Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI), a training arm of Alibaba Group, enrolled the third class of 80 Ethiopian entrepreneurs for its Netpreneur Training program.
The latest edition of the training program was kicked off at a virtual opening ceremony on Monday with support from the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MinT) and the Digital Transformation Ethiopia Association (DTEA).
Scheduled to run from to November 10, the new edition seeks to equip entrepreneurs and business leaders across different sectors with tangible and actionable steps they can take to advance in the digital economy.
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Following a rigorous selection process, AGI says the final candidates will embark on a series of online classes where they will delve into approaches to harnessing technology to grow their businesses within the local economy.
All participants are founders of their respective start-ups from industries such as agriculture, education, information & communication technology (ICT), and trading.
– ‘Opening up More Opportunities’ –
The launch of the 2022 edition of the training program comes after the successful conclusion of the first and second classes, which graduated a total of 61 Ethiopian participants in 2019 and 2021.
“We are delighted to be able to continue advancing our vision of sharing the positive impact of the digital economy with entrepreneurs and enrolling our third cohort of Ethiopian participants,” said Dan Liu, Senior Advisor at Alibaba Global Initiatives.
“We hope this edition of our Alibaba Netpreneur Training will help entrepreneurs in Ethiopia develop long-term, savvy digital strategies that will open up more opportunities for them,” the advisor added.
Participants who complete the program conducted online in English by certified Alibaba trainers and business leaders will receive an e-certificate and will be eligible to join the AGI entrepreneur community.
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Outstanding participants will also have the opportunity to participate in a one-week offline immersion program at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China.
The Netpreneur Training Program is part of Alibaba’s initiatives to help promote the development of the digital economy in Ethiopia.
In November 2019, the second electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) hub in Africa was launched in Ethiopia following the signing of three MoUs between the Government and Alibaba Group.
Key initiatives under the collaboration include facilitating access to China and other markets for Ethiopian products, as well as offering support in smart logistics and fulfillment, and talent training.
Last January, the electronic World Trading Platform (eWTP) successfully on-boarded three Ethiopian coffee brands, namely Wild, Arada, and Hedero.
