Twenty Rwandan start-up operators have been selected to participate in this year’s Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP). 

The start-ups are from diverse fields of the economy, including agriculture, ICT, healthcare, education, transportation and general trade.

According to a statement from the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which runs the programme the 20 local entrepreneurs will be part of 1,000 African entrepreneurs, who will participate in the second edition of TEEP following the inaugural one last year.

The Rwandan entrepreneurs selected to participate in the TEEP2016 are Alice Uwarugira and Rene Uwamugirimfura (energy/power generation), Ange Imanishimwe, Gisele Uwera (healthcare), Ange Ingabire (commercial/retail), Carine Pierrette Mukamakuza, Jean Wilson Ndoruhirwe, Olive Ashimwe, Seleman Nyirurugo, Janvier Uwayezu and Cyriaque Sinayobye (agribusiness, farming), Cephas Nshimyumuremyi, Emmanuel Ntawuyirusha, Regis Umugiraneza (manufacturing), Denyse Uwineza (ICT), Ignace Nyiringabo (agribusiness, farming), Jean Iragena and Uka Essien Osaigbovo (media and entertainment), David Irakoze (commercial/retail), and Yvette Ishimwe (waste management).

They are part of over 45,000 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries who applied to take part in the programme, and the successful candidates represent diverse industries, led by agriculture, ICT and fashion, the statement said.

It noted that the selected start-up operators (the 2016 cohort) will, over the next nine months, receive the intensive online training; networking and mentoring that provide a tool kit for business success and sustainability.

They will also participate in the three-day Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum later in the year, the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurial talent and stand to share $100 million funding provided by the foundation.

Last year, 15 Rwandans participated in the TEEP class of 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Kigali-based Market Mergers’ Louis Antoine Muhire, is one of the TEEP Class 2015 beneficiaries. He said the programme gave him an opportunity to network with other 999 startups, business people, and leaders.

"I salute the effort from Tony Elumelu Programme. However, they need to rethink the programme because, for instance, it took three months to get the seed money, yet we were supposed to get it on arrival in Nigeria,” he said.

TEEP offers training, funding, and mentoring to participants, with the aim of empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs.

The programme will identify and help grow 10,000 start-ups and young businesses from across Africa over the next 10 years, which are expected to create 1,000,000 new jobs and contribute $10 billion in annual revenues to Africa’s economy.

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