East Africa Entrepreneurs Association Unlocking Opportunities in the Global Value Chain
On June 03, 2024, at 02:00 – 03:00 p.m. Rome time, CIHEAM BARI, Italy held a meeting of Coaches to kickoff the coaching activity under the Startup10 Project. Ms. Annarita Antonelli, the Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystems Unit and the Project Coordinator of STARTUP10 project at CIHEAM, Bari, Italy, provided a comprehensive overview of the Startup10 program. She highlighted that out of 745 applicants, 140 startups were selected across 10 countries. These startups will now participate in coaching sessions, concluding the Startup10 project selection phase. Annarita welcomed all participants to meet the international coaches who will support them throughout the program.
The following international coaches were introduced:
- Giusy Miuli
- Francine Masson
- Peter Kruger
- Vito Di Cagno
Mr. Vito Di Cagno will provide specialized support to startups and innovation labs in Uganda and Lebanon, working closely with the local coaches in these countries.
Participating Coaches were introduced to the “H&D Partners Peer-to-Peer Coaching Web-based App” for organizing the coaching sessions. Federica Rolli, the system administrator, provided login credentials. Annarita announced that each startup will receive 8 coaching sessions to be completed by the end of September 2024. International coaches will participate in at least three sessions per startup, with local coaches managing the remaining sessions. Emphasis was placed on maintaining confidentiality to protect the startups’ business ideas.
During breakaway sessions, innovation labs met with their respective international coaches to plan their coaching itineraries. Annarita and her team assured ongoing support for each country’s innovation labs to address any challenges.
The meeting successfully introduced the coaching program, outlined the roles and responsibilities of the coaches, and emphasized the importance of confidentiality. The next steps include scheduled meetings and the commencement of coaching sessions, ensuring all startups receive the guidance needed to succeed.
