Entrepreneurship Development
A healthy entrepreneurship environment is critical to the creation of sustainable employment and rapid economic development. At R&D, we help businesses like yours build trust, reduce inequalities, promote cohesive communities, reduce dependency on aid and become all-around inclusive enterprises. We have worked with dozens of incredible businesses and startups in Ethiopia and wider afield, with the goal of helping them become more investment-ready and better equipped to tackle the competitive challenges of the modern business climate.
Businesses we help are majorly youth and women-led. We create tailored coaching, mentorship, training, and peer-to-peer networking that unbridles their potential and helps them achieve their goals. R&D also creates and facilitates internship opportunities for young talents and works closely with companies to help them acquire the right skills and get them ready for gainful employment.
Our partners are indispensable as we have the pleasure to be inspired by incredible entrepreneurs, embassies, government departments, financial institutions, and donor organizations that help us create a lasting socio-economic impact wherever we go. We are thrilled to welcome you as a business owner, or funding organization, as we help you touch more lives and create a more positive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Empowering Ethiopian Women and Youth: Fostering Entrepreneurship for Growth and Equality
Being a women-founded and led firm, our commitment to women and youth empowerment is the center of our organizational culture.
We believe that entrepreneurship offers a pathway for individuals to become financially independent and contribute to the overall development of themselves and communities. By empowering Ethiopian youth and women through entrepreneurship, we aim to foster economic
growth, social development, and gender equality in the country. We implement a holistic approach that combines training, coaching mentorship, access to finance, access to market, access to information to help entrepreneurs not only to withstand financial constraints but more efficiently manage their resources to lead flourishing businesses in Ethiopia. Our interventions are designed to strengthen entrepreneurs’ inner capabilities and work toward them becoming robust.
SCALE-UP PROGRAM
R&D is a pioneer in providing world-class sector-agnostic business development services in Ethiopia, putting Small and Medium Scale Enterprises at the center of growth and innovation. We help drive change by supporting companies by giving SMEs the prominence they deserve as the backbones of every economy.
Our approach is to deliver the most hassle-free, easily integrated business support program to amplify the reach and capacities of our partner companies. Building their profile is our number one priority as we help these businesses expand locally and globally.
At R&D, stagnation is never an option for our clients; that is why our scale-up programs are tailored to enhance the capability and help grow our clients’ businesses to new heights. We favor a hands-on approach in serving you to create new opportunities, access vital resources, and create a more prosperous future for your business.
A specialist business advisor with particular know-how on system changes working hand-in-hand with business owners and their employees.
Top-quality peer-to-peer coaching by certified professionals
Tailored training for both hard and soft skills.
An invite-only quarterly get-together for the whole entrepreneurial ecosystem and expert seminars organized for sharing ideas
Match-make with relevant financial institutions
We develop fine-tuned case studies about role models from within and neighboring countries to inspire MSE owners
Want to hear more about our business development programs?
INCUBATION PROGRAM
Globalization and access to technology have created much fervor among Ethiopian youths to become creatives and entrepreneurs with unique ideas. This new generation with a thirst for a solution-driven outlook is why we created our top-notch incubation program. We mold promising youths into becoming assets to society and get them ready for leadership roles in the future, helping them generate, develop, evaluated, and launch ideas for their various entrepreneurial pursuits.
R&D provides tailored and highly intensive incubation programs aimed at enabling budding entrepreneurs to formulate innovative business ideas and viable business plans. We bring young visionary entrepreneurs together and support them in groups or individually to foster innovation and execution. We help them test their ideas with prototyping and market research, set goals, develop whitepapers and educate them on pitching and woo investors. Our goal is to create battle-ready entrepreneurs who understand the challenges ahead and equipped with innovative ideas that help them surmount those challenges.
- Why start a business?
- Are you an entrepreneur?
- Skills (self)-assessment
- How can you find the best business idea?
- Who are your customers?
- What is your USP?
