The SolveIT 2023 Bootcamp Experience
Remember back in 2018, when a bright idea took root? It aimed to nurture young minds, spark innovation, and give Ethiopia's startup scene a boost. That's how Solve IT began, and by 2023, it was already on its third adventure. This year, the journey stretched across six Ethiopian cities, with the U.S. Embassy and Dashen Bank joining the crew by helping to open doors in Addis Ababa, Bahirdar, Jimma, Dessie, Wolaita Sodo, and Dire Dawa.
Solve IT isn’t your typical competition. It was a launchpad for young innovators, brimming with ideas to tackle real-world problems. They weren't just competing for seed funding, they were joining a supportive network, with training, mentors, and bootcamps to guide them through the entrepreneurial maze. On the national scale, SolveIT is meant to empower the national startup ecosystem paving the way for growth in the sector.
It all started with the U.S. Embassy and Dashen Bank. Soon, partnerships blossomed with experts, trainers, and mentors, crafting an experience that would transform these young minds. Even logistics weren't overlooked, with transportation and lodging arranged for participants traveling from far and wide. Of course, no adventure is smooth sailing. The calendar needed a tweak, thanks to holidays and other events that could throw a wrench in the works. But the team and participants, with open communication and constant project refinement, weathered the storm.
From this sea of creativity, 90 projects emerged, competing in city hub contests. Each idea held the potential to solve grassroots problems, and 12 finalists rose to the top, ready to tackle real challenges. One finalist dreamt of a better commute for students, their project promising to revolutionize the school run. Others focused on healthcare to detect and stage bone infection, an agriculture project that aimed to increase the yield of Enset, and more, each idea carrying the potential to transform industries. Mentorship and training were the main focus points even before they made it to the bootcamp with the primary goal being to provide one-on-one guidance, practical advice, motivation, and personalized assistance to help participants navigate challenges, refine their projects, and achieve their entrepreneurial aspirations and to remain resilient, focused, and dedicated to their entrepreneurial endeavors. These finalists were local champions hailing from different cities, but now they were stepping onto the national stage, ready for the Solve IT 2023 Bootcamp.
Imagine the nervous excitement at the airport, with participants arriving from every corner of the country. Would this be a wild ride, a test of their skills, or maybe even a chance to discover those new attractions we keep hearing about in the news? Next came the icebreakers, where strangers became teammates. Diversity and cultural richness took center stage as participants shared gifts from their hometowns, adding chapters to the Solve IT story. At the heart of most human interactions lies food, a bonding mechanism to which none of us are immune. The participants' interactions were further deepened as they shared meals around the proverbial fire and got to know the ups and downs of their entrepreneurial journey as they got to know each other and their event staff more.
Bootcamp days were packed with action, from intense training sessions to exciting outdoor adventures at Entoto adding another dimension to their entrepreneurial journey of exercising grit and perseverance. To the point where a mentor mentioned "If the competition required physical strength, we could have easily told who the winner would be". Each activity wove a thread into the fabric of their transformative journey. Beyond the boot camp, they visited successful organizations and startups, such as Safaricom, Hybrid Designs, Dashen Bank, ALX Ethiopia, and the U.S. Embassy’s Stachamo Center to gain valuable insights into different business models and fuel their entrepreneurial aspirations. A participant from the BahirDar hub mentioned "I wasn't expecting this; it's great to have such an experience, and it's an unforgettable day of our lives." One participant was impressed by the sheer size and scale of both the planes the operations of the Ethiopian Airlines when they conducted a sight visit on how operations can be managed as they grew.
The training was given to the participants to immerse themselves in ideas such as lean startup methodologies, business model design, and financial planning in an active manner that allowed hands-on exercises and more importantly real-world case studies to get those gears going. More exciting, experience-sharing sessions were conducted with seasoned professionals and industry experts to serve as sources of inspiration and enlightenment for their journeys. However, not every day was filled with adventure and excitement especially as the boot camp was coming to a close and getting ready to meet investors had the participants and the staff pulling all-nighters to prepare for the height of the event. Hours spent at night, hunched over laptops, brainstorming, and bouncing ideas off of each other were common. After all the work done and friendships formed the week came to an end, as all good things do.
The Solve IT 2023 boot camp marked the beginning of a larger story, one filled with triumph, dedication, and the promise of a brighter future. This is the story of innovation, woven into the very fabric of Ethiopia. So, there you have it, the Solve IT bootcamp in a nutshell. Remember, this is just the beginning, and who knows what amazing feats the alumni of this batch will accomplish.
Written by: Rebecca Surafel and Paulos Birhanu.