DE BEERS, STANFORD MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME OPENS

Local entrepreneurs who have the mind-set to grow their businesses have been implored to apply for the 2021/22 Southern Africa Seed Transformation Programme. The programme, which is aimed at supporting business leaders in Southern Africa to expand and transform their companies, communities, as well as economies, is a collaboration between Stanford Graduate School of Business and De Beers Group.

De Beers Global Sightholder Sales Vice President Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Pat Dambe revealed that the year-long leadership and business development scheme’s applications window will open up to April 15.

“The Seed Transformation Programme is an unconventional, online learning experience that goes beyond acquiring business skills and provides practical hands-on tools to support business growth and scale,” she said.

As part of the programme, Stanford’s world-renowned faculty and a dedicated team of experts will work with selected applicants and their team throughout their 12-month transformational journey.

“It is designed to not only capacitate the business owner but also five members of the selected companies senior management team in order to ensure implementation and continuity,” Dambe added.

The programme seeks to create and activate a detailed action plan to help grow and scale up participants’ company.

Throughout the year-long experience, they will work virtually in small, facilitated peer groups called Leadership Labs to share experiences, resources, ideas, and support. It also targets CEOs/founders of forprofit companies or for-profit social enterprises who want to grow and scale their companies as well as companies with an annual revenue between US $300,000 and US $15 million based in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Following completion of the programme, participants will earn a certificate of completion from Stanford GSB Executive Education and join the Seed Transformation Network to connect and collaborate with other founders.

“Surveys on the programme indicate that 64% of past participants increase their revenue while 58% expand into new geographies. Cumulatively all past cohorts have raised over $224 million in capital, following their training,” said Dambe.

The two entities have also partnered in the Go-To-Market programme a three-year US$3 million partnership announced in 2017.