Background
The Global Entrepreneurship Network Zambia (GEN Zambia) formerly established in 2021 and registered with the Patents and Companies Registration Authority (PACRA) under the companies Act as a Non-profit company and a limited by guarantee company. GEN Zambia’s role is to promote Zambia’s single national and global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem by bringing together all public sector ministries and agencies directly and indirectly involved in entrepreneurship development or economic development and all private sectors and NGOs, cooperating partners promoting entrepreneurship.
GEN Zambia is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) a global platform that operates projects and programs in 180 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business by fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel a healthier start and scale ecosystems that create more jobs educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth.
GEN’s extensive footprint of National operations and Global verticals in policy, research and programs ensures members have uncommon access to the most relevant knowledge, networks, communities and programs relative to size of economy, maturity of ecosystem, language, culture, geography and more.
GEN HELPS CELEBRATE, UNDERSTAND, SUPPORT AND CONNECT ENTREPRENEURS AND THOSE WHO CHAMPION THEM.
Celebrate: the world needs entrepreneurs – the doers and makers of things - but not all ecosystems enjoy the entrepreneurial culture that is prevalent in startup hubs like Silicon Valley, Singapore and Sao paolo. Through global entrepreneurship week (GEW), GEN celebrates the successes and impact of entrepreneurs in an effort to help break down cultural barriers and reach new audiences, expanding the number of people who at some point in their life consider trying their hand at birthing the new and becoming an entrepreneur.
Understand: There is increasing demand for evidence-based public policies and programs that accelerate growth. While government, corporates and education institution leaders have become eager champions with resources, they require better data, research and analysis about entrepreneurship barriers, needs and opportunities and which program interventions and policies to address that prove to have maximum impact. Through the Global Entrepreneurship Research Network (GERN) and GEN’s startup nations Policymaker Network, GEN helps identify and crowd source best-in-class policies and public programs that help entrepreneurs thrive.
Support: Through efforts such as the Global Business Angels Network, Global Enterprise Registration, Startup huddle, GEN starters club, startup open and other programs, gen offers programs and resources intended to help smooth the path to market for founder teams and provide entrepreneurs at all stages with the support necessary to reach the next level.
Connect: GEN helps break down siloes and enhance collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers and startup community leaders through its virtual platforms and numerous live events, including its global entrepreneurship congress (GEC) and GEC+ series, the annual startup nations summit, global annual meetings of its vertical communities.
GEN Zambia working with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises development and cooperatives annually and whole year round works to collaborate in mobilizing the national entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem development and promotion through collaboration and partnership in hosting the annual November Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) since 2008 and the annual Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) which takes around the world starting Kansas , USA in 2009 , moving to Dubai in 2010 , China in 2011 , Liverpool in 2012 , lastly in Australia in 2023 and getting back to the USA next year June ,2025 in Indiana.
GEN Zambia, also plays a critical role in coordinating all the GEN global program and activities, including the Entrepreneurship World Cup and more.
VISION: To be the leading African Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem
MISSION: To promote sustainable national entrepreneurship and innovation mindset transformation through innovation, creative strategic partnerships and networking at village, District, Provincial and National level.
Main activities
GEN Zambia whole year promotes various entrepreneurship and innovation promotion activities and among others it’s annual initiatives and programs e.g:
- Global entrepreneurship week (GEW) every November.
- Global entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) every March, April, May, only September during the Australian GEC2023 and the upcoming 1- 5 June 2025 in Indiana, USA.
- Entrepreneurship World Cup and all other GEN programs
Sustainability Business model and strategies
GEN Zambia, as guided by GEN global is working on various initiatives as part of its sustainability business model to be able to raise its own resources to finance its daily, annual and whole year activities, while also continually supporting national and global entrepreneurship programs and activities. Here GEN Zambia , notes that ELIF Business Solutions ltd has through the years championed a number of initiatives that has huge potential to be actualized under GEN Zambia platform on a mutually beneficial basis, while also exploring other strategic partnerships with others from public and private sectors e.g:
The proposed National sustainable waste Management, youth and women clean and green cooperatives and enterprises promotion initiative with Dangote Cement and Luanshya Town Council and others.
