Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI), a professional training arm of Alibaba Group has enrolled the third class of 15 Rwandan entrepreneurs for its Alibaba Netpreneur Training program at a virtual opening ceremony with support from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

Scheduled to run from 11th October to 10th November, the training seeks to equip entrepreneurs and business leaders across different sectors with tangible and actionable steps they can take to advance in the digital economy.

Its launch comes after the success of the first and second classes, which graduated a total of 33 Rwandan participants in 2019 and 2021.

Following a rigorous selection process, the final candidates will embark on a series of online classes where they will delve into approaches to harnessing technology to grow their businesses within the local economy. All participants are founders of their respective start-ups from industries such as agriculture, education, information & communication technology (ICT), and trading.

“We are delighted to be able to continue advancing our vision of sharing the positive impact of the digital economy with entrepreneurs and enrolling our third cohort of Rwandan participants. With companies taking to online channels to keep their business afloat during the pandemic, digitalization is no longer a foreign concept to consumers and entrepreneurs.

We hope this edition of our Alibaba Netpreneur Training will help entrepreneurs in Rwanda develop long-term, savvy digital strategies that will open up more opportunities for them,” said Dan Liu, Senior Advisor at Alibaba Global Initiatives.

The Alibaba Netpreneur Training program is conducted online in English by certified Alibaba trainers and business leaders who have had experience leading their own digital businesses to success.

Participants can deepen their knowledge and understanding of: the digital economy in China and the latest trends and practices shaping its development; the journey of select traditional businesses that have successfully gone through digital transformation, the evolution of Alibaba’s business, including the role of digital technology in supporting the growth of companies in its ecosystem.

They will also be taken through frameworks and approaches for building a successful and innovative business in today’s digital world.

Participants who complete the program will receive an e-certificate and will be eligible to join the AGI entrepreneur community. The community comprises a diverse mix of passionate and successful like-minded entrepreneurs, and provides unmatched opportunities to network, collaborate and learn.

Outstanding participants will also have the opportunity to participate in a one-week offline immersion program at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China, subject to fulfilling the online course criteria.

The Alibaba Netpreneur Training Program is part of Alibaba’s initiatives to help promote economic development in Rwanda. In 2018, the first eWTP (electronic world trade platform) hub in Africa was launched in Rwanda following the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between the Rwandan Government and Alibaba Group.

Key initiatives under the collaboration include helping Rwandan small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) sell their products to Chinese consumers and providing capacity building to support Rwanda’s digital economy.

The Alibaba Netpreneur Training Program was first introduced in 2019 and has successfully trained close to 1,500 entrepreneurs in Africa, Europe, Latin America as well as South and Southeast Asia since its inception.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group’s mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. The company aims to build the future infrastructure of commerce. It envisions that its customers will meet, work and live at Alibaba, and that it will be a good company that lasts at least 102 years.

About Alibaba Global Initiatives

Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI) inspires and supports entrepreneurs, youth and women globally by sharing the positive impact of the digital economy in promoting inclusive development.

Its programs encourage entrepreneurs to share and use digital economy tools to create a positive social impact and to collaborate with each other as well as the public sector to make a larger impact.

To date, there are close to 1,900 digital entrepreneurs and business leaders from more than 60 countries and regions trained directly by AGI, who have subsequently shared their learnings with other members of their own communities.

About the Rwanda Development Board

Rwanda Development Board (RDB)’s mission is to fast track economic development in Rwanda by enabling private sector growth with a vision of transforming Rwanda into a dynamic global hub for business, investment and innovation.

AE News