- Building your business model
- Building customer relationships
- Creating partnerships
- Social media and your business
- Product design
- Marketing & sales
- Determine your revenue model
- Costing & pricing
- Keeping records
- How to attract investment
ACCELERATION PROGRAMS
Bridging the skill and knowledge gap within the ranks of startups is critical to the success of these new ventures. We understand that there is a gap between having a brilliant idea and formalizing it into a business, that is where R&D comes in. We are at hand to help startups create proper business plans and aid them in strategize and efficiently focus their resources and entire operations. We also help them carry out thorough competitor analysis and generate marketing strategies that enable them to hit the ground running. Our exclusive acceleration program is designed to help startups facing business challenges scale through and attain the maturity they need to compete with confidence. Our clients are guaranteed success at the end of our programs, with entrepreneurs able to develop market-driven business plans, and getting their companies ready for investment growth.
A professional business plan coach advises on each component of an effective business plan
Facilitated mentorship by our professional BDS providers on venture creation.
Frequent co-creative and facilitated workshops on relevant topics
Selected case studies on entrepreneurs and businesses in and outside of Ethiopia
Organize frequent networking events to connect entrepreneurs with relevant stakeholders.
Match entrepreneur with relevant partner financial providers
Join Our Proud Program Partners
ENTREPRENEURS WE WORKED WITH
We are honored to have worked with 500+ remarkable (women-led) SMEs and startups in Ethiopia
Get inspired by some entrepreneurs who keep our team motivated to contribute to their organizational and professional growth
Etege Design is a collective of architects, designers, engineers and planners working together to build a better future. They offer design + build solutions, interior design services, and furniture products.
Is a start up company that is digitizing child care services. They provide an online booking platform for trained nannies and in-home care providers.
Provide secure, convenient, and fast digital payments to merchants and entrepreneurs by easing the APIs integration.
Nu Chika Enabuka is an adult supervised children's play center that offers a series of parent/child activities devoted to the physical, emotional and social development of children by Events , Tv programs and with its own HUB.
Mulmul Bread and Cookies Industry is established in 1998 G.C by Mrs. Simret Abate. The company produces 125 varieties of bread and cookies.
Moyee Coffee is a coffee roasting company that sales to retail and companies in Ethiopia as well as the Netherlands. It is established as a Plc in 2014 and is a joint venture with Moyee Coffee Netherlands.
Zayride is the first taxi hailing company with a 24/7 operating call center and internet based phone app to provide quick and convenient transportation services through the development of in house technology.
It produces orthopedic pillows and cushions relevant for health and productivity.
Nisir was established with 205 individual and institutional shareholders with a vision of serving the un-served segment of the economy with need-based and innovative financial products and services.
Silafrica Ethiopia is a manufacturing company engaged in the production and supply of beverage crates, plastic toilet slabs and plastics household products. The company was established in 2014.
Muluembet Selassie (Byogenic Beauty Spot Owner) a pioneer to start the beauty service when nothing was known and nothing was available in Ethiopia.
Engaged in manufacturing three different healthy and nutritious food products which do normally not exist locally.
Berry is established in 2007 G.C. The company sector it operates is in advertising and renders its products with advertising communication.
MAFI Design is established in 2011 by Ms. Mahlet Afework in Addis Ababa. The company is in the sector of fashion clothing, accessories manufacturing and retailing. She renders casual fashion clothing and accessories.
The Mosaic Hotel is a hotel established in 2015 with spacious guest rooms, ample parking space and a beautiful garden compound offering both comfort and convenience.
HEMA was established in 2010 (23/04/2003 EC). Currently active in the private health sector, the company renders medical laboratory services. HEMA wants to be recognized as an organization providing world class lab services in Ethiopia.
One Planet International School is one of the few premium schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was founded in 2006 with just over 30 kindergarten students. Adding one more class in each of the following years, the school now serves around 950 students from Kindergarten through Year 13.
A full-fledged advertising and marketing agency based in Addis Ababa, dedicated to helping clients communicate their image, identity, and information.
In the stream of manufacturing focusing on Textile & Garment. The factory is actually geared to manufacture full knitted and weaved product range for children, men & women.
A shared coffee roasting space in Ethiopia where young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to develop and launch their own coffee brand.
Whiz kids workshop was established in 2005 by Bruktawit and her husband. It is a social enterprise where impact is core, along with self-sustainability.
Processing and distributing natural fruit jam from locally sourced fresh fruit and distributing to supermarkets, cooperative shops, hotels, guest houses, universities,... etc.
We offer water well drilling, affordable rigs (up to 50m deep), pumps, ag equipment, recycling machines, cook stoves, and more. Also, rent ag machinery and provide pump installation/maintenance.
