Eswatini Workshop Recap by Dr. Ron Adany

I am thrilled to share with you the remarkable success story of the “How to Build a Startup with $100” workshop. As a serial entrepreneur, I have always been passionate about empowering and supporting young entrepreneurs, and this workshop was a dream come true for me.

We received a staggering 100 applications from Eswatini’s talented, motivated, and promising entrepreneurs, which we subjected to a rigorous selection process, accepting only 34 participants. Over the course of the five-day workshop, these entrepreneurs gained critical skills in ideation, market research, branding, marketing, building minimum viable products (MVPs), and market validation.

I am incredibly proud to announce that 17 participants completed the workshop, and seven startups were established in various tech-oriented domains. Additionally, some of the startups were able to gain initial traction and customers, which is a fantastic accomplishment.

The workshop culminated in a pitching event that drew the attendance of representatives from the Eswatini government, parliament members, the European Union delegation to Eswatini, local businessmen, and the local media (TV, radio, and newspapers). The Israeli ambassador to South Africa even participated in the event via video.

As the founder of this initiative, I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to have shared my knowledge and expertise with the participants. I would like to extend my gratitude to all of my partners who helped bring this dream to fruition, including Lutfo E Dlamini, an elected Member of Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini, who invited me to Eswatini; Yael Uzan-Tidhar, who provided invaluable assistance with local connections; Thobile Dlamini and Simanga Dlamini from The Royal Science and Technology Park, which hosted us; the lecturers, Igor Zvagelsky for marketing and Rachely Ben Amram for pitching; Yogev Lifchin for on-site guide and support of the participants; and Adi Pundak-Mintz for providing the initial funding to the startups. Together, we were able to make a significant impact on the lives of young entrepreneurs in Eswatini.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the workshop. Your enthusiasm and hard work contributed to the overwhelming success of this event, and I hope to continue this momentum with future workshops.

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who played a role in making this workshop a triumph. It was an unforgettable experience, and I look forward to continuing to support and empower young entrepreneurs in Eswatini and beyond.