Sanlam Bridge avails seed capital to best business ideas from young entrepreneurs
Young entrepreneurs from age 18 to 35 or those who want to become entrepreneurs have a week and a half to submit their business ideas and business plans to Sanlam’s marketing department, to be considered for a seed capital allocation, as part of the life insurer’s Sanlam Bridge project.
Sanlam Manager for Marketing and Communication, Hilaria Graig explained that this support to young entrepreneurs is the new format of the former Sanlam Innovation Works which they ran for five years in partnership with the Namibia Business Innovation Institute at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.
It is Sanlam’s intention to employ the new programme as a launchpad for future business leaders with innovative and exciting business ideas, but who do not have access to the required resources to transform their ideas into real businesses.
Graig said the Sanlam Bridge programme forms part of their corporate social responsibility which includes finding and developing potential business leaders who in turn, will contribute to economic growth, new employment and a new generation of young business people.
The programme is open to young Namibians anywhere in the country between the ages of 18 to 35 who either have a business idea or who have a start-up business not older than one year. Interested business hopefuls are encouraged to submit their business profiles to [email protected] on or before Monday, 01 March 2021.
On its part, Sanlam will provide N$50,000 in seed capital to the selected top five business, with support and mentorship from established Namibian business leaders and additional capital to the overall Sanlam Bridge winner to be announced in November.
The top five candidates are expected to meet certain criteria and achieve set goals to be in the running for the overall Sanlam Bridge winner. The business owner must be committed to work with Sanlam for a period of eight months.
“Sanlam is aware of the challenging times we are finding ourselves in with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have lost their jobs and are now turning to entrepreneurship as a source of income and employment creation,” said Graig adding that this is just the right time to launch Sanlam Bridge since many young people are trying to or want to start their own small enterprises but find it very difficult to obtain funding.
More information can be obtained by sending a mail to Ms Graig at [email protected]
