Deadline: 22nd May 2022.
KEPSA SMEs Accelerator Program 2022 for Kenyans – SMEs Opportunities – Cohort 2
The SMEs Accelerator Program is an initiative by Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) with support from the Embassy of Ireland in Kenya, to support SMEs in increasing the value of their businesses quickly. It will involve an intensive mentorship to bolster their current strategies and accelerate their growth and help them pivot or adjust their strategy due to new information about their target market. The project will promote SMEs to access suitable financial products by linking them with various financial instruments (companies or individuals that provide financial resources and expertise to young businesses). This market-driven program will provide services, including mentoring and coaching to the SMEs to accelerate their growth. This will comprise a unique and highly flexible program combining business development processes designed to nurture the beneficiaries.
The program will reach at least 200 SMEs drawn from all over Kenya. It will be split into 5 Cohorts of 50 SMEs each. Each cohort will join to take part in either of the following sessions:
- Cohort 1: Access to markets, themed, Accessing markets for your business growth;
- Cohort 2: Technology, themed, Accessing new business horizons through effective technology adoption;
- Cohort 3: Investor readiness, themed, Is your business ripe for investors?
- Cohort 4: Business operations, themed, Operations and compliance for business success;
Eligibility Criteria for the KEPSA SMEs Accelerator Program 2022
Applicants must meet the following application criteria:
- Must be SMEs owned or led by women, youth or at least 50% of the top-level management comprises of women or youth
- Must be in operation for at least 1 year and at most 10 years
- Must have at least 2 employees and up to 9 employees
- Must be registered in Kenya and operational in any of the 47 counties. Businesses operating outside Nairobi are encouraged to apply
- Application is open to both KEPSA and non-KEPSA members though priority will be given to KEPSA members and KEPSA business membership associations members
- Priority will be given to businesses under the big four agenda value chain; Manufacturing, Health, Agriculture and Housing.
- Committed to participating in the program for four months by attending eleven weekly sessions of two hours and submitting agreed deliverables.
- Must be computer literate.
- Willing to adopt or scale adoption of technology in their business operations.
- Have access to a suitable device and reliable internet connectivity to participate since all sessions will be virtual.
