Archive for May 2019
Should very young entrepreneurs enter pitching competitions, apply for grant funding?
By Daniel Mpala For some entrepreneurs, pitching competitions have made all the difference in their search for funding, incubation and other resources. But, is it advisable for very young entrepreneurs to enter these competitions? And what about applying for grants? Does this have any benefit for young entrepreneurs? This was one of the many topics…
Read MoreCrucial that we pursue the Anzisha Scenario says Junior Achievement CEO
By Daniel Mpala We have an imperative to pursue the Anzisha Scenario, Junior Achievement CEO Elizabeth Bintliff has said. ALA’s Anzisha Scenarios green paper proposes tackling youth employment through economic growth, higher levels of education and investment in entrepreneurs of all ages, but with a special focus on very young entrepreneurs. Bintliff (pictured above), speaking…
Read MoreMedia coverage on very young entrepreneurs is disappointing
By Daniel Mpala Is the media paying enough attention to very young entrepreneurs? African Leadership Academy (ALA) vice president of growth and entrepreneurship Josh Adler says media coverage of young entrepreneurs is disappointing. ALA’s Anzisha Scenarios green paper points out that young people in developing countries are faced with high unemployment rates, with the International Labour Organisation…
Read MoreTo achieve Anzisha Scenario, Africa must improve its education system
By Daniel Mpala Policy change in education is key to achieving the vision encapsulated by the Anzisha Scenarios, says Hustler Academy founder Sbu Leope. The Anzisha Scenarios green paper envisages an increase in young Africans with high potential opting for entrepreneurship as a career over more traditional office or farm work. Speaking during a panel discussion at…
Read MoreWhy younger entrepreneurs aren’t getting investment and what they should do about it
By Daniel Mpala It all comes down to a shortage of trust — says Chanzo Capital managing partner and Angel Fair Africa founder Eric Osiakwan, on why so few younger entrepreneurs are able to secure funding. Osiakwan (pictured above,second from the left), speaking in a panel during last month’s Very Young Entrepreneur Education & Acceleration Summit…
Read MoreLooking for grant funding? Get a lawyer to read that agreement
By Daniel Mpala Very young entrepreneurs who get offered grant funding should consult with a lawyer before signing anything, advises Chanzo Capital managing partner and Angel Fair Africa founder Eric Osiakwan. Osiakwan was speaking during a panel discussion at last month’s Very Young Entrepreneur Education & Acceleration Summit in Johannesburg. While grant capital, he says, plays a very important…
Read MoreDoes entrepreneurship have a ‘branding’ problem in Africa?
By Daniel Mpala Junior Achievement CEO Elizabeth Bintliff, who was one of the speakers at last month’s Very Young Entrepreneur Education & Acceleration Summit in Johannesburg, thinks entrepreneurship in Africa has a “branding” problem. “I spend a lot of time with young people and when I ask them who they aspire to be or which entrepreneurs…
Read MoreHere’s how ALA will get the Anzisha Scenario to become a reality
By Daniel Mpala Imagine a future where, in response to the challenge of youth unemployment, young Africans of high potential choose entrepreneurship as a career. Last month, African Leadership Academy (ALA) and the Mastercard Foundation released a green paper — the Anzisha Scenarios — that seeks to bring this vision into reality. But, as ALA vice president growth…
Read MoreHere are four things you need to know about the Anzisha Prize
Written by: Daniel Mpala While Africa continues to battle poverty and unemployment, the continent’s large number of young people could be key to solving many of its problems. This is a key reason why Mastercard Foundation and African Leadership Academy in 2010 established the Anzisha Prize. The Prize aims to recognise and celebrate founders under 22 years old that…
Read MoreHow ALA’s cashless system helps students learn about financial literacy
Written by: Daniel Mpala Pay a visit to African Leadership Academy’s (ALA) campus in Honeydew, Johannesburg and you’ll notice something very interesting — not a single student pays for anything on campus with cash. Instead they get by with topped up cashless accounts linked to swipe cards. The idea is help encourage students to transact…
Read MoreHow ALA got award-winning airships startup founder going in business
Written by: Daniel Mpala For Spencer Horne — who today runs an award-winning logistics startup that uses autonomous airships to transport goods — African Leadership Academy (ALA) proved “immensely influential” in helping him start out in business. Horne (pictured above), who was part of ALA’s inaugural class in 2008, started his first two businesses, a…
Read MoreHow Anzisha Scenario project aims to change way Africa supports young entrepreneurs
Written by: Daniel Mpala Africa’s youth could hold the key to the continent’s future — but the continent’s high joblessness makes it critical that more are involved in entrepreneurship. Yet a report published in the Harvard Business Review and the US National Bureau of Economic Research last year found that the typical successful entrepreneur is…
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