Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
They say starting a business requires one to be as tough as a nail in order for them to survive in the business world.
Not only in Zimbabwe but on the continent and across the globe as well, the number of start-ups continues to rise on a daily basis. New business statistics indicate that more and more people have started their own businesses over the past decade. Analysts have credited part of the increase to a “need” from people after having lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic — starting their own businesses was a way to potentially acquire lost income.
Some started businesses to meet rising and changing consumer demands. Start-ups are becoming the leading business model that drives innovation and economic growth across the world. New types of products and services are being created by start-ups each year and they are the manifestation of creative and ambitious entrepreneurs who have amazing ideas.
When someone says the word start-up, we usually immediately think of various success stories and exponential business growth. However, in reality, not all start-ups are successful. We usually only hear about the winners and that is partial information that does not tell the whole story.
Looking at Zimbabwe, the country has a vibrant start-up ecosystem that is slowly gaining recognition in the global arena, while the start-ups are known for their resilience and creativity. Due to the economic challenges faced by the country, entrepreneurs have had to come up with innovative solutions to problems that are unique to Zimbabwe.
This has resulted in the creation of start-ups that are not only locally relevant but also globally competitive. One such start up, Casual Sellers is an innovative e-commerce platform that aims to revolutionise how content creators and retail businesses collaborate to drive online sales and boost their revenue.
Founded by 26-year-old, Mr Bornwell Kwangware who is based in Bulawayo and is about to graduate with a degree in Finance from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), the platform serves as a bridge between talented content creators and local retail businesses, enabling them to monetise their influence and expand their market reach.
“The main problem we want to solve is to help content creators monetise their content and also help businesses sell online and market their products. I am very passionate about start-ups and since I found out about them, I knew I wanted to start my own. For the past four years, I have been researching on almost everything I can find about how to start a start-up or business. The goal has been to find relevant solutions to problems that are faced by people in their day to day lives,” he said.
Mr Kwangware who has been following and analysing the growth of African start-ups, particularly those in Zimbabwe, said resilience and creativity were critical to ensure the start-ups succeed. He said Zimbabwean start-ups offer a unique perspective on African markets as the country is also strategically located in Southern Africa and shares borders with several countries such as South Africa, Zambia, and Mozambique.
“This makes it an ideal gateway to other African markets. By working with Zimbabwean start-ups, businesses can gain valuable insights into African markets and tailor their products and services accordingly. I believe technology can play a big role in solving some of our biggest problems in Zimbabwe and young educated Zimbabweans should make good use of it. Creating a start-up ecosystem is very important to get more people to start start-ups and my exposure to the start-up world has mostly been online through social media platforms such as YouTube and tech news, but if you do not look for it you never find it.”
In the quest to motivate and encourage more people in the country to start and grow successful start-ups, Mr Kwangware has set up a platform called the “ImpactTechThinkers” that brings together people who are passionate about using technology to drive positive change in Zimbabwe. He said through the platform, there will be discussions on innovative solutions to Zimbabwe’s challenges in areas like healthcare, education, agriculture and finance among others.
“We want to brainstorm, collaborate and inspire each other to make a real impact on our beloved Zimbabwe through tech-driven entrepreneurship. Together, we can be the change-makers our nation needs. We will have weekly discussions where every week, we will introduce a specific problem or challenge related to Zimbabwe, members will be encouraged to share their insights and propose solutions during these discussions.”
Mr Kwangware said they will also have solution analysis where after solutions are proposed, they will collectively analyse and evaluate them as this is a critical step to identifying the most promising ideas.
He said there will be team formation where members who are passionate about a particular solution can team up to work on it collaboratively. These will ensure ideas are brought to life as hackathons are a fantastic way to turn concepts into tangible tech-driven solutions.
Computer Society of Zimbabwe (CSZ) Bulawayo Chapter vice-chairperson, Professor Vusumuzi Maphosa who is also the director of Information and Communications Technology Services (ICTs) at Nust said the use of digital technologies to launch new business models and improve internal processes is critical.
“It creates new opportunities for developing and offering services using digital platforms and improves customer engagement. Businesses easily interact with their customers and get insights about their customers’ needs, and improved feedback, allowing them to be proactive. Digital technologies can link suppliers, businesses and customers, therefore start ups should make use of them,” he said.
Prof Maphosa said digital technologies were also linking businesses with customers not only locally but beyond their geographical boundaries and across the globe, thereby increasing revenue and customer base. He said in order to remain resilient and creative, businesses, especially start ups, need to develop new and unique business models to counter competition.
“Digital technology enables businesses to transform their business models for survival such as the publishing and music industry, including education, where there is e-learning now. The rise of the knowledge economy and the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) compels businesses to invest in digital technologies to improve operations and decision-making.”
As the number of start ups continues to grow in the country in different sectors, the Government has rolled out a number of projects that enhance easy access and use of ICTs across all sectors as part of broader efforts to adopt digital technology for economic growth.
ICTs are among the critical elements that would aid in the transition into an upper middle-income society by 2030, as the country’s sectors such as education, agriculture, health, mining, banking, retail, aviation, tourism and manufacturing among others have been integrated into the digital economy.
The Government under the Second Republic has ensured steps are taken to reflect a digitally knowledgeable society that keeps abreast with technological advancements in line with the provisions of National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
In a global era where information-driven innovation is the norm, the Government has ensured access to affordable and efficient ICT infrastructure to afford citizens a chance to become part of the digital economy, in line with President Mnangagwa’s philosophy of “leaving no one and no place behind”.
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