The BiD Network: Supporting Tanzanian Entrepreneurs

The BiD Network is an international organization, working in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Moçambique, Peru, Philippines, Tanzania, and Uganda. It aims to foster a financially, technically, and idealogically self-supported international community by connecting entrepreneurs with investors and “business coaches”. Business coaches are are professionals in the field who want to provide technical assistance and guidance to entrepreneurs.

In Tanzania, BiD Network holds an annual business plan competition. It involves meeting participation criteria, signing up and creating a profile on the BiD Network and then applying for the business plan competition.

A few of the competition’s participation critera are as follows:

1. Business plan must be written in English, in Spanish, in Portuguese or in French.
2. Country of Business as an Emerging Economy.
3. Financing requirement of between US$10,000 and US$1,000,000.
4. Must aim to be a profitable business³ in the next three years.

Read the complete criteria here.

Why would this competition be useful to Tanzanian youth?

• For students, this is a unique opportunity to attempt theoretical solutions to human problems;
• For non-students, this would provide constructive resources to bring your ideas of social business into the formal sector;
• The international network would provide recognition not just for the winners, but for all participants’ regional locations (you would put Tanzania on the map); and
• Technical assistance would be a formal education in the field of sustainable and socially-entrepreneurial business.

It’s important for us young people in Tanzania to see these opportunities as a means to be involved with the country’s development. Too often we are dissuaded by the prospect of signing forms, presenting our ideas, and talking to high-profile donors. These should be details that we use as a means to achieve our goals, especially where these goals relate to sustainable development ideas and/or education.

BiD Network has been catalogued on Vijana FM’s Resources under Funding for Organizations and Technical Assistance.

Related links:

• BiD Network homepage
• BiD Network participation guidelines
• BiD Network Tanzania homepage
• Vijana FM coverage of “Business Plans”
• Vijana FM coverage of “Entrepreneurship”