International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), a member of Anheuser-Busch InBev, said it has started receiving applications for the 2022 edition of its entrepreneurship initiative called Kickstart.
Based on this, the Kickstart online portal is scheduled to open on Friday, June 17, 2022, to start receiving applications from Nigeria-based entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years.
The initiative, which is championed by the International Breweries Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of IBPLC, has positively impacted the lives of numerous entrepreneurs through mentorship, training, and provision of grants to run their businesses.
Temitope Oguntokun, legal and corporate affairs director of International Breweries Plc., said the idea was to empower young people economically, thereby helping to bridge the unemployment gap in the country.
She said the International Breweries Foundation will partner with the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan Atlantic University to train 400 youths in different businesses, skills, and leadership development modules.
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Oguntokun urged young business owners to take advantage of the platform that Kickstart provides.
Peter Bamkole, chairman of the Advisory Board of International Breweries Foundation, said the Kickstart initiative is part of the commitment of International Breweries Plc to fulfilling its vision of contributing to a future with more cheers for youths.
According to Bamkole, the initiative has in the last seven years, recorded over N385 million as funds invested, given grants to 325 beneficiaries, and generated 571 jobs with 1,208 direct beneficiaries.
IBPLC said the opportunity is open for entrepreneurs with business interests in agriculture, retailing, circular packaging (recycling), technology, and renewable energy, among others. It said they can apply on the Kickstart portal by visiting https://reg.smetoolkit.ng/EDC/program/kickstart-nigeria.
BusinessDay understands that successful applicants will receive intensive mentorship and training by seasoned entrepreneurs in their various fields while acquiring the necessary skills required for entrepreneurship during a 2-day boot camp before receiving the grants to grow their businesses.
Also, applicants who scale through the application phase will proceed to a pitch-fest segment where a panel of judges will appraise submitted proposals before selecting the final winners. The winners of the pitch-fest segment will receive grants at the awards ceremony which will hold in Lagos later in the year.
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