BDC names second Business Den recipient
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday September 12, 2023 06:00
The winner is local technology entrepreneur, Onalethata Tautona, who walked away with P500, 000. Through his company, UniPay, the recipient seeks to introduce cashless payments in public transport. Tautona’s winning project will be housed under the Business Den for 18 months, nurtured through continuous monitoring, evaluation and mentorship. This period of growth and maturation will pave the way for its ultimate graduation from the programme.
Business Den is a programme geared towards ambitious, innovative and driven young entrepreneurs, offering them a unique opportunity to secure grant-based funding of P500,000 coupled with invaluable mentorship. BDC introduced the programme with the primary objective of fostering entrepreneurial talent amongst the youth. To achieve this, the competition is open to youth aged 18 to 35 with robust and innovative business ideas for new or existing ideas for expansion. Proposals are welcome across sectors, including but not limited to technology, energy, manufacturing, services, tourism and industry. This initiative mirrors the objectives of the Corporation and Botswana’s economic transformation priorities.
BDC managing director, Cross Kgosidiile said this year they received a total of 93 proposals which underwent an initial compliance screening and rigorous evaluation by an independent consultant. From this process, the 10 finalists were drawn and given the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of seasoned independent judges who were tasked with selecting the winner. “Supporting youth-led businesses can bring fresh perspectives, cutting-edge solutions, and a fearless approach to challenges as normally these ventures inject vitality into industries and drive economic growth," Kgosidiile said.
“We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of the project that will emerge from the grant awarded. Our nation's youth are the driving force of change, and through their endeavours, we are confident that they will contribute positively to our society and economy."