Zambian innovation and technology hub BongoHive has launched a series of startup and SME masterclasses, making their incubation services available to a wider range of companies at a price.
The BongoHive startup and SME Masterclasses will last between half a day and a week, costing between ZMW25 (US$2.5) and ZMW500 (US$50) and providing Zambian entrepreneurs with the tools they need to grow their businesses.
“Whether it be building your first company website, developing your app idea, building and managing your social media presence, we have you covered,” said Lukonga Lindunda, co-founder and executive director of BongoHive.
“Our leadership position in the African tech community has enabled us to develop cutting edge programming and our business model has made it incredibly affordable.”
In addition to the suite of technology related workshops, BongoHive is also offering a number of widely applicable non-tech related workshops, including accounting, business speaking and generating impact through the power of business.
Lindunda said BongoHive has collaborated with other regional thought leaders and organisations to pull together cutting-edge content.
“There are so many reasons we’re excited for today’s launch; we’re finally able to fill a longstanding hole in the Zambian business ecosystem and get in the driver’s seat of building a more robust entrepreneurial community,” he said.
“We’re really proud to be doing this because it shows how different organisations can collaborate to achieve the common objective of paving the way for Zambia’s rise to become Africa’s next powerhouse of business.”
The masterclasses commence on June 6, with interested parties able to sign up online. Masterclasses and workshops include planning and building your first company website, social media for startups, digital marketing strategy and analytics, UX design, how to build an app, SpeechCraft for business, and building and understanding your financial accounts.
It has been a productive year so far for the Lusaka-based hub, with Disrupt Africa reporting last month the United States (US) Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz had launched a six-month finance bootcamp for Zambian entrepreneurs at BongoHive, aimed at assisting entrepreneurs in overcoming difficulties in accessing funding.
The hub also recently kicked off the second cohort of its Launch accelerator programme, which aims to assist startups in growing and scaling their businesses, as well as launching the Discover programme, an intense three-week full-time bootcamp providing entrepreneurs with the basic skills they need to turn a business idea into a fully-fledged startup.
In February, the hub signed a sponsorship arrangement with local operator MTN, which will see the partners build an enabling environment for developers in Zambia.
