On November 27th and 28th, iRise Hub hosted the “”Business Sales Pitch”” for the BIC Somali Cohort #1 project. During these two days, 20 businesses presented their ideas to a jury comprising four members from diverse stakeholders: the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of the Federal Government of Somalia, UNIDO Somalia, Independent Business Expert, and iRise Hub. Each business, led by male and female entrepreneurs, had approximately 30 minutes to showcase their ideas and respond to queries from the jury regarding their presentations. The businesses were exclusively focused on agro-businesses, the creative industry, and climate change, aligning with the project’s specific emphasis on these three sectors.

Initially, were 23 businesses at the onset of a 3-month-long incubation program, where they acquired essential business development skills. Subsequently, 21 businesses advanced to the next phase, involving one month of individualized business counseling sessions. Eventually, the 20 firms successfully navigated through all phases, culminating in presenting their business ideas during the pitch sessions.