Hi there,

Here is what we have planned for you this week:

Last week Monday. we kicked off the 28th cohort of the Discover Pre-accelerator programme, which helps entrepreneurs to explore the potential of their business idea before they can launch their business. In this cohort, 6 entrepreneurs will be guided on how they can transition from the idea stage to successfully launching their startup in 2 weeks. Lessons include: Knowing your customer, finding your unique place in the market, how to create a prototype and improve it, the business registration process and more.

Join ZICTA tomorrow at 09:00 AM as they host a closing ceremony for the 2020 ZICTA ICT Innovation Programme. The 2020 cohort closing ceremony will among other things showcase three of the most promising initiatives from the cycle that demonstrated the highest likelihood of success as well as economic and social impact. The event will also serve as a platform for linking the innovators on the programme with potential investors, partners and off-takers. Join the ceremony using this zoom link.

On Wednesday last week, the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) launched the Regulatory SandBox for Capital Markets. Following the launch, SEC would like to have a follow-up ‘one-on-one’ session with FinTechs to get into the details of applying and qualifying for the sandbox, at a date to be decided. If you missed the launch, you can watch it on the SEC Facebook page.
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Episode 3 of the BongoHive Podcast went live last Friday. The guests shared insights on how to conduct market research when creating a niche product or service, as well as listening to the market demands when running a business and pivoting. Listen to the lessons they have learnt along the way and the advice they had for entrepreneurs who needed answers to these sort of questions. Listen in here.

Have a great week, and stay safe.

Opportunities in our Community

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s leading philanthropy dedicated to empowering African entrepreneurs, is taking applications for the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme on the TEFConnect digital platform. This year’s intervention prioritises the economic recovery of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and young African entrepreneurs, following the Covid-19 disruption to economic activities.

Deadline: March 31, 2021

Apply here

The Museum of Women's History is calling on all creatives to take part in the Fabric-ATED project. The project gives creatives engaged in media, art, music, graphic design, fashion design and creative writing an opportunity to create work based on indigenous Zambian knowledge that could be exhibited at the Museum of Women's History and the National Museums of World Culture in Sweden. To participate, email your portfolio and sample of your work at [email protected]

Articles

Startup Spotlight: Krypia

Krypia is a financial platform that empowers SME’S by investing funds into their businesses to help them scale up in the shortest time possible while equipping them with entrepreneurial expertise to expand their market reach. Krypia aims to provide access to finance, that is affordable for all and to bridge the gap for the financially marginalised communities, underserved, and unbanked African population. By merging modern technology and African methods of finance, they have created a financial ecosystem that uses the premise of socially responsible lending to not only impact SMEs but also their communities.

Zambia Growth Companies Need Activist Type Investors

Activist investing is a concept that has risen to fame in the global world of investing in recent years. What most had not known is that activist shareholders had actually existed since the 17th century during the days of the Dutch East India Company with the likes of Isaac Le Maire. Le Maire was an entrepreneur and investor who had sizeable share ownership in the Dutch East India Company.

How to do Market Research

Your product or service is solely based on what consumers think, feel, and even react about it, and that’s why consumers hold a lot of power. Individuals will likely ask around and research a product or service before they buy, and they can quickly learn whether or not you’re a reliable business that they want to contribute to.

Resources

Our COVID-19 Resource Center

has curated content to help entrepreneurs manage the effects of COVID-19 on their businesses.

View

Our Entrepreneur Resource portal is a comprehensive list of resources and tools to assist entrepreneurs in Zambia. From funding to budgeting tools to networking, it's all here.

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