Alibaba Global Initiatives (“AGI”) announced the graduation of 86 African entrepreneurs from the latest edition of the Alibaba Netpreneur Training (“ANT”) Program. The Africa-specific edition, which ran from mid-October to mid-November, was made possible by Africa’s Business Heroes prize competition, a philanthropic initiative that aims to support and inspire the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
Amid a global shift toward digital channels by businesses, the ANT Program provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to learn and experiment with digital technology in order to grow their businesses and contribute to the local economy. Over a four-week period, the online program guided participants through the latest trends and practices shaping China’s digital economy, as well as approaches and frameworks for entrepreneurs to build successful and innovative business in today’s digital world.
The 86 graduates were chosen after successfully completing a series of classes, assignments, and assessments that demonstrated their understanding of the fundamentals of the digital economy and their ability to apply their newfound knowledge in their respective businesses. They represent a wide range of industries, including agriculture, education, information and communication technology (ICT), and trading.
Ritalee Monde, Founder of Leemed Supplies Pvt Ltd from Zimbabwe, was among the graduates in this cohort. She founded her company in 2018 with the goal of improving access to medical supplies and equipment in her country, particularly for women and children in rural areas. Ritalee’s business did not have an easy start, but that did not stop her from trying new approaches and opportunities.
“I enrolled for the Netpreneur training because I wanted to change the way I conduct business. I was looking forward to studying business frameworks and strategies that would improve my company’s capacity to promote innovation and deliver quality outcomes,” said Monde. “Attending webinars led by a group of people who had really made the journey was quite inspiring. My biggest takeaway is getting to know what business digitalization means. In the same way it has led to the success of many SMEs operating in Alibaba’s ecosystem, I believe a digital shift will help my company tap into new markets and clientele, enhance our productivity, reduce operating and marketing expenses, and lay a foundation to create new jobs and innovate.”
Already running a digital business that spans procurement and forwarding service as well as digital marketing and web development, Emmanuel Yao Agbodo, Founder of Engcando Logistics and Consultancy from Ghana also saw value in the Netpreneur program.
“I have long heard about Alibaba’s innovations and I was curious to learn how the company is able to make them happen. I have also been envisioning to export locally made products from Ghana one day through digital platforms,” said Yao Agbodo. “What I found most useful for my business was the modules about mission, vision and values as they are essential to the organizational development and strategic planning of any business, be it digital or traditional. The lesson has sparked new ideas that my company can adopt as we strive to become a leading digital platform in Ghana connecting the local and the international markets.”
Adesola Adetunji, Founder of Digital Education Management System World Academy from Nigeria, also benefited most from the lectures on business fundamentals provided by the training. His start-up, founded last year, is on a mission to provide education in and beyond Nigeria that bridges the gap between what is taught at school and what students nowadays actually need.
“I am ambitious, but I didn’t know how to turn my ambition into reality. With what I have learned from the Netpreneur training, I have acquired the key to formulating my own strategy, which gets me one step closer to realizing my ambition,” said Adetunji. “Among other learnings, I have learned to put my customers front and center, establish and maintain my own company culture, always bet on big ideas, and embrace failure.”
All course participants have been invited to join the AGI entrepreneur community, where they can continue to network with other passionate and like-minded entrepreneurs and gain access to post-program learning opportunities such as webinars and newsletters. Once travel restrictions are lifted, outstanding trainees will be eligible to participate in offline immersion programs at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China.
The Alibaba Netpreneur Training Program was launched in 2019 as an initiative to help entrepreneurs succeed in the digital economy. To date, it has trained over 1,800 entrepreneurs in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia.
