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BlueBiz implemented by TechnoServe in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is designed to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Blue Economy sector across five coastal counties in Kenya. It aims to build resilience for the future by focusing on Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Tana River, and Kwale counties.
The Skills Development pillar aims to empower young entrepreneurs in Kenya's coastal communities by increasing their business acumen and technical skills relevant to the Blue Economy. It targets training in several areas: business management, finance, marketing, and value addition.
Main events include workshops and in-person and digital training, which provide participants with basic skills for establishing and developing their enterprises. The initiative also covers enhancing individual potential, sustainable usage of ocean resources, and creating economic opportunities for young people.
This pillar ensures improved financial inclusion among young entrepreneurs in Kenya's coastal communities. The objective is to offer them improved means to access financial services, including various loan products and grants required in initiating and scaling up enterprises within the Blue Economy bracket.
These activities focus on facilitating contact between young entrepreneurs and financial institutions, training in financial literacy and business management, and competitively applying for the Challenge Fund for innovative business ideas.
This pillar focuses on creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs in coastal counties to access vital networks and markets. It aims to enhance the visibility and reach of the businesses of young entrepreneurs involved in the blue economy through partnerships and collaborations.
Key activities that will be pursued under this pillar are events such as networking, workshops, and trade fairs that bring entrepreneurs together with industry players and potential buyers. The program also aims to make provisions for mentorship matching and access to information on market situations that would aid young business owners in understanding how to pass through the market channels.
The Leadership and Mentorship aspect of the BlueBiz program has been structured to ensure that young entrepreneurs in Kenyan coastal communities develop leadership skills in all aspects, coupled with essential mentorship support. The main aim of this is to ensure that the youth are instilled with ownership and responsibility for their business ventures.
Major activities entail setting up a Youth Advisory Council, which addresses the voices of the young people to ensure that they are represented in the design of the programs and decision-making activities, hence encouraging active participation.
The program enables young people to have opportunities for mentorship, where experienced business leaders guide them through certain difficulties and advise them on strategies that would help their enterprises.
BlueBiz seeks to empower youth and entrepreneurship in the blue economy by equipping them with the relevant skills, resources, and support to innovate sustainable businesses. This would be an economic venture in ocean-related sectors such as aquaculture, tourism, marine technology, and environmental conservation.
We welcome applications by young entrepreneurs aged between 18 to 35, small-scale business owners, and innovators who want to create positive social impacts or economic or environmental impacts within the blue economy. We encourage participants from all different blue economy sectors and invite applicants with innovative solutions that respond to the challenges of ocean sustainability.
BlueBiz gives holistic training in the basics of entrepreneurship, financial management, marketing, and digital skills, adapted to the needs of the blue economy. Other important aspects that our program covers are soft skills such as leadership, networking and communication, all put together in a well-rounded toolkit.
BlueBiz offers entrepreneurship training, technical training, mentorship provided by sector experts, funding opportunities, and networking events. We connect participants with potential investors and market actors from the blue economy to help them grow and establish viable business models.
Yes, networking is a very important aspect of the program. BlueBiz organizes events and links participants to value chain actors, industry professionals, and other entrepreneurs. Such a network supports the participants in getting a feel for the market and developing relationships that can be helpful to grow business.
BlueBiz links entrepreneurship training with a focus on sustainability and the blue economy. Other business programs differ from the intent of BlueBiz in that it aims at the creation of businesses that balance profitability with environmental responsibility to have a positive impact both on local communities and marine ecosystems.
There are no participation costs to BlueBiz participants since they are fully sponsored by the partner organizations that ensure blue economy innovation is catalyzed through the program. Participants can have funding, resources, and training without necessarily having to pay for the same.
By the end of the program, participants are likely to have an improved foundation in entrepreneurship, a better-defined business model, and a well-defined actionable growth plan. They shall equally have wider networks in the blue economy, with an understanding of how to scale their ventures sustainably.
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