Blog

The Botho University eLab was successfully launched in June 2016 by CEDA CEO, Mr Thabo Thamane with intentions to provide a space where students across the curricular spectrum will come together to share ideas, access resources, and come up with innovative approaches to problem solving. The launch was graced by stakeholders from the industry including banks, the government, and business owners.

The Entrepreneurship Lab was established with the following in mind:

• To encourage students and alumni to develop ideas into innovative solutions that can in the short or long run be turned into entrepreneurial ventures. This is as a result of a growing demand from the community of student-entrepreneurs to create a space to collaborate and turn their bursts of genius into something tangible. The eLab is an initiative that meant to assist the Botho University students, the alumni to identify practical applications to current issues, problems, and needs.
• To identify, mentor, incubate, connect and support outstanding student/alumni-entrepreneurs and facilitate their success beyond Botho University, into the community

The eLab was established with intentions of offering the following 5 major activities:

• Incubation: (Experiential Training)
• Secretarial Services
• Expert Coaching/Trainings/Workshops
• Office Space
• Business Consultancy

Fast forward to January 2017

The eLab hosts 4 teams of students with 5 outstanding ideas and were chosen after a careful selection process by seasoned business people and experts from the industry:

• Rose Tatedi ( Symphony Health)
• Benjamin Raletsatsi (Samsung RetailStores)
• Callistus Phologolo ( Cally Clothing)
• Otto Von Rudloff (DAI)
• Lynda Kgasoane (DAI)

Four (4) Teams that were selected after a Pitching Session held on the day of the Launch include the following students:

• Neo Lefela (3rd Year Student)
• Edmore Jackson (Botho University Alumnus)

• Baalora Onkarabile & Maikano Rabakwena (2nd Year Students)
• Leandra Bowden, Bakang Madisa, Bakang Legodi and Daniel Ncube (1st Year Students)

The eLab has since July hosted the following activities d:

• Idea Generation & Refinement Workshop supported by EOH Consulting
• Elevator Pitching Workshop facilitated by Yame Nkgowe of Seriti UAS Data & Intergration
• Introduction to the Business Model Canvas with Dennis Maswabi of Enterprise Botswana
• Training on Importance of Markert Research for Start Ups with Kabelo Binns of Hotwire PRC
• Training on Company Registration & Intellectual Property by CIPA
• Entrepreneurship Activation Session with Percy Raditladi: Topic: Rewards of Perseverance in the Entrepreneurship Journey
• 3 Day Entrepreneurship BootCamp in partnership with Udugu Institute & other supporting Stakeholders
• Public Lecture on Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship with Kojo Parris

In addition to this, the eLab Resident Entrepreneurs have had “one on one” sessions with Mr Percy Raditladi, Thabo Monthe (Owner of the Braii Place) and Kabelo Binns (Hotwire PRC) to get insights of establishing start-ups and seeing them to maturity.

The eLab team comes back fresh and reinvigorated and is looking forward to so much growth in 2017. Botho University plans to establish and nurture fruitful partnerships for the growth of the initiative. We also look forward to more enriching trainings, and reaching out to the community to impart Entrepreneurship Development awareness. In order for the eLab to have a bold print and wider impact on communities across the country, more industry should come on board to partner with University with a view to assist with skills transfer to trainees and sprouting small and medium industries country wide. We are confident that the Public and the relevant Stakeholders will support us in this initiative.

For more information and for prospective partnerships reach out to:

• +267 3635484 or email to phatsimo.mosimanegape@bothouniversity.ac.bw