5,000 African entrepreneurs have completed the Google Hustle Academy training programme.
The graduation ceremony was held concurrently in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
During the event, Google also launched a new speaker series where successful African business owners share their learning experiences and advice, furthering its commitment to helping entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive.
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Google Hustle Academy
Google Hustle Academy was launched in February this year. The Institution provides practical business training to enable entrepreneurs to learn the soft skills that complement their talents through peer-to-peer and mentor-driven learning.
This year’s participants who have successfully graduated were pooled from almost 10,000 applications.
The graduates comprise 23 cohorts who judiciously attended a five-day online boot camp. They were trained in developing a business strategy, increasing sales, and pitching for investor funding. The syllabus also covered courses on digital marketing and financial planning.
During the training, every participating business owner had access to one-on-one mentoring sessions with coaches and mentors in order to tackle specific challenges experienced in their businesses.
Read also: Google shortlists 60 African startups for its Black Founders Fund
According to the Head of Brand & Reputation, SSA, Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, “Our graduates are working hard to grow their businesses, and in addition to having an impact in these 5000 SMBs, this kind of practical training also has a ripple effect, helping many more people succeed,
“Hustle Academy Brings the new talk-show style video series featuring renowned and respected entrepreneurs from across Africa, sharing practical advice and growth tips to inspire emerging entrepreneurs is meant to complement and expand the Hustle Academy training.”
Aderemi-Makinde added that “Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the backbone of the global economy, and in Africa, they account for an estimated 80% of jobs. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are an estimated 44 million micro, small and medium enterprises, which function as important drivers of economic growth.
Hence the speaker series will enable SMBs to gain knowledge from business owners from different sectors, focusing on the issues, themes and subject areas they face regularly.
Google has, over the years, continued to support businesses in Africa with different initiatives like the Hustle Academy and the new speaker series. These programmes enable businesses to maximise all the opportunities that the web offers and equip them with the tools to develop and grow.
In September, Google selected 60 African startup businesses for the second cohort of its Startups Black Founders Fund (BFF). The 60 emerging businesses received a total of $4 million in funding and assistance to help them grow their companies.
The Google for Startups Black Founders Fund programme had, since its unveiling in April 2012, created 4,600 employment opportunities and raised more than $290 million in funding.
