Last week, the MIT Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship launched a five-year partnership with the Government of Botswana aimed at building the country’s startup and innovation ecosystem.
The ten-day visit kicked off with a reunion of the Foundry Fellowship, a group of African entrepreneurs who’ve completed the Center’s leadership program. The 22 fellows, drawn from across the continent, met local stakeholders and explored expansion opportunities in Botswana. They were hosted for dinner by Vice President and Finance Minister Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe, who welcomed them as partners in Botswana’s economic development.
A key part of the trip was the Early-Stage Entrepreneurship Program, hosted at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub. It brought together 31 local startups selected from over 1,300 applications. The three-day boot camp, led by MIT faculty and African founders, marks the beginning of a 12-week accelerator designed to help founders refine their business models and prepare to secure funding.
At the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), MIT began work to replicate two of its student-focused programs: the Student Fellowship and the Sandbox initiative. Both aim to support university students through mentorship, seed funding, and venture-building support. Meetings involved senior university leaders and visiting MIT executives, including Sandbox Executive Director Dr. Jinane Abounadi.
The partnership signals a shift in how MIT is approaching its work in Africa, focusing less on aid and more on long-term, founder-led systems change. MIT says its work in Botswana is part of a broader effort to support homegrown entrepreneurship and reduce dependence on foreign-led models of development.
Botswana’s Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship described the collaboration as “a defining milestone,” while MIT leaders highlighted the country’s ambition to lead Africa’s innovation agenda. As the initiative expands, MIT hopes it can serve as a model for similar partnerships across the continent.
