The first set of Divasity.com’s business pitch winners were on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 presented with resources worth over N3.7 million.
Coming at a time more and more youths are turning to entrepreneurship as a path to engaging decent work but face the challenge of access to resources – from financial capital to technology to machinery to human capital – to build profitable businesses, analysts say the bold move by Divasity.com couldn’t have come at a better time.
Divasity.com, a one-stop digital business solution that provides business support and a ready market for entrepreneurs, had earlier convened an entrepreneurship meetup targeted at discussing future-centred solutions and providing a platform for entrepreneurs to also pitch future-ready businesses to investors.
Three winners of the pitch and their organisations went away with prizes in resources at an event organised by Divasity.com and its partners.
Maureen Ajaba, co-founder and CEO of Mebic Organic Integrated Limited, won the first place and was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for the overall best pitch, N1.5 million in resources to raise funding for her business with Divasity.com, a co-working space and internet service at The Business Hub, free web development and digital marketing services from Expression Hour.
Mebic Organic Integrated Limited, a startup focused on healthy living, addresses the problems of chemical-based foods, malnutrition and food insecurity. The company’s products are plant based foods and spices, rich in nutrients and used in culinary.
The 2nd prize winner, Oyinkansola Olupona, co-founder of Peekkie.com, a career development platform that connects teenagers to professionals and mentors in order to prepare them to connect with the careers and jobs of the future, was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for the 2nd place best pitch. Olupona also got N1.2 million in resources to transform her idea into a successful business with Divasity.com, a co-working space at The Business Hub, free web development and digital marketing services from Expression Hour.
Mercy Uzoigwe, co-founder of Realtracka.com, a real estate startup company with a vision to mobilise and facilitate access to universal real estate, won the third place. Uzoigwe, who was represented by Olatomiwa Adesulu, the visionary and co-founder of the company, was awarded a Certificate of Excellence for the 3rd place best pitch, N1 million in resources to raise funding for her business with Divasity.com, a co-working space at The Business Hub, free web development and digital marketing services from Expression Hour.
In his remarks at the award event, Adeola Adebayo, chief strategist of Divasity.com and host of Future.EN, appreciated the support of all the sponsoring organisations, itemising the contribution of each of them.
“Given the same resources as entrepreneurs from other regions, entrepreneurs in Africa will definitely do better,” he said.
Adebayo also recognised the Bulb Africa for efforts already in progress to partner with Divasity.com towards organising Future.EN in 2021 and urged other sponsors, partners, investors and the government to join Divasity.com in its efforts towards developing an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship.
Also speaking, Queen Oduah, CEO of Divasity.com, expressed her gratitude to all partners, winners and event attendees. She also introduced the plan for next year, tagging it Future.EN 2.1, signifying 2021.
She noted that the event would hold quarterly and also provide more interesting topics like the Future of Energy, and expressed her optimism in securing greater support for participating entrepreneurs whom she believes hold the key to every nation’s development.
