Gritcube is seeking entrepreneur fellows for its 2016/2017 Fellowship! Gritcube is looking for local Zambians with business ideas that have the potential to employ 10-50 Africans within 5 years. Possible sectors include, but are not limited to: agribusiness, food and retail, manufacturing, technical services, technology, and energy.
Gritcube will competitively select 10-12 innovative Zambian startups to enter our structured 3-month acceleration program. The acceleration program will involve scheduled deliverables and monthly business themes. The work that each startup completes will be evaluated by a personal consultant based in the U.S. and the Gritcube executive team.
At the end of the 3-month period, Gritcube will choose the highest performing startups during the acceleration period to enter our 3-9 month incubation program. The length of incubation depends on performance of the startup and ability to access funding.
Requirements:
- Based in Lusaka, or can travel to Lusaka every week (no exceptions) using personal resources
- Self-motivated
- Tech-savvy
- Have an innovative business idea with a strategy for expansion
- Have a technology component to your business idea
Benefits
- Personalized business support with U.S. based volunteer consultant, with business expertise and work experience
- Gritcube-Lusaka team with personalized support and mentorship
- 1 hour per week work and internet space, dedicated for internet-based calls with U.S. consultant, and avoids problems with load-shedding
- Gritcube Startup Community, including pitch nights and networking events
- Access to networks and fundraising opportunities, depending on success in the program
How Gritcube Programming Works:
- Involvement with Gritcube can last up to 13 months.
- After an onboarding period in September, each startup will enter our Accelerator program, which will involve biweekly required deliverables, regular business educational themes with readings and assignments, and a pitch night in December.
- Startups that have proven to show sufficient progress at the end of the Accelerator Portion in December will be allowed to continue in our incubator program, which will also have deliverables and readings, and depending on progress made, could potentially lead to industry mentors and access to financing.
- September: Onboarding
- October-December: Accelerator Portion Focuses: Meet consultants, refine business model, customer validation, business registration
- January-June: Incubation Part 1 Focuses: Meet industry mentors, networking events, operations, accounting, branding, customer service, team building, financing
- July-September: Incubation Part 2 Focuses: Market development, R&D, legal, business and funding linkages
Apply Now for the 2016/2017 Gritcube Fellowship Programme
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the 2016/2017 Gritcube Fellowship Programme