Kafeero Foundation holds first business boot-camp

October 22, 2019 in Business, Investment by Editor

Patel, the Creative Director of Experience Haus, said they wanted to help entrepreneurs along their journey in creating sustainable business models.

Kafeero Foundation, a social enterprise organization, held its first Business Design Week boot-camp last week  in Kampala, at its new home the Mfano Design LAB at Muyenga in Kampala.

Speaking at the official opening, Azizi Kafeero, the Founder of the organization said, the emergence of the digital revolution, is pushing many enterprises to redesign their business models if they are to generate revenues and remain sustainable.

“Kafeero Foundation simply exists to enable the establishment of successful and sustainable businesses and the key is nurturing strong foundations that include a carefully thought out process, a distinct design and finally crafting a valuable end product. We introduced ‘Mfano’ for this very purpose to help businesses grow beyond their capabilities, but most importantly be able to redefine the strategies and customer experiences they offer,” he told participants.

Dubbed ‘Mfano Business Design Week’, the event focused on the development of innovative business designs and strategies. Social enterprise organizations like Kafeero Foundation, want to help companies maximize profits while also maximizing benefits to society and the environment.

Participating enterprises for the boot camp must have been operational for at least three years, formally registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau and have raised at least UGX 1 billion (about $270,000) or more in blended capital during the past three years.

During the boot-camp participants met with potential investors and funders. Kafeero said, “This LAB is a gateway to innovation, as it will be used as a creation and learning centre offering three products including Venture Design, Product & Service design, and Impact Design for mid and large sized businesses. This is an opportunity for businesses targeting at scalability, aiming at designing or redesigning impact-oriented projects and understanding trends to engage with world renowned business designers and inventors

Kafeero Foundation design partner, Experience Haus, a digital skills training  provider based in London, guided participants in building new brands with the ultimate aim of transforming the customer experience, connect businesses to markets or exploit emerging technologies to promote business sustainability.

Amit Patel, the Creative Director of Experience Haus said, “We are looking forward to taking part in the boot-camp, and will be bringing our product development insights and knowledge to Kampala to help the entrepreneurs along their journey in creating sustainable business models.”

Alex Bwogi, the Executive Director of Ujamaa Tribe, the learning arm of Kafeero Foundation said, “We have partnered with the best business designers and inventors any mid or large scale company could ever have.”

Bwogi expects the participating companies will use this platform to link up with investors, conduct round table discussions with these investors, acquire finished designed and strategy processes or redesign and design products and services that conform to market demand.

Sustainability has been widely cited as a major problem among Uganda’s SME sector with only 30% of them surviving to celebrate their third birthday.