Dear Friends of Top30Under30,
Regrettably, we have to postpone plans for our Top30Under30 Inaugural Awards billed for October 2008 in Abuja, Nigeria. We have been delaying this announcement in the hope that one or two avenues would change things, but unfortunately they haven’t and so it’s time to face reality.
Unfortunately we weren’t able to raise enough funds through sponsorship to cover the costs needed to make the awards hold in October, which effectively means no conference this year. We are currently looking at more innovative ways to get the financing we need for 2009.
*** Please spread the word ***
As you may know, we sought to launch this event as a pan-African initiative. But after reviewing progress, we have agreed that, this is not going to be achievable in the available time. Our team did all they could to deliver on an ambitious plan, and I commend their efforts.
We apologize to those of you who are disappointed or inconvenienced. We will not relent in our efforts to celebrate the best of Africa’s young entrepreneurs, and launch a movement of next-generation world-class entrepreneurs on the continent. Top30Under30 remains fully committed to continuing to serve its growing and passionate African and global community. We are considering a number of options, including holding the event in 2009, and expect to make a further announcement soon.
If you have any specific questions or concerns, please write to me deji@top30under30.com. Meanwhile we will continue to promote the ideals of Top30Under30 in providing enterprise development to Under 30’s in Africa. Please be in touch via our website - www.top30under30.com - we will be launching new features and initiatives as we build up to the Inaugural Awards.
Thank you for your continual interest.
Yours truly,
Ayodeji Adewunmi
Curator
Top30Under30
I write this piece on a day which marks the 45th anniversary of that famous speech by the late civil rights activist Dr Martin Luther King (jnr), delivered at the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C.i have a dream that one day sons of slaves and sons of slave owners will……………45 years after, that dream is being fulfilled as Barack Obama, a black man accepts the nomination of the democratic party to run for arguably the most important office in the world- president of the United States of America.
I equally have a dream, a dream for the continent of Africa, a dream which is a direct antithesis of the status quo, a gigantic dream fuelled by sheer optimism, passion, uncommon zeal and a belief in the capability of Africans to raise their game and take on the world. It’s a dream in which an economic revolution for good, birthed by sheer entrepreneurial wizardry will herald a dawn of prosperity for the continent. This might look far-fetched, given the endemic poverty levels and various socio-economic maladies bedevilling the continent.
For mother Africa to break loose from the shackles and manacles of poverty and underdevelopment, the essence and spirit of entrepreneurship must be embraced by all and sundry, especially by young people who represent the vibrancy and energy of Africa. Gone are the days where tailor-made employment will await fresh graduates, as the public sector is grappling with an over bloated civil service and its attendant maladies. Even in the private sector, survival is hinged on being entrepreneurial in nature.
Top30under30 is an initiative by Thoughtworks, which seeks to ignite, fan and cause a conflagration of the flame of entrepreneurship among young people in Africa under the age of 30.it is more than just an initiative it seeks to redefine entrepreneurship in Africa through the creation of an entrepreneurship ecosystem which comprises of The top30under30 awards, the innovative entrepreneurs exhibition and the business innovation hubs. With the overall focus being to give birth to African brands that will take on the world.
These three components represent a paradigm shift concerning the concept of entrepreneurship. the Top30under30 awards seeks to recognise, reward and showcase existing young entrepreneurs, who have defied the status quo, taking their destiny in their hands, in a bid to be economic change agents. Three key criteria will be assessed viz: the spirit of enterprise, growth potential and social returns. Being mega rich is not the driving force for the awards; rather the social impact of the venture carries a lot of weight. Nominations are being accepted via the top30under30 website www.Top30under30.com and via sms.
The innovative entrepreneurs’ exhibition (IN-EX) is platform for potential entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality. it has been aptly tagged “ideas meet capital”.20 African entrepreneurs with innovative, cutting-edge and socially responsible ideas will have the opportunity to pitch to an audience of venture capitalists, angel investors, banks and other financial institutions from around the world. it will be a mind blowing, eye opening and history making occasion, as dreams will literarily come true.
The business innovation hubs (I-HUB) will be located on selected African universities. History has proved that universities are a fertile ground for entrepreneurs. Just think about Microsoft, dell, google e.t.c. The I-HUB will serve as an incubator for budding businesses, to guide and ensure their transformation and maturation into flourishing brands. The Top30under30 team together with technical partners which include multilateral institutions and outstanding bodies in the organized private sector will provide “hard” and “soft” support services such as business advisory services, information technology infrastructure, mentoring, all in bid to ensure the surivial, success and eventual significance of the business.
All these components are intricately interrelated and will encourage more young people to venture into new endeavours, increase the survival rate of new businesses and eventually there will be a critical mass of entrepreneurial young people who will cause an economic revolution on the continent. Africa has the potential of becoming great and prosperous and actualizing that greatness is not dependent alone on harnessing natural or physical resources, rather the development of human capital coupled with an uncommon zeal to be fiercely entrepreneurial is key to achieving this greatness. Young people, who are the future must tap into this, make the best use of it and be part of a movement where dreams come true.
