In its first year as the implementer of Orange Corners Algeria, Sylabs is excited to take the first step into a five-year-long journey of ecosystem development and innovative impact.
We are engaged through the acceleration programme to support young male and female Algerian entrepreneurs with technical assistance, mentorship, business development, masterclasses, and access to funding. Seeking to provide them with a supportive environment in which their businesses can thrive.
After the announcement of the programme, we received an overflow of 214 applications from different backgrounds and sectors both from our community and beyond.
Consequently, the pre-selection process was quite challenging. However, due to our previous expertise in both acceleration and sustainability, we successfully identified promising profiles for the first batch of the acceleration programme, resulting in the 23 participants who were selected to join the bootcamp – some crossing as far as 1,200 kilometres to join, emphasising their dedication and enthusiasm to be part of this initiative.
Throughout the bootcamp, attendees participated in an extensive range of workshops such as: finance, sales and marketing, project management, risk management, and pitching. Each workshop provided valuable insights and practical guidance, addressing key aspects of entrepreneurship and business development. In addition to that the bootcamp was meticulously designed to give the candidates the skills needed to deliver compelling pitches and effectively present their businesses.
We ended those three days of intense learning with thought-provoking discussions with experienced entrepreneurs, which led the participants to reflect on their own entrepreneurial journey and consider the wider significance of their endeavor.
The bootcamp provided a platform for participants to share insights, exchange ideas, receive expert guidance, and engage in meaningful discussions, which in turn enabled to foster a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among all attendees. This was highlighted in the closing part, where the candidates engaged in further exchange of views and networking, capturing memorable moments through photographs, and bidding farewell to one another, with the buzzing anticipation for the upcoming pitch day scheduled a week after that.
After a week of further practice, every selected young entrepreneur came back to pitch their businesses in front of a distinguished and diverse jury with expertise in multiple domains.
It was heartening to witness participants’ mix of nervousness and excitement as they proudly presented their startups, some of them even brought their products to give tangible representation of their work to the jury. Likewise, the jury was both captivated and amazed by each project presentation, and that was seen through their keen interest and insightful questions.
After the pitch and another arduous selection, the acceleration programme officially started with a total of 15 participants representing diverse origins and sectors spanning from digital transformation, healthy food production, agriculture, cosmetics, innovation, sustainability, inclusion, and plant-based or alternative materials.
It is worth mentioning that we were both pleased and surprised to receive participants from all corners of Algeria, with different sectors of work. Additionally, we achieved an equal number of female and male participants actively engaged in the programme.
Once the announcement finalised, we begin by assessing each project once more, to know their specific needs and adjust the training accordingly. After that we commenced in earnest with training, mentoring, and one-to-one sessions that addressed the specific needs of each project.
We are eagerly anticipating the launch of the second batch, which will be very soon, where we will have the opportunity to meet other amazing yet undiscovered Algerian entrepreneurs and assist and help them thrive.
Every journey starts with a single step, and now that we took a leap be ready for what’s coming down the line.
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