Denis Opudo
Nailab is a Kenyan based incubator and it is planning to host a program called Make-IT accelerator program. The program is aimed at strengthening entrepreneur’s skills for improving their businesses. The incubator has already announced the 15 startups that will take part in the program. The Make-IT accelerator is to start in January 2018.
The program is implemented by the German International Cooperation (GIZ). It represents the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is as part of BMZ’s Digital Africa Initiative. Through the program, entrepreneurs are in a position to develop their skills. That will help them improve their innovation and achieving growth. Cooperation and getting ready for investments will also go up.
Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) in Nigeria is also implementing the accelerator. The majority of the cohorts in the program are Kenyan startups. Amongst the chosen startups 13 are from Kenya. The startups include; Genexe Engineering which is energy-efficient cooking stove manufacturer, Daktaripap, and Taimba, agri-tech solutions Annona. There are also 3D printing startups AB3D and Micrive Infinite, insurtech product GrassRoots Bima and waste management startup Gjenge.
Rural ICT training firm ICT for Development Kenya, software development firm ZOA, business information tool Sauti, child software development training programme Tech Kidz Africa, e-health startup RedHunt were also selected. Kaaro Health and clinicPesa represent Uganda.
There is a great need to help the local entrepreneurs across Africa. This will help in reducing overreliance on the white collar jobs by the school graduates. With the high revolution in technology across Africa, it’s easier to enlighten the entrepreneurs. For the development of the economy, every party must play a role. Businesses offer a larger percentage of the growth of any economy globally. Africans should avoid depending on grants and donations from foreign countries. There is much potential across the continent all it calls for is maximum use.
