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Call for application: NINJA (Next Innovation with Japan) Business Plan Competition in response to COVID-19 under the concept of "SMART" in Zambia (Updated on 23rd July)

Topics & events.

July 17, 2020

1. About NINJA Business Plan Competition The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the launch of the NINJA (Next Innovation with Japan) Business Plan Competition for businesses emerging or growing during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. The competition will be held in 19 African countries, including Zambia. Applicants will be evaluated by each JICA country office.

The amount of the award is up to USD 30,000, depending on the proposed business. The award will be provided in several installments at each milestone for the monitoring, under the contract with JICA. The application can be submitted here by 5th August, 2020 (First-come, first-reviewed base). Eligibility criteria, schedule, and other conditions are described here .

2. About the "SMART" concept in Zambia JICA in Zambia has addressed several development issues with the people in Zambia for decades, with a focus on private sector development, agriculture, education, health, water, environment, and infrastructure. Our aim for this competition is not only to provide growth opportunities for companies but also to contribute to making a difference in people's lives during and after COVID-19. JICA Zambia Office is looking for a highly feasible business plan (not just an idea) and applicants' a clear vision for the post-COVID-19 world. We will implement the competition with the concept of "SMART" in mind.

Special focus on high-growth business with positive social and environmental impact JICA Zambia Office would value the proposals with high-growth business potential and positive impact on society and/or environment, adapting to the new normal during and after COVID-19. The following are examples of areas that JICA is supporting in Zambia. The proposals addressing these issues would be gained additional points.

Quality and productivity of products and/or service
Export-oriented production or cross-border service delivery
Market-oriented agriculture
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education or online education
Primary health care, especially health service delivery
Sustainable solutions for non-revenue water
Sustainable solutions for solid waste such as recycling
Solutions for rural electrification
Smooth cross-border and domestic transportation
Supporting the communities of the former refugees

We expect local business participation. Our evaluation would be based on i) the degree of uniqueness/innovation of the business idea, ii) the business feasibility, iii) applicant's existing track-record (if any), and iv) leadership and execution abilities of the applicant(s) and the capacity of the management team.

Matching with investors We will work with stakeholders, investors in particular, for this and after the competition to develop the investment ecosystem in Zambia.

Advisory service We will provide feedback / advice on the proposals that are submitted by 29th July. It might take more than a few days to receive the feedback from us. Applicants could re-submit the revised proposals by 5th August.

Roadshow in Japan JICA is considering to provide the opportunities for well-selected companies in the NINJA Business Plan Competition in 19 countries to participate in roadshows in Japan. In addition, JICA Zambia office is considering additional opportunities.

Two-step competitions JICA Zambia Office is planning a follow-up competition (after the NINJA Business Plan Competition) that investors in Zambia, Japan, and other countries could join. Detailed will be announced later.

3. Contact: For any general queries about the NINJA Business Plan Competition, please get in touch with JICA (HQ) at the following email address: [email protected] For any queries about the concept of SMART, please get in touch with JICA Zambia Office at the following email address: [email protected]

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Business portal for young professionals

Nyamuka Zambia business plan competition

Deadline: April 29, 2016 | Apply here [Oops, the opportunity has already expired. Sign up to AlphaGamma weekly newsletters to stay ahead of the game] Entry fee: K150 Eligibility: Entrepreneurs from all economic sectors from around Zambia Prize: K250,000 Location: Zambia

Start planning your business today. Nyamuka Zambia wants to hear from you!

Nyamuka Zambia is a business plan competition. The competition nurtures ambitious entrepreneurs by guiding them through the process of turning their innovative ideas into viable and vibrant businesses with the help of mentoring, coaching and financial support.

Nyamuka Zambia Business Plan Competition provides an integrative learning experience for all participants. The prime objectives of the competition are to inspire ambitious businessmen and women to raise their game and take their ideas to the next level, and in the process creating employment and wealth for the country. The contest is open to entrepreneurs from all economic sectors from around Zambia.

It requires a hard work but if you are successful you could get that big break to make your business dreams come true. The total prize fund is K2,000,000.

There will be selected 20 winners, with a top prize of K250,000.

Free advice clinics and business essentials workshops are available to help you apply and plan for your business so you are on the right track. You will get the chance to get connected to a whole new world of business opportunities. Your business ideas remain confidential until the semi-final stage and all judges and advisors are independent and impartial business experts who will respect the privacy of your business idea. There is an entry fee of K150 payable when you apply and we see this as an investment in your business future.

In addition there will be following a series of workshops, one-to-one business advice, a national business conference, mentoring sessions and three rounds of judging the competition will culminate on October 7, 2016 with a final pitching of presentations from the finalists and a public event awarding the K250,000 top prize and 19 other substantial cash prizes to winners.

The Business plan

The major pillars of any business and therefore any business plan are:

A clear idea of what your business is about
A strategy for how you intend to set up and grow your business
Analysis of the market and the competition
Details of how you intend to market your business
An operations and management plan
Key financial figures including cash flow projections

Application

This is your chance to make your business idea come true and win your part of K2,000,000 prize fund if you have the winning business plan. You could be one of 20 winners, plus you’ll get connected to a whole new world of business opportunities. This is truly your time to shine. Submitting your business idea to the Nyamuka Zambia business plan competition takes some thought and preparation but it is as easy as 1,2,3. There is a 3-step process:

Step 1: Register your interest in the competition .

Step 2: Attend free application advice clinics and business essentials workshops (optional).

Step 3: Complete the application form which outlines your business idea and submit it in person together with the application fee of K150.

