Boostcamp Rwanda 2024

Published: 02/05/2024

In April 2024, Rwanda hosted the third edition of our Inspiration Tour as part of SusTech4Africa, a program, developed by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO), aimed at encouraging African scale-ups and entrepreneurs to adopt a sustainable approach.

With Sustainable Technology for Africa - SusTech4Africa for short - OVO stimulates sustainable entrepreneurship in Africa and helps selected projects optimize their business models and make them more sustainable.

 

Who was part of the adventure?

Rwandan entrepreneurs, Rwandan and Belgian Coaches, students from Thomas More and VITO to provide training.

 

We visited the entrepreneurs in their businesses, met their teams, visited their facilities.

The sectors of activity have been diversified: from macadamia cultivation to the creation of leather products and the production of nourishing flour or chilli sauce!

 

The cultural immersion was also very present! The visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial was an extremely moving moment.

 

The Belgian embassy in Kigali gave us a wonderful welcome, highlighting the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors for the benefit of local entrepreneurship.

 

During the Boostcamp, participants have the opportunity to strengthen their technical and managerial skills, on the one hand thanks to the training of teacher-researchers but also thanks to the "entrepreneur-business coaches-student" groups trained. Indeed, after a theoretical presentation made by Johan Geysen for VITO, each group took the time to analyze its practical application.

 

On the last day, each entrepreneur pitched their project in 5 minutes in front of a larger audience. At stake? Recognition for the work accomplished during these 3 days of intensive Boostcamp.

At the end of the Boostcamp, each participating company now benefits from individual online support. The objective of the coaching sessions? Support the entrepreneur in defining his strategy to develop his business, develop a financial plan and analyze the way in which he takes into account the Sustainable Development Goals in his business.

 

Potential financing from OVO is issued in the form of a loan to be repaid over 1 to 5 years. This financing, which varies between 5,000 and 50,000 euros, is provided by business angels and by the OVO Acceleration Fund.

 

Interested?

Are you also inspired by sustainability and entrepreneurship? Would you like to contribute to a better international cooperation between Belgium and Africa? We are always looking for people who want to join in as a volunteer/coach.

 

Need more info? Contact nathalie.schots@ovo.be 

 

Discover below the video made by a Thomas More student who was part of the trip.

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