The recent #VCC5 #Top40 Selection Bootcamp week, hosted at Harare’s Eight2Five Hub, marked a key milestone for the hopeful startups chosen as the Top 40 applicants of the Old Mutual Value Creation Challenge 2025 edition (VCC). Designed and delivered by Stimulus Africa, the bootcamp provided an intensive, hands-on experience to thoroughly evaluate and equip entrepreneurs for their next phase of growth and give them the skills they required to pitch for a spot in the #Top20.
Throughout the week, participants engaged with essential business topics including sales and business modeling, contracting and regulatory compliance readiness, market validation, financial planning, and pitch preparation. The dynamic sessions combined expert facilitation, peer collaboration, and practical exercises, fostering a rich environment for learning and reflection.
The bootcamp was not only an opportunity for skills development but also a critical phase for identifying the entrepreneurs best poised to scale their ventures, who would enter the intensive incubation phase.
The passion and commitment demonstrated by all participants underscored the importance of programs like VCC in nurturing Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
After a thorough evaluation process, the Top 20 entrepreneurs were selected to advance into the incubation phase, also to be delivered by Stimulus Africa based on its PAP Business Modelling Framework for enterprise growth. The programme is a focused, 3-month program dedicated to driving business growth through tailored business mentorship, strategy development, and market readiness.
This incubation phase, powered by Old Mutual, British Council Zimbabwe, Delta Corporation, and a consortium of Partners, will culminate in a final pitch event where the top-performing entrepreneurs will compete for seed funding and additional support to propel their micro-enterprises forward at the end of September 2025.
The selection of the Top 20 represents not just an achievement for these entrepreneurs but a vital step in Zimbabwe’s broader journey toward innovation-driven economic growth. As these startups enter the incubation program, they join a growing community of innovators and disrupters committed to transforming ideas into impactful businesses in Zimbabwe and Africa.
Congratulations to all who participated, and best wishes to the Top 20 as they embark on this exciting next chapter!
