Botswana’s push to build a knowledge-driven economy got a serious boost this month as it hosted the first-ever MIT Kuo Sharper Centre Early-Stage Program Demo Day in Gaborone. The event, run in partnership with the government and the Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub, marks a growing shift in how African countries are investing in research, entrepreneurship, and tech-led development.
From over 1,300 applications, 31 founders were picked for a 12-week programme led by MIT faculty and African entrepreneurs. Their ventures span agriculture, climate resilience, mining, health, and digital services, sectors central to Botswana’s economic transformation plan.
At the Demo Day, the entrepreneurs pitched to investors, policymakers and ecosystem leaders, among them Vice President and Finance Minister Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe. He said the programme fits directly into the Botswana Economic Transformation Plan, which aims to bring together the state, academia and private sector to test and scale homegrown ideas.
Dr. Khalid Khalafallah, CEO of ICIEC, stated: “We are honored to host the 15th Annual General Meeting of the AMAN Union in Jeddah. This gathering provides an exceptional platform for institutions and companies specializing in insurance and reinsurance against commercial and non-commercial risks across OIC member states, alongside the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman), to exchange insights, experiences, and strategies aimed at strengthening credit insurance and trade exchange across Arab and Islamic countries. This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Union, which has played a pivotal role in fostering cooperation and innovation, benefiting its members and supporting regional economic integration.”
Judges drawn from venture funds, universities and corporate firms reviewed the pitches and gave feedback on scaling models and investor readiness. Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center, said the cohort reflects Botswana’s growing capacity to produce ventures that can compete continentally.
The Demo Day also set the stage for two more MIT-led programmes: a Deep Tech cohort in Gaborone in November for scientists and researchers building commercial technologies, and a Growth Stage programme in Nairobi in December for founders scaling across markets.
Together, the three initiatives form a pipeline for African entrepreneurs — from concept to scale — positioning Botswana as a serious node in Africa’s emerging tech economy.
