Stimulus Africa would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to the Final 4 winners of the 2024 Value Creation Challenge (VCC), as well as to all 12 participants who demonstrated remarkable dedication and resilience throughout the programme.
The Winners
- Emerging Industries Pillar: PURED AGRO Processors
- Creative Industry Pillar: Nengare Incorporated | Tafadzwa Fungai Nengare (https://nengareinc.com)
- Sustainability Pillar: Crystalcred Zimbabwe
- Stimulus Incubatee of the Year Award: @Charis Nutrition
- Innovative Tech Pillar & Overall Winner : Zimpricecheck | (https://zimpricecheck.com/)
“The 12 participants have diligently refined their business and financial models, along with their brands, market visibility and capacity. This incubation process has allowed them to pivot and/or refocus their enterprises. They are now well-positioned for growth, provided they implement the strategies they have developed,” – Stimulus Africa Business Coach.
About The Value Creation Challenge Incubator 2024
Rigorous Selection Process
The 2024 edition of the Value Creation Challenge attracted 644 applications, showcasing the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Zimbabwe. After a comprehensive screening and assessment process, 27 businesses were shortlisted based on their potential and skills. Ultimately, 12 businesses were selected for a transformative 3-month incubation stage, focusing on business model development, product offering refinement, and financial planning after completing the Stimulus Business Health Check assessment.
Tailored Support for the VCC Incubator Participants
The tailored incubation program designed and delivered by Stimulus Africa, plays a critical role in the Value Creation Challenge process as the mechanism utilised to in support the VCC Top 12 to develop their businesses. The programme was designed to support early-stage entrepreneurs who have been in operation for 2 years or less, with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that has had some traction in the market. Stimulus Africa’s delivery methodology includes the use of tools such as the PAP Business Model. PAP which stands for People, Action, and Profit, is a cornerstone of Stimulus’s approach as it is a contextualised tool for the African context. It addresses both internal and external factors, enabling entrepreneurs to build sustainable and scalable businesses with the resources and skills available to them at every stage of their growth journey.
Looking Ahead
As the Top 12, 2024 VCC participants move forward, they carry with them the skills, capacity, and mindset to overcome challenges and achieve long-term success. Stimulus Africa remains committed to fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), ensuring that these businesses continue to thrive in partnership with both private sector and development partners who are willing to support sustainable growth through capacity support and access to smart finance.
About The Value Creation Challenge (VCC) 2024
The Value Creation Challenge (VCC) is the flagship incubation and business capacitation program spearheaded by Eight2Five| Old Mutual Zimbabwe in partnership with the British Council, Zimbabwe and the British Embassy in Harare. In operation since 2019, the VCC platform has fostered over 60 micro and small to medium homegrown businesses providing diverse innovative solutions in a constrained socio-economic environment.
Stimulus Africa was the incubation delivery partner in the first and second editions of the Value Creation Challenge and then returned in 2024 to deliver the fourth edition of the competition.
