In keeping with its vision to assist young creative minds become Africa’s next billion-dollar entrepreneurs, Growth Africa StartUp in partnership with Lagos Business School has graduated the first set of 50 startups under their joint Executive training and mentorship programme.
The graduates, who fall into the class of all small, medium enterprises (SMEs), are young businesses aiming to increase visibility, resilience and productivity.
The selection took place last Friday at the Lagos Business School in Lagos where 50 startups were allowed to pitch their ideas while the judges gave their observations to select the final group.
The judges include former Managing Director Bank of Industry (BoI), Evelyn Oputu; Chief Operating Officer, LBS, Charles Ivenzo; Deputy Director, Falcon Corporations, Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, and Chief Executive Officer of Growth Africa startups, Samuel Ajiboyede.
According to Ajiboyede, the startups would be scrutinised while 15 would be selected and given mentorship through the next phase which would last for a year.
“Over 1000 businesses applied, 150 were interviewed and after, just 50 was selected. Today is their demo day and we have entrepreneurs, mentors from different sectors who are here to hear them out and get interested in some of them. The idea is to empower them through mentorship and advisory roles, give them access to market and even funding.
“Through this training, startups can scale up to become job providers and impact the society. So, we look out for the impact of the idea, how it can contribute to society and the zeal of the startup,” Ajiboyede said.
Academic Director, Entrepreneurship Innovative Centre, LBS, Henrietta Onwuegbuzie, said the major focus of the programme is to provide impact and that is enough to scale up a business and bring it to the limelight
“These people are solving real problems and that’s an already-made market. The secret of a successful business is to create value and value drives profit.
” We hope to give them an enabling environment, and it’s to publicise these ideas Some of them will get access to big companies where they can work and gain experience for one year.
“If more of this type of thing initiative comes up, you can imagine what it would be like in Nigeria in the next five years because there would be an explosion of SME’s creating businesses and solving unemployment,” Onwuegbuzie said.
One of the beneficiaries, Winniefred Uwujele, chief executive officer, Winniecense Fragrance Nigeria, said the experience was quite enriching.
“One of the best things that have ever happened to me is being at this training. Lagos Business School gave their very best. You can imagine the head of MBA coming to teach you like every other student who paid very huge cash.
“This is a rare opportunity to have people to sponsor people to learn in LBS is a big feat and you get all the treatment that every other person in LBS gets. It’s an awesome experience and I am glad to be an ambassador of Growth Africa Startup,” Uwujele said.
Source: thenationonlineng