Applications have opened for the inaugural Mettā’s Fashion Product Lab, a programme to help Kenya’s future fashion designers deliver on their true creative potential.
The eight-week Fashion Product Lab is run in partnership with VC firm Nest, the Association of Fashion Designers, FA 254, and Maridadi.co, and will take place throughout October and November in Nairobi. Applications close on September 30.
Mettā is a global club for entrepreneurs that connects people, ideas and resources in the name of furthering business opportunities. Entrepreneurs in the programme will also enjoy full access to mentors, offline and online community, and a physical Mettā space in Nairobi.
The programme offers designers the opportunity to work with early-stage fashion-focused technology companies, with every element of the course designed to help fashion-focused entrepreneurs launch their brands into the local and international markets, develop new clothing products and showcase collections in new and innovative ways.
“We are excited, and extremely proud, to be able to take an active role in connecting the region’s most creative designers with experts in the field through Mettā’s global community,” said Maurice Otieno, ecosystem development lead for Africa at Mettā.
“The successful applicants will also enjoy access to key individuals at Nest, as well as the VC’s expertise in growing and scaling businesses. The eight weeks of content will form a very attractive programme for those looking to launch their very own fashion brand in Africa.”
Successful applicants will also receive dedicated mentorship and guidance from experts in the field, connections to relevant fashion technologies, business tools and innovative solutions, and workshops with experts and industry thought leaders.
At the end of the programme, they will pitch and showcase their concepts at a Demo Day, where fashion retail executives, investors and press will be in attendance.
