Creative industry entrepreneurs invited to submit business ideas
Creative entrepreneurs in Namibia are invited to submit their business ideas to participate in a business incubation programme for skills development and business growth.
The ‘Creative Entrepreneur Programme’, created in partnership by the Goethe-Institut Namibia and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), offers creative entrepreneurs access to information and practices concerning business development, entrepreneurial self-understanding, design thinking, marketing, customer research, branding, sales, legal principles, establishing partnerships, insurance, finances management, health and other aspects important for a business to grow.
According to the programme facilitators, it is not a finance programme for start-ups and an 80% participation is required from beneficiaries, who are to receive the incubation services under the GIZ Start-Up Namibia Programme, supported to the value of N$300,000 by the German Government.
Applications for the Creative Entrepreneurship Programme are only accepted electronically and 12 businesses will be selected in fields including Fashion, Design, Advertising, Jewellery, Beauty, Upholstery and Gaming. Each business idea is selected at its own merit.
“The creative industries have been identified as a high potential sector of the Namibian economy and very often, business ideas do not develop or are not sustainable because a person has a credible idea but lacks the basics of administration, finances and marketing,” said Goethe-Institut Namibia Director, Daniel Stoevesandt.
He explained the programme will prefer applications by groups of up to six people for the various 1 to 2-day events that will be held over weekends from May to November 2020. Application is open for an indefinite period to allow a sufficient number of credible applications before the programme starts.
GIZ Project Manager, Anna Vambe, said “the environment for establishing and upscaling the operations of start-ups in Namibia is inadequate in terms of supporting small and medium enterprises for them to develop a sustainable business model that creates employment, offers competition in the market and spurs innovation.”
Registration for the programme allows for data uploads in PDF, JPG and/or PNG format. Double or incomplete applications will not be considered. Contact [email protected] for more information or visit https://www.goethe.de/ins/na/en/kul/sup/cre.html.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their business ideas in person.
