The “BotswanaUP! Startup Connect Week” takes place for the first time from 19th April to 4th of May in Gaborone. It brings together local and national innovation enablers and digital visionaries in Botswana and kicks off even closer collaboration to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in Botswana. The event series is implemented by Make-IT in Africa, a project of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.

The event week starts with activities at TheNeoHub Innovation Lab such as “Partner´s Day and Tech Night Market” which are hosted by TheNeoHub in partnership with Debswana, Make-IT in Africa and other partners. In this context, Make-IT in Africa will be launched as a project in Botswana in the presence of German Ambassador H.E. Margit Hellwig-Boette. This is the starting point for the implementation of the project in Southern Africa – after the project has already successfully strengthened innovation ecosystems in Western and Eastern Africa.

Make-IT in Africa launch in Botswana

Date: 19. April 2022, 7 pm

Venue: The Neo Hub in Gaborone, Village

After this kick-off, various events will take place in different innovation spaces in Gaborone throughout the entire event week – each implemented by different partners. Further events are carried out by the German Embassy in Botswana, GIZ, Ngwana Africa, Market Players, Launch Comms, Dare to Dream as well as Leverage Point together with the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA). Please find the entire program attached.

About Make-IT in Africa

Make-IT in Africa believes in the catalytic power of African innovation and digital technologies for green and inclusive development. In close collaboration with digital visionaries like start-ups, innovation enablers and political partners, we empower African innovation ecosystems. Together, we aim to strengthen an environment in which the full potential of African digital innovation can unfold.

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH implements this project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). For further information visit our website: www.make-it.africa

About TheNeoHub

Birthed during a global crisis to answer local and global issues through creative, innovative and sustainable solutions.

TheNeoHub Innovation Lab is a place where you belong, whether you are 5 years old with big dreams that seem far from reality, a student with an idea that needs a testing place. An innovator looking to be incubated or accelerated, an investor looking to diversify their portfolio through investing in startups, a university looking to bring research to life, a corporate looking for an impact maker’s space, a government looking to advance youth initiatives, we are that HUB.

A place where you can Co-Create, Collaborate, Innovate and scale up your business while being friendlier to yourself and the environment you work in.