Entrepreneurship Lab

The Botho University Entrepreneurship Lab (Elab) was launched in June 2016 by the CEDA CEO, Mr. Thabo Thamane, to provide a space where students across the curricular spectrum can come together and share ideas, access resources, and come up with innovative approaches to problem solving. The launch was graced by stakeholders from the industry including banks, business owners and the government. The Elab operates from the Botho University, Gaborone Campus in Botswana and is managed by the Student and Alumni Affairs Department (SAAD).

The Elab is like an in-house incubator which supports students, graduate entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. Student and graduate entrepreneurs are selected to be a part of the Elab after a rigorous process where their idea or business is vetted by experts from the industry and academia. Those selected become members or Elab Residents. Every year the Elab supports about 5 Elab residents.

The ELab was established with the following in mind:

• To encourage students and alumni to develop ideas into innovative solutions that can in the short or long run be turned into entrepreneurial ventures. This resulted from a growing demand from the community of student-entrepreneurs to create a space to collaborate and turn their bursts of genius into something tangible. The Elab is an initiative meant to assist the Botho University students and graduates to identify practical applications to current issues, problems, and needs.
• To identify, mentor, incubate, connect and support outstanding student/alumni-entrepreneurs and facilitate their success beyond Botho University, into the community

The Elab offers the following major activities to selected student and graduate entrepreneurs:

• Dedicated Mentorship
• Expert Coaching/Trainings/Workshops
• Seed Funding
• Entrepreneur Competency Analysis & Development Intervention
• Office Space
• Secretarial Services