The 2026 Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) Award Ceremony brought together the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, Orange Botswana and other stakeholders to celebrate local entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to societal challenges. The event highlighted the growing importance of youth entrepreneurship in Botswana and the role of collaboration in creating employment opportunities, strengthening businesses and supporting sustainable economic development. With 119 applications received this year, the competition demonstrated the interest among local entrepreneurs in developing ideas that address real community needs. The ceremony also recognised the importance of equipping young people with the skills, mentorship and resources needed to turn promising ideas into viable businesses. Through partnerships between government and the private sector, the initiative underscored the potential of entrepreneurship to contribute to a more inclusive, resilient and progressive Botswana.
The Orange Social Venture Prize is an initiative that supports entrepreneurs who use innovation to address social and environmental challenges. It creates a platform for business ideas that aim to improve people’s lives while building sustainable models capable of delivering long-term value. For entrepreneurs in Botswana, initiatives of this nature can provide opportunities to develop their business concepts, improve their presentation skills and connect with professionals who understand the demands of building successful enterprises. The competition also highlights the importance of looking beyond traditional business models to identify solutions that respond to the needs of local communities. By recognising entrepreneurship as both an economic and social development tool, the OSVP encourages participants to consider how their businesses can generate income while contributing to meaningful change.
Providing an overview of this year’s competition, Orange Botswana CSR Coordinator Ms Goitseone Seven revealed that the 2026 edition attracted 119 applications. This level of participation reflected the range of entrepreneurial ideas seeking recognition and support through the initiative. She explained that the Top 10 finalists received assistance to refine their business models and strengthen their pitching skills before presenting their ideas to six industry experts. This preparation was an important part of the competition because a promising idea needs a clear business strategy and an effective way to communicate its value. The process gave the finalists an opportunity to improve how they explain their solutions, demonstrate their potential and present their businesses for professional evaluation.
The support provided to the Top 10 finalists highlights a key challenge facing many emerging entrepreneurs. While individuals may identify problems in their communities and develop creative ways to address them, transforming those ideas into sustainable businesses requires careful planning and practical knowledge. Entrepreneurs need to understand their target customers, identify sources of revenue, manage operating costs and determine how their products or services will reach the market. Strong pitching skills are also important because business owners often need to communicate their ideas to potential investors, partners, customers and other stakeholders. By combining business model development with presentation training, the OSVP helps finalists strengthen essential skills that can support their entrepreneurial journeys beyond the competition itself.
The involvement of six industry experts also highlighted the value of professional assessment and industry knowledge in developing new businesses. Experienced professionals can examine business proposals from different perspectives, including their feasibility, market potential, financial sustainability and ability to address identified challenges. This kind of evaluation can encourage entrepreneurs to consider practical questions that may not be immediately obvious during the early stages of business development. It can also help them identify weaknesses in their proposals and understand where further research or improvement may be necessary. Although participation in the competition does not guarantee long-term business success, structured preparation and expert evaluation can provide a useful foundation for making more informed decisions.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs Honourable Lesego Chombo reaffirmed the importance of positioning young people as active partners in national development. Her message placed youth empowerment at the centre of Botswana’s wider development ambitions, recognising that young people have an important role to play in creating solutions, building businesses and expanding economic opportunities. Meaningful youth participation requires more than encouraging young people to pursue their ambitions. It also requires access to practical training, mentorship, funding opportunities and supportive environments where new ideas can develop. By strengthening these forms of support, Botswana can help young entrepreneurs turn their skills and creativity into productive activities that benefit both individuals and their communities.
The Minister also highlighted several initiatives aimed at strengthening youth development and entrepreneurship. These included a review of the Youth Development Fund to incorporate training and mentorship, the planned rollout of the Botswana National Youth Mentorship Programme and an entrepreneurship programme that has trained more than 1,000 women. Together, these initiatives point to the importance of combining financial assistance with the practical knowledge needed to establish and manage a business. Access to funding can help entrepreneurs purchase equipment, develop products or begin operations, but financial support alone may not address the full range of challenges they face. Training and mentorship can help business owners make better decisions, manage resources and respond to changing market conditions. By integrating these forms of support, youth development programmes can strengthen the prospects of businesses moving from initial establishment to sustainable growth.
The proposed review of the Youth Development Fund is particularly relevant to discussions about entrepreneurship support in Botswana. Young business owners may have the motivation and ideas needed to start enterprises but lack the experience required to navigate registration, financial management, customer acquisition and business expansion. Incorporating training and mentorship into funding support could help address these gaps by giving beneficiaries guidance alongside financial assistance. Such an approach recognises that entrepreneurship involves a process of learning and adaptation, especially during the early stages of a business. Effective implementation will be important to ensure that the support reaches the intended beneficiaries and responds to the practical needs of different types of entrepreneurs. When funding is matched with appropriate guidance, it can become a stronger tool for encouraging responsible business development and employment creation.
The planned Botswana National Youth Mentorship Programme also highlights the value of connecting young people with individuals who have relevant professional or entrepreneurial experience. Mentorship can help aspiring entrepreneurs learn from the experiences of others, ask questions and gain a clearer understanding of the decisions involved in running a business. It can also provide guidance on setting realistic goals, building professional relationships and responding to setbacks. For young people who do not have established business networks, access to experienced mentors can help them navigate unfamiliar situations and identify potential opportunities. The programme’s wider value will depend on how effectively mentors and participants are matched, how consistently the relationships are supported and whether the guidance addresses the needs of young people in different sectors.
