KBL Picks 15 Kickstart Winners
Monday, January 20, 2020
Kickstart Winners
KBL said it received about 5,000 applications, which were then shortlisted to the top 50 where they selected top 15. The programme is open to entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 to 35.
Apart from the start up capital of up to P200, 000, winners also get 12 months mentorship, training and coaching. To date about 300 young people have received training whilst 75 projects have been funded since the inception of Kickstart.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...