rate among the youth is currently over 25% and projected to grow if not addressed with tertiary institution producing over 20,000 students annually with only 2,000 absorbed.
“SME’s are a big part of job creation in many developing economies. Thus our support of innovation through this partnership talks directly to our dedication towards helping ensure future employment. We are interested in helping transform ideas into reality, into living, thriving businesses,” said Morapedi.
Besides representing Botswana at the Seedstars Africa Summit, the winner who will be chosen on 8th November 2019, will win an all inclusive trip to Seedstars Africa Summit and the chance to win a spot at the Seedstars Global Summit in Switzerland where winner will take home a US$500,000 investment prize, to further catalyze their business idea and help it grow.
The top start ups to advance to the finals are
- Leintel Codemasters
- Rockville Solutions
- Skyhub
- Sturgeon
- Mohiri
- Gloal GamePlay BW
- Khadi Agri Holdings