The entrepreneurship programme that has trained more than 1,000 women further emphasises the importance of widening access to business development opportunities. Women entrepreneurs can contribute to economic activity, household income and employment while introducing products and services that respond to community needs. Training can help participants develop practical skills in planning, marketing, financial management and business operations. However, lasting progress also depends on access to markets, appropriate financing, professional networks and opportunities to expand beyond the initial stages of business activity. Continued support can help women entrepreneurs build confidence, strengthen their enterprises and increase their participation in Botswana’s wider economy. By recognising the development of women-owned businesses as part of the national entrepreneurship agenda, these initiatives can support broader economic participation.
For his part, Orange Botswana Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr Gobe Mbayi highlighted the company’s commitment to entrepreneurship through the Orange Digital Centre. The centre provides digital skills training, mentorship and networking opportunities designed to help businesses grow. Its focus reflects the increasing role of digital technology in modern business, from communicating with customers and promoting products to managing operations and accessing new markets. Entrepreneurs who understand how to use digital tools can improve their ability to reach customers, organise information and adapt to changing business conditions. Digital skills can also support innovation by helping business owners identify new ways to deliver services and solve problems. Through the Orange Digital Centre, Orange Botswana contributes to an environment in which aspiring entrepreneurs can develop capabilities relevant to the digital economy.
Digital transformation presents important opportunities for small businesses in Botswana. Online platforms can help entrepreneurs showcase products, communicate with customers and reach audiences beyond their immediate communities. Digital payment options and business management tools can also help simplify certain transactions and improve the organisation of everyday operations. However, the benefits of technology depend on whether business owners have the skills, resources and infrastructure needed to use these tools effectively. Training and mentorship can help bridge some of these gaps by showing entrepreneurs how digital solutions fit into their business strategies. As Botswana continues to develop its digital economy, equipping young people with practical technology skills can support innovation, improve business competitiveness and create opportunities across different sectors.
The collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs, Orange Botswana and other stakeholders was a central theme of the 2026 OSVP Award Ceremony. Government institutions can establish policy frameworks and programmes that support entrepreneurship, while private companies can contribute industry experience, technology, training and professional networks. When these efforts work together, entrepreneurs may have greater access to the combination of resources needed to develop sustainable businesses. Partnerships can also help align training programmes with the practical demands of the market and encourage the sharing of knowledge between public institutions and private organisations. The effectiveness of these collaborations depends on clear objectives, coordinated implementation and ongoing support for entrepreneurs after formal programmes end. The OSVP ceremony offered an opportunity to highlight how shared responsibility can help strengthen Botswana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Youth entrepreneurship has wider implications for employment creation and economic resilience. Businesses that respond to genuine market needs can create opportunities for their founders while potentially employing other people as they expand. Small enterprises can also introduce new products, improve access to services and contribute to economic activity in their communities. However, business growth is rarely automatic, and entrepreneurs often need to overcome challenges involving finance, competition, operating costs and access to customers. Programmes that combine practical training, mentorship, digital skills and opportunities to connect with industry can help business owners prepare for these challenges. By supporting viable enterprises and encouraging innovation, Botswana can strengthen the role of entrepreneurship in creating a more diverse and adaptable economy.
The social impact of entrepreneurship is equally important. Businesses that address challenges in areas such as education, health, environmental sustainability and access to essential services can create value beyond their commercial activities. Social entrepreneurs seek to develop solutions that respond to community needs while building models that can continue operating over time. Their work can encourage local problem-solving and create opportunities for communities to participate in economic development. The OSVP’s emphasis on innovative solutions to societal challenges reflects the importance of connecting enterprise with measurable benefits for people. Supporting such businesses can help expand the range of locally developed responses to social challenges while encouraging entrepreneurs to consider both financial sustainability and community impact.
The 2026 Orange Social Venture Prize Award Ceremony therefore represented an important opportunity to celebrate Botswana’s entrepreneurial talent and reinforce the value of coordinated support for business development. The 119 applications, the preparation offered to the Top 10 finalists and the involvement of six industry experts demonstrated the competition’s focus on developing and assessing entrepreneurial ideas. The initiatives highlighted by Minister Lesego Chombo also pointed to the importance of combining funding with training and mentorship, while Orange Botswana’s commitment through the Orange Digital Centre underscored the role of digital skills and professional networks. These efforts address different aspects of the challenges faced by emerging entrepreneurs and can complement one another when implemented effectively. Their long-term impact will depend on continued collaboration and the ability to translate training and business development support into sustainable opportunities.
Ultimately, empowering young people to participate actively in national development requires practical opportunities, sustained investment and partnerships that respond to their needs. The 2026 Orange Social Venture Prize has placed a spotlight on entrepreneurs who are seeking innovative ways to address societal challenges while building businesses with the potential to grow. By working together, government, the private sector and other stakeholders can help create conditions in which more young people develop their ideas, build viable enterprises and contribute to employment creation. Continued attention to mentorship, digital inclusion, access to finance and business skills will be essential to maintaining this progress. With effective collaboration and sustained support, youth entrepreneurship can become an increasingly important driver of inclusive growth, social development and a resilient, progressive Botswana.
