Darussalam Enterprise’s (DARe) startup bootcamp programme Accelerate recently concluded its eighth cycle with a virtual Demo day on 3 June.
The Demo day serves as an opportunity for participants to network with potential business partners and investors to explore market access and financing opportunities beyond traditional loans, such as investment from angel investors and venture capitalists.
Twenty-one startups from a range of industries participated in the 100-day Accelerate, including those in ICT, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade.
The programme –held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic – guides startups with scalable products and solutions to be ready for initial investment and market exposure.
The programme’s structure includes workshops and masterclasses covering different aspects of business operations and strategy, including finances, commercialisation, and validation.
Participants also received individualised consultancy and networking with assigned local and regional mentors and coaches.
Over 150 startups have joined Accelerate since 2017, collectively raising more than $2 million in investment and creating more than 500 jobs.
Accelerate is one of two business bootcamp programmes run by DARe throughout the year;
Both are designed to help early-stage enterprises with different aspirations gain the fundamentals to start, run, and grow their businesses.
Following registration to the DARe bootcamp programmes, an ideation workshop is held where entrepreneurs will be guided in utilising the Business Lean Canvas methodology to examine their existing or proposed concept more thoroughly.
After the workshop, DARe funnels participants either into the Accelerate bootcamp – focusing on startups with ambitions of scaling nationwide and overseas through investment and innovation – or the Micro bootcamp – which targets smaller, more traditional businesses.
Accelerate and Micro participants also have access to DARe’s ecosystem of initiatives, designed to help businesses at different stages of their growth.
These include financing, factory and office space, specialised training, and market access.
Those interested can learn more or register through dare.gov.bn/bootcamp.
This article was first published on 11 June 2022 in our Weekly Epaper issue 197 |
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
