Hebron Startup Lab announces intake of founders for MicroVenture Acceleration Program

Hebron Start-up Lab has announced plans to train 80 founders in the next cohort of its Micro Venture Acceleration Program (MVAP). The event is scheduled for October 5 and will hold online.

The training, which is the first of three cohorts scheduled to take place this year, marks the fourth year of Hebron Startup Lab. In that time, the organization has grown from a university-based incubator providing support for businesses and startups outside the university. The Micro venture Acceleration Program is free training from startup founders and entrepreneurs looking to enter into high-growth markets. The bootcamp is designed to equip participants with the required skills and technical know-how to thrive.

Last year's edition saw Hebron Startup Lab partner with British Council, Korapay, Thrive Agric, Softcom, Zenith Bank PLC, and the UN's Regional Center for Expertise (RCE). The program provided free training for over 250 founders.

After the training, an investor readiness and pitching event was organized where selected participants from the MVAP pitched to reputable judges. Some of the judges at the event include Maya Horgan Famodu (Founder, Ingressive Capital), Ifeoluwa Osakuse (Founder Neo 360 Africa), Ifeoma Uddoh, (Founder, Shecluded), and Dr. Stephen Oluwatobi (Curator, Hebron Startup Lab).

So far, more than 30 participants from last year's training have moved beyond creating their minimum viable products and are recipients of several grants. Others have gone on to become better entrepreneurs or support persons for startups. A number of participants also found job opportunities and internships.

This year, Hebron Startup Lab is partnering with Startup Plug, British council and Benjamindada.com among others, to bring the first virtual edition of the MVAP. The program will be looking to reach out to entrepreneurs, and teams focused on high-growth innovation in Africa.

The project will look to empower trainees with the support required to build for a post-covid Africa. It will also create opportunities for developers to develop solutions for businesses and create pathways to investment.

The target groups for the training include:

• University Students Intending to be Entrepreneurs,
• Entrepreneurs with Businesses that can be Tech-Enabled,
• Post-MVP Stage Startups,
• Idea-stage Startups,
• Researchers with works that can be commercialized, and
• Developers who are willing and able to co-create solutions

The program will feature online classes, offline activities, idea validation sessions, pitching and investor-readiness sessions, and founder profiling for PR. Selected startups will also be moved up to the organization's value chain.

With the Micro Venture Acceleration Program, Hebron Startup Plug is looking to empower entrepreneurs who will work towards those in the community's collective good. Interested participants can register here.