Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub

📢 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐲!
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⏳ Don't miss out — the 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟎 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

Thank you for helping us build a better BDIH!

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲! | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐓 𝐊𝐒𝐂 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲-𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦!
⏳ 3 days left.

Applications for the MIT Kuo Sharper Center Early-Stage Program close in just 72 hours. This is a 12-week hybrid program — built in collaboration with the Government of Botswana — for Botswana founders who are ready to validate, refine, and grow their ideas with purpose and structure.

We’re looking for applicants who:
•⁠ ⁠Are based in Botswana
•⁠ ⁠Are actively building a venture
•⁠ Are either in the idea stage (idea should be innovative, clear, and achievable) or in the piloting an early-stage solution
•⁠ ⁠Are committed to solving local challenges through innovation
•⁠ ⁠Can fully commit to the 12-week program (in-person and virtual)

📍The program includes in-person sessions hosted at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub (BDIH), alongside virtual learning sessions.

📆 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞: June 7, 2026
👉 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://app.babele.co/application-definition/756

𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲! | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐓 𝐊𝐒𝐂 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦
⏳If you are an African scientist, entrepreneur, engineer, or researcher working on a deep tech venture, this is an opportunity to take your innovation from breakthrough research to real-world impact.
Focused on key sectors including healthcare, renewable energy, mining and minerals, and agriculture, the program supports participants working to address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges through science- and technology-driven innovation.
The 2026 MIT Kuo Sharper Deep Tech Program, developed in collaboration with the Government of Botswana, and co-designed with Material Impact, was built for founders like you.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞:
Ambitious to transform their industries and regions through the commercialisation of deep tech innovations.
Focused on key sectors: mining and minerals, healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy
Working on scientifically backed ventures with strong IP or advanced research
Exploring or at an early stage of commercialising their innovations.

📆 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞: June 7, 2026
👉 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://app.babele.co/application-definition/754

🎙️ Tune in to RB2 FM today at 10:15 AM as Lefa Moatlhodi, Communications Officer at Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub, unpacks the Botswana Early Stage Programme, delivered in partnership with the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship.
Discover how the programme is empowering aspiring entrepreneurs, strengthening Botswana’s innovation ecosystem, and driving the growth of a knowledge-based economy.
📅 Date: 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟓 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
⏰ Time: 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟓𝐇𝐑𝐒
📻 Station: 𝐑𝐁𝟐 𝐅𝐌

Applications for the Botswana Early Stage Programme are open until 𝟕 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.
𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲: https://app.babele.co/application-definition/756

🎙️ Catch our Entrepreneurship Development Advisor, Nnyaladzi Monyamane on Yarona FM as he unpacks the Botswana Early Stage Programme, delivered in partnership with the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship.

Discover how empowering early-stage entrepreneurs with the right support can unlock innovation, create opportunities, and accelerate Botswana’s journey toward a thriving knowledge-based economy.

📅 Date: 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟓 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔
⏰ Time: 𝟎𝟕𝟐𝟎𝐇𝐑𝐒
📻 Station: 𝐘𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐌

Applications for the Botswana Early Stage Programme are open until 𝟕 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.
𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲: https://app.babele.co/application-definition/756

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲! | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐓 𝐊𝐒𝐂 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦
⏳𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 — 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.

The MIT Kuo Sharper Center’s 2026 Deep Tech Program is closing applications in just seven days.

Developed in collaboration with the Government of Botswana and co-designed with Material Impact, the program brings together some of Africa’s most promising scientists, researchers, and early-stage entrepreneurs to help transform cutting-edge research into market-ready ventures capable of driving the continent’s next wave of innovation-led growth.

The program features:
Capacity building from MIT faculty, industry experts, and ecosystem leaders
Mentorship from leading deep-tech investors at Material Impact
Practical tools and guidance to support commercialization
Access to a powerful network of peers, mentors, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders

📆 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞: June 7, 2026
👉 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://app.babele.co/application-definition/754

As part of the build-up to the next Botswana Early Stage Program cohort, BDIH, in partnership with the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, hosted an inspiring Coffee Session bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem stakeholders.

Participants heard from Leverage Point Founder & CEO, Kenneth Setimela, who shared his entrepreneurial journey from carrying his startup in a backpack to leading a growing company employing approximately 20 people. He highlighted the value of programmes such as the Botswana Early Stage Program and Stanford Seed in helping entrepreneurs build scalable and sustainable businesses.

First cohort beneficiaries 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐝𝐢 (𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) and 𝐄𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐠𝐨𝐝𝐢 (𝐌𝐨𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐢 𝐀𝐈) also shared their experiences and encouraged aspiring founders to apply.

The session concluded with 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐄𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢 of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center, who provided an overview of the programme, its benefits, and the application process.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and virtually.

📢 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 for the next Botswana Early Stage Program cohort are now open and 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝟕 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.