Starting your own business, or taking an idea from concept to reality into an actual product or service is a daunting task.
StartUp Namibia is a joint Namibian-German technical cooperation project for sustainable economic development funded by the German Government, implemented by the Namibian Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade and Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
People need the right conditions for their startups to flourish and StartUp Namibia provides the right conditions, assisting in the establishment and growth of startups in selected regions across Namibia.
The main aim is to build a thriving Namibian startup ecosystem where new and innovative ideas flourish and grow into sustainable businesses. Allowing entrepreneurs and innovators to take their dreams and ideas and make them a viable and sustainable reality and profitable business in the long run.
Under the StartUp Namibia project umbrella, Basecamp was created, which is the incubation and innovation centre of the project.
The long-term goal of Basecamp is to put our entrepreneurs, community and country on the global map by providing support and assistance from ideas stage through each of the growth stages.
Providing support in the necessary fields that entrepreneurs may encounter. Ranging from legal, to marketing, to production, accounting as well as human resources and anything else that comes with running a business.
There are many facets that need attention in a new and growing business and having access to mentors and professional expertise gives the startups a real edge and gives their businesses better odds in succeeding.
There are several startups already being incubated, leading the way and inspiring others to take the plunge and take their ideas from concept into a reality.
In order to empower young, innovative and capable female entrepreneurs based in Namibia, Basecamp has collaborated with Future Females for an online business school.
These women are all working in the early stages of their business venture and are passionate about innovation, the use of technology and looking to create a positive social impact and benefit the community.
In the 10-week programme which started in September 2020, 20 Namibian female entrepreneurs are supported and helped to accelerate their ideas and bring their businesses to life.
Basecamp also hosts a Makerspace, a place where anyone can make just about anything from prototypes to trying out new ideas.
It gives entrepreneurs access to machinery which one normally would not be able to afford.
It provides an ideal safe platform for startups that want to penetrate the manufacturing sector to learn about manufacturing methods, principles and how to safely use the machinery.
While there are many different types of makerspaces ranging from university makerspaces and FabLabs, the Makerspace at Basecamp is a community-based makerspace.