The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), in partnership with the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), inaugurated the ScaleUp Namibia (SUN) offices on Friday.
ScaleUp Namibia (SUN) is a joint initiative by the NCRST, NIPDB and several stakeholder organisations. The programme aims to transform Namibia’s start-up environment and drive economic growth through entrepreneurship and innovation.
The new offices have brought innovation hubs and support organisations under one roof. These include Basecamp, Impact Tank and CC Hub, among others.
The shared space is expected to make it easier for entrepreneurs to access information, mentorship and funding support. Speaking at the launch, Meike Neitz, founder of Embassidy, said collaboration is key to building a thriving innovation ecosystem.
“As I mentioned before, coming together to unite these innovation hubs that we have here is important. Bringing them under one roof to join forces and do great things together,” she said. Neitz described the new office as a space for exchange, experimentation and growth.
She said it should also be a place where failure is accepted as part of the entrepreneurial journey.
“Anyone who has started a business has learned something, whether it succeeded or not. This is a space of trying again and again,” she said.
She expressed hope that the initiative will produce innovative digital solutions made in Namibia and help build sustainable businesses that create jobs and train future entrepreneurs. Acting CEO of NIPDB Jessica Hauuanga said the opening of the ScaleUp Namibia office is a significant milestone.
“Being competitive today is not just about policies and incentives on paper. It is about how easy it is to start and grow a business,” she said.
Hauuanga noted that while Namibia has talented people, many have struggled due to limited support systems. She said large businesses all begin as small enterprises and need the right environment to grow.
“Our role is to attract and support both local and foreign investment while helping small and medium-sized businesses grow and compete,” she said.
She added that bringing innovation hubs and support organisations together under one coordinated platform will reduce confusion and make the ecosystem easier to navigate.
She said this will strengthen the pipeline of businesses ready for investment and job creation. Hauuanga added that the initiative aligns with the Ministry of International Relations and Trade’s national agenda, which focuses on improving competitiveness and strengthening Namibia’s position in regional and international markets.
Deputy education minister Dino Ballotti said entrepreneurs often face systemic challenges not because they lack talent or ambition, but because of fragmented support structures.
“This new coordinated platform will help address these challenges and create a more supportive environment for innovation,” he said.
He added that the ScaleUp Namibia offices are expected to play a key role in building a stronger entrepreneurial culture, creating employment opportunities and supporting long-term economic growth. ScaleUp Namibia was first conceptualised as a collaborative platform to address long-standing challenges faced by local entrepreneurs.
For years, Namibia’s start-up environment has been described as fragmented, with limited coordination between incubators, government agencies, investors and training institutions. Entrepreneurs often struggled to access information, mentorship, funding and markets in a streamlined way. SUN seeks to change that by creating a single, coordinated support platform.
The initiative connects innovation hubs such as Basecamp, Impact Tank and CC Hub, along with research institutions and private-sector partners. By centralising services and fostering collaboration, the programme aims to improve access to business development support, investor networks and global markets.
The goal is not only to help start-ups survive their early stages, but to help them scale into sustainable businesses that create jobs and contribute to economic growth.
-pmukokobi@nepc.com.na