Seedstars, in partnership with the investment firm, Omidyar Network, is set to open a Seedspace in Dar Es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital. If all goes to plan, it will become the company’s fifth hub in the African continent having launched Seedspaces in Lagos, Abidjan, Cairo and Cape Town.
Seedstars Tanzania is expected to be launched on the 10th of July, 2018, as part of Seedstars’ envisaged mission which is centered around launching hubs that are instrumental to the growth of startups, as well as te directed “startup packages” and benefits that are vital to the needs of startups at different stages of development.
Commenting on the news, Romulo Navarrete, Head of Operations at Seedspace, the Tanzanian ecosystem has been the subject of renewed interest from the company in recent times, as it had witnessed the Seedstars World programs that involved engagement with both local and international programs.
He also talked up Omidyar’s role in the launching of the hub which is billed to consolidate the activities of the company in the East African country. It is hoped that the partnership, which is expected to culminate in the launching of the hub, will create for Tanzania the gateway to a sturdy international community through which resources and expertise can be leveraged. “Omidyar Network and Seedstars have been major partners for many years. It made great sense now that we joined forces to provide a greater impact to Seedspace members,” he further stated.
On his part, Ameya Upadhyay, Investments Principal at Omidyar, “we are thrilled to join forces with Seedstars to provide a vibrant and dynamic entrepreneurial community in Tanzania, with a strong platform on which to build their innovative businesses.”
He further hinted at the idea that the East African nation is witnessing something of a proliferation of visionaries and new ideas, and through the new Seedspace hub, entrepreneurs in the country will be afforded the opportunity to take advantage of Seedstars’ global network, tech expertise, and startup acceleration programs. In his reckoning, this should enable the execution of ideas and realization of true potentials, so as to bring about improvements in the living conditions of a good number of people in Africa.