- The fi-shit organic fertilizer manufacturing initiative.
- The establishment of the Enterprise development center Zambia (EDC-Zambia) and other upcoming projects and partnerships.
History of GEN Zambia and all its programs in Zambia.
The Global Entrepreneurship Network Zambia (GEN Zambia ) in Zambia dates back right to the inception of the Global Entrepreneurship Network ( GEN global) then as the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in 2007/2008 through the collaboration of the Kaufman Foundation of Kansas City , USA with the UK’s Enterprise – UK during the time Gordon Brown as the UK- Prime Minister. In Zambia it started with the leadership of ELIF Business Solution LTD (ELIF) who at that point had partnered with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) SME Toolkit Programmme in the development and implementation of the then Zambia –COMESA SME Toolkit Project around 2005/2006. It was through the World Bank Group who where part of supporting the GEW initiative that ELIF Business Solutions –CEO was asked to consider adopting the GEW activities in Zambia. Therefore ELIF and its CEO- has since served as the GEW country Host for Zambia until the establishment of GEN Zambia. So it is with this background that the GEW activities started in Zambia with the first Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2008.
ELIF was initially established in 2003 operating as Step Out Media Communications in Business Development and Marketing Consultancy services and changed its operations in 2005 and incorporated in 2011.
ELIF's core business activities include Business Development and Project Support Services with a concentration on information communication Technologies and enterprise development. In 2003 – 2005, ELIF Business Solution ltd partnered with the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) to develop, implement and manage the Small Initiative Fund (SIF) scheme to support ICT based enterprises and implemented for projects as follows:- Chawama Youth Project, Kalomo Women ICT Project, Ndola Youth Resource Centre and Yes – Zambia ICT Project In 2005, ELIF was given an Award for supporting Women ICT based enterprises by Manchester University of UK under a project supported by DFID and nominated to be part of the team to develop a hand book on Agencies supporting Women ICT based Enterprises, Kerala, Trivandrum, India August - September 2005. ELIF from 2006 to March 2020 had partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group and COMESA to Implement the COMESA –Zambia SME Toolkit Project. The SME Toolkit is a computer web –based business information resource tool or portal with a focus on Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Farmers and Businesses (www.zamcom.smetoolkit.org . Since 2008 we have partnered with the Kauffman Foundation as the Country Global Host for the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN Zambia (www.genglobal.org/gew and www.genglobal.org/gec2023, ) Since 2012 partnered with the Creative Business Cup (www. creativebusinesscup.com) in promoting creative businesses and startups.
In 2012 we also developed the ELIF Poultry Products brand, which aimed at creating a poultry product market through processing, branding and packaging. In this initiative we had also partnered with Pick n Pay chain stores to offer a country-wide products market of our whole chickens and four other portions ie; breasts, thighs, wings and others.
In 2014 ELIF partnered with former Startup Cup –USA in developing the WECREATE Zambia center for Women Empowerment resources, while also promoting National Economic Diversification Initiatives and has since partnered with the Ministry of Tourism in promoting the Marketing Zambia Initiative (a tourism strategy) from the initial Marketing Africa Initiative. In 2018 collaborated with the Cavendish University Zambia, Mulungushi and Kwame Nkrumah Universities in promoting the Global Students Entrepreneurship Awards (GSEA) www.gsea.org/apply. In 2017 part of the key contributors to the 2018- 2040 Zambian Tourism Development Master plan. 2021 and beyond to focus on promoting PPP business development innovations consultancies in local and regional value chains development based on the local natural and cultural resources comparative advantages e.g: banana fruits and stems processing and manufacturing, including onions production and processing for medicinal uses. The other areas is the promotion of biogas –bio-digesters and marketing of various biogas tools, equipments and products e.g: biogas bulbs, heaters, water pumps, gensets and green and clean technologies & businesses.