• First Capital Bank Botswana supports innovative Launch Africa YES Bootcamp
• Platform to prepare start-ups in Botswana for growth and scale
• The event hosted established and emerging entrepreneurs

Gaborone: Leader in Banking, First Capital Bank Botswana, proudly sponsored the Launch Africa – Young Enterprise Sustainability and Growth Bootcamp that was held in November 5-6, 2018 in Gaborone. The platform, which seeks to assist the growing number of start-up businesses in Botswana, addressed challenges through an intensive residential training workshop that focuses on key areas that young enterprises usually find immensely unforgiving when facing the entrepreneurship “valley of death”.
“I believe that SME’s are an important and integral part of the future growth of Botswana and need to be supported as much as possible” said Jaco Viljoen, CEO of First Capital Bank of Botswana.
The Launch Africa YES Bootcamp, which is the brainchild of Udugu Botswana in collaboration with various partner organisations, aimed to boost innovation-oriented start-up businesses by way of effective planning to clarify goals and objectives, thereby informing decision making to achieve such goals and objectives. The bootcamp is based on experiential-learning that creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs to apply academic understandings through practical activities and case studies.
“The Launch Africa YES Bootcamp gave me chance to network with not only like-minded entrepreneurs but also advisors and mentors that I would not have otherwise interacted with at that level. We had an awesome ‘A team’ comprising of an HR practitioner, a taxation expert, senior business strategists, VCs, a consumer rights activist, and more… who all armed us with the necessary information that one would need to ignite their business growth. The panel discussions were thought provoking and challenged our thinking. I also loved the group of mentors that we each had the honour of working with. Personally, I was able to connect with key stakeholders for our business through this relationship with my mentor . I also got to learn about First Capital Banks SMME segment from their CEO at the event. Truly, this event was awesome and my only wish would be that the programme impacts more entrepreneurs in the coming year. It’s a must for anyone starting up in business.”, said Tsitsi Chakamba, Founder & Director of Artistic Minds Academy
“During the Launch Africa YES Bootcamp, I had an opportunity to translate my business concept into simplistic terminology, gauge how it is received by others and where likely customers would see the value. The YES Bootcamp simultaneously aligned me with seasoned entrepreneurs that challenged my strategy, with the intention to refine my approach. All inclusive, the YES Bootcamp should be every rookie entrepreneurs pit stop.”, said Joshua Chimusoro, Founder CEO of Moments and Portee Group

“The Launch Africa YES Bootcamp was very enlightening in terms of tools and knowledge that SME’s should be familiar with in order to build good and long sustainable businesses. In addition, we got to learn a lot from other entrepreneurs who were present, about mistakes they have encountered, and also from the tips they shared. We were humbled to have been given a word of advice and encouragement from the CEO of First Capital Bank Botswana, with regards to the bank supporting SME’s in various ways. This has probed us to start establishing a business relationship with them. In a nutshell, we have walked away from the YES Bootcamp with relevant and cutting edge 21st century tools we can use to sustain our businesses, and also with knowledge that will allow us to effectively analyse and strategize, in a sometimes-slow business environment.”, says Donato Illagan, Founder MD of Global Education Hub

First Capital Bank Botswana was the main sponsor of the Launch Africa – Young Enterprise Sustainability and Growth Bootcamp, that saw industry leaders share knowledge on various aspects of entrepreneurship. The key message for participants was that practical experience and in-depth knowledge and understanding of our market and ecosystems is the key to sustainability. Udugu Botswana was the organising partner.