Just follow the tabs to the left and it will guide you through the application process. Once the application period closes, your idea will be evaluated by a panel of independent judges and, if you are successful, you will enter Phase Two as a semi-finalist.

For more business and career opportunities , check our opportunities section and subscribe to our weekly newsletters .

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The Zambia 2050 Business Plan Competition for startup entrepreneurs

With over half the population in Zambia being under the age of 35, seeking jobs to make ends meet but not finding any, it’s not surprising that many are opting to start their own businesses. Most startups find it difficult to raise their initial capital and this is where initiatives like the Zambia 2050 Business Plan Competition come in.

The competition will give a top prize of $6000 (or the Kwacha equivalent at the time) to the best business idea and the winner will be named 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year. There will also be a year-long mentoring session given to 10 young Zambians with the best business ideas that work well for the community, by a mentor based in the United Kingdom or within Zambia.

To enter the competition, follow the instructions here . The 10 startup entrepreneurs who will be chosen from the applicants will then be invited to the Zambia 2050 Business Conference in August where they will make 5 minute presentations of their business plans to a panel of judges who will then award the best idea. The winner will receive the prize money of $6000 or its Kwacha equivalent in two payments made out in a year.

To be eligible to enter the competition, applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 36, and their business may either be running with not more than 4 employees or still just a plan on paper.

We hope some of the plans are technology based. You can contact the initiative directly on Facebook on their page here or using the details provided on their website here .

A similar initiative was started by PEP Zambia called Nyamuka which invited business ideas from all over the country for a grand prize of K250, 000. Read more on that competition here .

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3 thoughts on “ the zambia 2050 business plan competition for startup entrepreneurs ”.

Bravo to the Zambia 2050 business plan competition organizers. Please I am begging you, do not make this the first and last competition of this kind. Essay writing completion are good but this is excellent. The motivation is so encouraging and a brain buster to participants. This one will enable us how clearly young Zambians think. We are tired to scratch and win kind of competition. Young Zambians, I urge you to go for this competition. Organizers make it bigger and advertize it widely next time.

Great that such a competition has come. Many youths have brilliant business ideas but luck capital to turn those ideas into business ventures that could create employment to others.

My advice is that let collateral be the major bench mark of this competition. Your judgement should be based on innovation and uniqueness of the business idea and it’s ability to create wealth for the majority in the community.

The time the competition was advertised is too short for something this grand please consider extending the deadline for entries to 17 th to allow more participants

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Applications open for $32k Nyamuka Zambia business plan competition

Applications are open for the Nyamuka Zambia business plan competition, aimed at entrepreneurs creating sustainable employment and contributing to economic growth.

The Nyamuka Zambia competition invites Zambian citizens to submit a business plan for a new startup, or a plan to expand an existing Zambian small business, with participants standing a chance to win ZMW250,000 (US$32,300).

The competition will be formed of three phases. In the first phase, applications will remain open until May, with business clinics available to assist in the formulation of submissions. 60 applicants will be shortlisted for the second phase, which sees applicants take part in business development courses for entrepreneurs. Phase three will take place between August and September during which 20 finalists will be selected to receive expert training and mentorship, and will be introduced to investors.

The competition culminates in a Dragons’ Den-style televised award ceremony which sees five entrepreneurs named the winners.

“Nyamuka Zambia is a business plan competition that is transforming Zambia’s entrepreneurial landscape by inspiring ambitious businessmen and women to raise their game and take their ideas to the next level – creating employment and driving the economy forward in the process,” said Namaya Lewanika, Nyamuka business plan competition officer.

“It is also tasked with finding a new generation of business heroes and helping them put into place a gameplan to grow their enterprises and tap into new markets that the Zambian economy needs,” she said.

“Nyamuka targets entrepreneurs whose ideas will likely develop into projects that will bring about sustainable employment and help grow the Zambian economy. With innovation, growth and diversity as its watchwords, the competition strives to change uninformed perceptions towards entrepreneurship in Zambia.”

All 20 finalists in the Nyamuka Zambia competition will receive prizes to execute their business plans. The first place prize is ZKW250,000 (US$32,300); the second prize winner will receive ZKW175,000 (US$22,600); third prize winner ZKW150,000 (US$19,380); fourth prize ZKW125,000 (US$16,150); fifth ZKW100,000 (US$12,920); and the remaining 15 finalists will receive ZKW75,000 (US$9,690) each.

Nyamuka Zambia forms part of the five-year Private Enterprise Programme – Zambia (PEP-Z), funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) that aims to stimulate the private sector through robust interventions targeted at transformative Zambian entrepreneurs and enterprises.

Lewanika said the project’s primary objective is to stimulate entrepreneurial activity and support entrepreneurs in the process of developing successful businesses.

The competition hopes to encourage the creation of an entrepreneurial culture in Zambia, and unlock the potential of the country’s citizens, which Lewanika says will serve to foster investment and growth.

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Inspired and excited by the African tech entrepreneurial scene, Gabriella spends her time travelling around the continent to report on the most innovative tech startups, the most active investors, and the latest trends emerging in the ecosystem.

Its amazing to see how concerned people are with the affairs of enterprenuers. therefore, coming up with such a venture will motivate entreprenuers. moreover it will give them a sense of recognition which will enhance their ability to contribute fully to the sustainable development of our economy.

Quite encouraging an initiative to foster sustainable development of the economy. I only hope it will not be biased to general trading as most Zambians are more into trading than other sectors like manufacturing. More job creation innovations should be encouraged.

I am late for applying for the business plan competition. Is there any that is coming up after the current one? Or is it possible for me to submit mine just for guidance on whether it is viable or not?

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