Kigali, Rwanda – (14/3/2022) – Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Hanga Ahazaza initiative has launched their sixth call for applications for eligible businesses to join its incubation program, Tourism Inc.  This six-month interactive program serves as a full-circle incubator for start-ups in the Tourism and Hospitality sector.

The Tourism and Hospitality industry was and continues to be a priority sector in Rwanda’s development agenda. Yet, the economic effects of  COVID-19 have deeply affected the sector. It is against this backdrop, that Tourism Inc. continues to support the future champions of the sector. It is more important than ever to invest in these youth-led businesses to ensure they have the tools needed to develop their businesses and thrive in a post-COVID world. 

The program seeks to create an engaging environment for participating entrepreneurs and ensures they receive a suite of practical support to turn their innovative tourism start-ups into sector champions in Rwanda. This support includes training on a range of key business skills, coaching to enable practical application of these learnings into their businesses, and practical resources including workspace and access to financing. 

It is this wrap-around offering that has earned Tourism Inc. a reputation as a top incubation program that harnesses ideas and instills competencies that result in market success for its participants. Presently, Tourism Inc. has graduated 109 businesses and 67% of them are led by female owners. Tourism Inc. is currently in its fifth edition of the cohort and will soon be recruiting its sixth edition.

For its sixth cohort, 25 young entrepreneurs will be selected to join the Tourism Inc. program. They will receive six months of the right mix of technical skills, financing, and mentorship to help them grow their businesses.  The participants will also benefit from free co-working space and prototype incentives aimed at supporting the launch/growth of participating businesses. At the end of the program, the top five entrepreneurs will receive seed funding to help further expand their ventures. 

ESP is now accepting applications for the sixth cohort of this exciting program. Applicants who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply: