Student-led business ideas awarded 80m/-

Dar es Salaam:  THE YouthIgnite Student Founders Fellowship has announced 20 student-led businesses as winners, awarding over 80 million Tanzania shillings in a competition concluded on Saturday in Dar es Salaam.

These young entrepreneurs, representing 10 Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) across the country, demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation becoming winners in that competition which involved 30 student- led businesses.

Shakila Mshana, Director and Co-Founder of StartHub Africa Tanzania said StartHub collaborated with UNDP Funguo Innovation Programme and Westerwelle Foundation Tanzania on the implementation of the YouthIgnite Student Founders Fellowship, a transformative initiative that empowers young student innovators and entrepreneurs across the country.

Shakila said StartHub Africa Tanzania’s focus is to nurture the next generation of changemakers, and that the YouthIgnite Student Founders Fellowship aligns perfectly with their mission to catalyze growth and impact among university students and early-stage startups.

“Over the years, we have built a good track record of working with university students to turn their ideas into impactful ventures. Through our tailored programs like Startup 101 and catalyzer, we have witnessed firsthand the incredible potential within young minds when they are equipped with the right tools, mentorship, and resources. These experiences have enabled us to develop a unique, practical approach to supporting early-stage startups that ensures they are not only innovative but also scalable and sustainable,” she added.

Throughout the programme, participants attended workshops, training sessions, and networking events that guided them in developing, refining, and scaling their ideas and businesses into sustainable, impactful ventures.

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Joseph Manirakiza, Programme Manager of UNDP Funguo Innovation Programme says that Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania are vibrant sources of innovative business ideas, nurtured by both students and faculty.

“Strengthening the innovation and student entrepreneurship support system at Tanzanian Higher Learning Institutions will go a long way in producing more graduate job creators instead of job seekers with limited job prospects ahead of them out of the University gates,” said Manirakiza.

He added the initiative  is one of many UNDP Tanzania’s interventions to drive sustainable development through innovative approaches also supported by the UK Government and European Union.

To complement the success, Isaack Shayo, Country Director of Westerwelle Foundation Tanzania encouraged the student entrepreneurs, particularly those who are participating in the programme and all other entrepreneurs across the country to not be afraid trying and competing.

“Together with StartHub Africa Tanzania and UNDP Funguo we are aiming to make the environment at universities more supportive so that we can have more university innovators build successful business,” says Shayo.

20 winners later received funding and ongoing support to help scale their businesses, including expert advice.

Scolla Jonathan, a student from Tengeru Institute of community Development and the founder of Skyverse solutions said of the 1,000 plus competitors, she was lucky to be selected among the 30 students who

“I am grateful for the opportunity because it turned out very positive. Throughout the programme, I managed to acquire skills and prompts for business growth. And I am pretty sure in the next five months all our businesses will have made big steps,” she said.

The final week featured an intensive Bootcamp in Dar es Salaam, where the 30 students collaborated closely with mentors, coaches and industry experts where participants were offered an opportunity to present their businesses to potential investors, partners, and customers.

Beyond supporting individual founders, #YouthIgnite strengthens university-based innovation ecosystems by providing skills development and exposure for university hub managers in order to build stronger entrepreneurship hubs at universities.

Dr Irene Isibika, Mzumbe University’s innovation coordinator said that her institution was committed in nurturing talent and fostering a culture of innovation.

“This YouthIgnite programme fitted perfectly in this mission. We are grateful to the Funguo program of UNDP, Starthub Africa Tanzania, and Westerwell Foundation for this incredible opportunity, and we look forward to seeing the ideas evolve into impactful solutions,” said Dr Irene.

The YouthIgnite Student Founders Fellowship offers a dynamic mix of financial and capacity-building support to young entrepreneurs in developing an ecosystem where innovation begins with youth and thrives with the meaningful collaboration of all players.

The Fellowship is designed to inspire students in HLIs across Tanzania to view entrepreneurship as a viable career option.