Kemiso Ben Highlights Early Startup Programme’s Role in Boosting Botswana’s Innovation Economy

Kemiso Ben Highlights Early Startup Programme’s Role in Boosting Botswana’s Innovation Economy. Botswana entrepreneurs tuned in this afternoon as Kemiso Ben, Brand & Communications Manager at the Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub (BDIH), joined Duma FM to shed light on the Botswana Early Startup Programme and its growing relevance to the local innovation ecosystem.

Speaking on-air at 13:15 PM, Ben unpacked how the initiative—run in collaboration with the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship—is tailored to support early-stage entrepreneurs. The programme is designed to equip founders with critical skills, networks, and exposure to global innovation standards, setting a solid foundation for scalable and sustainable businesses.

During the interview, Ben emphasized that early-stage entrepreneurship is not just about individual business success but about laying the groundwork for a knowledge-based economy. “Startups are problem-solvers,” she noted. “They bring fresh ideas, create jobs, and build new industries that can power Botswana’s long-term economic transformation.”

The Botswana Early Startup Programme offers access to expert-led training, mentorship, and tools that help early-stage innovators refine their models, connect with industry experts, and prepare to enter competitive markets.

For Botswana’s budding entrepreneurs, the conversation offered valuable insights into how structured startup support can accelerate business development in a fast-evolving global landscape. Listeners were also reminded that applications for the programme close on 13 June 2025 and can be submitted via the MIT platform.

Ben concluded by encouraging innovators from all sectors to apply, noting that diversity of thought and enterprise will be key to Botswana’s inclusive innovation drive.