NBIC awards paving the way for the business minded

Once you sit down and talk to Rogio Soabeb, it is easy to understand just how and why he won the first   price at the Namibian Business Innovation Center (NBIC) Business Plan Award last year.
Rogio Soabeb, owner and MD of Nellio Simulated Technologies CC took home a N$15,000 cheque at the NBIC Business Plan Awards Ceremony. The outspoken 30-year-old Soabeb said “this is just the tip of the iceberg, our only challenge right now is access to finance but we are fortunate enough to have won the NBIC Business Plan Competition 2011 and one of the banks is willing to invest in our company, once we find suitable premises, which we are currently working on”
He said that the NBIC has been very helpful in terms of the training they offer, like the one-week long training that was held in Cape Town last year as well as the mentorship they provide.
Driving simulation is common in European countries but in Africa and specifically Namibia, many have never heard of it. This lack of awareness is what makes breaking into the market a bit challenging because they will have to convince the clients to shift from the traditional driving schools to experiencing and facing simulated situations said Soabeb.
Regarding their competitors, Soabeb said that the driving schools will be their biggest competitors but he does not see this as a big threat as clients will experience something out of the ordinary. They will be using a 290 degree scene projector which will feel like they really are out there on the road and thus the number of accidents can decline as they will learn how to avoid and handle accidents.
“One of our future plans is to diverse our services into truck, mining and railway simulation said Soabeb, and this will benefit Namibia as a whole, he continued as he expressed dreams for his company.
When asked what he would advice the young and innovative minded, Soabeb said “When people say business is tough, they are not lying. At times you will feel like giving up, but keep on striving.”