Are there fruitful models/tools? What are the lessons in this?
Focus on Attitude and in Products
Organize annual trade fairs, pitching sessions, business plan competitions where the selected youngsters can present their products in an attractive way to communities local government, business-men and investors. Not to NGO jury’s!!! (See for example Sote Hub/ON)
In the field, there is a big competition of acceleration and fostering programs for start-ups. Some start-ups are going from the one award winning round to the other. (cross wise works) Most acceleration programs have no interest in rural, because they are looking for scale opportunities
Cooperate with existing training programmes from schools or NGO’s or the graduated students from other trainings and select the talented and motivated ones.
Existing Points of Entry
Partnering with existing organizations working with youth, entrepreneurs, etc. are effective and relatively efficient points of entry.
Tanzania Gatsby Trust partnered with micro-finance initiatives to identify members of their savings and loans groups who might be good candidates for the program.
While these points of access to young entrepreneurs are useful, it is important to note that they fall short of identifying high-potential youth from marginalized groups.
Business Plan Competitions
These are relatively brief and cost-effective methods to identify youth with entrepreneurial drive and high potential. They also help in bolstering brand identity and increasing outreach. (Mazhar e-Sharif University Business Plan Competition pilot, GIZ’s Sustainable Economic Development Program). But instead of focusing on a brilliant business idea, rather focus on the talent of the entrepreneur (ON).
A stratified programmatic approach enables a narrowing down of participants through a multi-stage program, where the number of participants reduce at each stage.