Formonic Architects & Engineers PLC. was established in 2017 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The company specializes in interior design and finishing works.
The core business is agribusiness-exporting agricultural commodities (Coffee, Spices, Pulses and oil-seeds) directly from farmers and farmer's organizations and traders
InfinEth Solutions is a company founded in 2004 by 12 Engineering professionals to provide Engineering products and services to various customers.
Kulfo FishTelecom is a private limited company that provides digital market systems in the construction industry.
Provide custom‐made garments, as well as ready wear items, currently focused on in‐direct distribution through merchants, planning to operate an online shop as well as a brick‐and‐mortar shop for direct access to customers.
Increasing support for the industrial processes contributes to the country's economic growth and creates job opportunities.
Mahederfoods is one of the best food providers in addis we provide different spices and pulses powder , catering service.
is an innovative system design company dedicated for construction and related elements management systems research and development in Ethiopia.
Cultivate seeds, flowers, trees, fruits, and related items. Our team comprises two members and over 20 workers. Our production area spans more than 25,000 km².
We are a technology company providing service to bridge the gap between logistics service provider and customer.
Omsihtu-joy is a startup tech company that uses state-of-the-art technology to solve multi-directional community problems through creating job opportunities for youths.
It was established on January 2017 to provide the highest standards of home based health care service for chronic ill and elderly people who are living in their homes and require extra help and support with affordable price.
We provide innovative branding, advertising and interior design services.
We provide innovative branding, advertising and interior design services.
Aster Bunna brings world-renowned quality Ethiopian roasted coffee beans directly from the land of its origin to your door and cup.
Think Africa training and consulting is determined to provide high quality training and consulting services to business and development sectors across Africa.
Dondoors is a conscious business providing exquisite quality handcraft while empowering the local community.We specialize in hand made new and innovative products that suit the modern life style.
Having been under different management and organizational structure, with over 10 years of experience in steel manufacturing, interior design and product supplies to markets in Addis Abeba and its vicinity.
We are specialized in the production and supply of forged steel components, cast iron components balustrades, hand rail components, windows and door grills, wrought iron furniture components many other similar products.
Ethiopian Skin Beauty Secret is a start-up business specialized in hand-made organic beauty products : herbal soaps, hair ,treatments, lotions &many more.
Gelan handicraft is a social enterprise with inclusive business model which mainly involves poor, marginalized and uneducated women and young girls in our market chain as product supplier.
Since 1948, artisans and craftsmen at K Design produce classical Ethiopia weaving and embroidery at its best.
Actuel Design (Actuel Urban Living) is a private limited company engaged in the design of furniture for homes and offices.
Ethiogreen is set up in the US in 2008.The Ethiopian side of the business was established in 2012. The company produces injera and derkosh (dried injera).
Negarobe is an engineering company that produces all kind of electromechanical and metal products (e.g. truck bodies, plates for construction).
Travel Ethiopia is a private, eco-conscious tour and safari company that was founded in 1994.
Next Fashion Design College was established in 2006 as a college and TVET. Owner Sarah Mohammed, created the company which currently has three branches in Addis Ababa: Bole (HQ), Lebu and Piazza.
ZAAF is a company that produces high quality leather products to local and international market. Currently it produces leather bags (both for men and women), wallets, hand woven scarves, travel bags.
The company delivers long and short term training/certificate programs in hotel management, food preparation, front office supervision, housekeeping, food and beverage service, tourism service, travel agency, tourism marketing, foreign dish cooking.
Gishen pharmacy was established in 1994. It is a sole proprietorship company, owned by Mrs. Amakelech Lulu, who has a pharmacology background. The company sector operates in pharmacy, baby products, and cosmetics.
Founded in 2006, Sabahar produces hand woven textiles for export and domestic sales.
Paradise Fashion is established in 1992 G.C by a passionate fashion design professional Mrs. Genet Abebe. It operates in the sector of hand weaving products. The company renders ladies closes (traditional), home accessories, scarves, etc.
UNI furniture was established in 2001 G.C. It’s a private limited company owned by four shareholders; one of them being Ms. Elfenesh who is the General manager of the company. the company operates in manufacturing producing home and office furniture products.
