Three talented entrepreneurs are now in the final towards becoming Rwanda’s next entrepreneurial superstar and the winner of The REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013. Meat-processing, fashion design and multi-media production are the businesses that will be competing for the award, bringing the winner 4 million Rwf, an airline ticket from KLM and free mentorship and training for six months.
Wednesday night was packed with excitement and high expectations, as nine highly talented entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to a jury of experts, competing to be this year’s winner of the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award 2013, hosted by Educat and partners. The winner will receive 4 million Rwf courtesy of Fina Bank, an airline ticket from KLM and free mentorship and training for six months from Educat and their partner Grow Movement.
Herve Tuyishime from Paniel Meat processing Ltd, Dianne Dusaidi from Legacy45 Entertainment Ltd and Matthew Rugamba from House of Tayo are the three finalists competing for the award after giving strong business presentation to a jury of experts and a cheering audience at Heaven Restaurant last night.
[link to their profiles here: http://en.igihe.com/news/educat-releases-business-profiles-of-rwandan.html]
Andreas Noerlem Christensen, CEO of Educat, adressed the audience and the finalists at the event, stating that
“This week has been so inspiring for us, to get to work with such amazingly talented and hard-working business men and women, that you see in from of us tonight. We promise that we will not let go of any of you after this, but will keep working with you and your businesses. Tonight, no matter the outcome, you are all winners.”
For the past week, nine high-potential entrepreneurs have undergone intensive training, mentorship and coaching to boost their business and become Rwanda’s next top-entrepreneur. Yesterday it was time for them to pitch their idea to a jury of business experts and convince them to let them stay in the running-up for winning the REAL Fina Bank Entrepreneurship Award.
Guest of Honor at last night’s event, Director General for Minicom, Mr. Alex Ruzibukira spoke at the event and underscored Minicom’s support to Educat’s work to strengthen entrepreneurship in Rwanda. “We are with you all the way, and look forward to continue working with Educat and supporting the important work you do”, he said when addressing the audience, the entrepreneurs and stakeholders at Heaven restaurant.
The jury was compiled of experts within business, entrepreneurship and private sector development, and they judged the entrepreneurs and the presentations based on criteria such as business concept, scalability, bigger impact, entrepreneurial DNA and innovation.
In the jury was:
Elena Sheja , Senior program manager, private sector development at Embassy of Sweden
Jean Claude Mutajogire Ishimwe, Head of Business Banking at Fina Bank
Theo Gakire, CEO and founder of Select Kalaos Media
Claire Jenkins, Executive Director at Grow Movement
Teta Isibo, designer and last year’s winner of the award
Akaliza Keza, CEO and founder of Shaking Sun
The winner of the REAL Fina Bank Award 2013 will be announced tomorrow during the official closing event of GEW at Rwanda Revenue Authority at 2pm.
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