Cytonn Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) affiliate of Cytonn Investments, hosted the annual eHub Forum, which connects entrepreneurs in Kenya with funding opportunities from investors. The forum held at the Sarova Panafric was the first of its kind, which saw eight entrepreneurs with businesses in diverse fields pitch their businesses to an investors panel that included Chandaria Industries CEO, Darshan Chandaria, Cytonn’s Chief Investments Officer, Elizabeth N. Nkukuu, CFA, Investment Director at Novastar Ventures, Niraj Varia, Founder and Director, Bluegrass Solutions, Josephine Macharia, and Founder and Director, Start to Greatness, Shiko Kimani.
From Left to Right - Investment Director at Novastar Ventures, Niraj Varia, Founder and Director, Start to Greatness, Shiko Kimani, Chandaria Industries CEO, Darshan Chandaria, Founder and Director, Bluegrass Solutions, Josephine Macharia, Cytonn’s Chief Investments Officer, Elizabeth N. Nkukuu, CFA
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures, Niraj Varia, who was part of the review panel noted, “entrepreneurs need to be sharp people, who are flexible and resilient, as well as being aligned and committed to their business. If an entrepreneur has these, I can work with them.”
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures, Niraj Varia
The Cytonn eHub Investors forum themed “Start Sharp and Thrive” held at Sarova Panafric, saw three entrepreneurs secured funding for their businesses during the forum. The top pitch by Bryan Lukhano, founder of Biogen Kenya secured Kshs. 100,000; the second by Everlyne Owiti who is the founder of FirmStart Playschool secured Kshs. 50,000 and the third spot went to Kristine Gichuhi, founder of Kristy Farms, who secured Kshs. 25,000.
Lukhano, the winner of the award noted, “patience always pays, entrepreneurship journey is full of hardships but with perseverance, you will always succeed.”
Bryan Lukhano, founder of Biogen Kenya gets awarded a Kshs. 100,000 cheque
The investors forum was a culmination of the Cytonn eHub programme; a 12-week training and mentorship programme whose inaugural class was flagged off on 8th September 2016 beginning with twenty budding entrepreneurs. The annual initiative themed “Start Sharp and Thrive” seeks to help entrepreneurs transform their businesses to successful enterprises.
The top performer in the Cytonn eHub class, Emmanuel Chekumbe was awarded Kshs. 15,000. The first runners up was Everlyne Owiti who was awarded Kshs. 10,000 and the second runners up was Kristine Gichuhi, who was awarded Kshs. 5,000.
Emmanuel Chekumbe, the top performer of the eHub class said, “Cytonn eHub has enabled me to focus on the important aspects of the business and be able to standardize operations, which has enabled the company to record the highest level of clients since we began over a year ago."
Emmanuel Chekumbe, Cytonn eHub class top performer gets awarded by, Josephine Macharia Founder and Director Bluegrass Solutions,
Cytonn CEO and Managing Partner, Edwin H. Dande noted, “Cytonn is committed to growing entrepreneurs, equipping them with skills enabling them fit in the real world. This intense 12-week programme is designed to draw maximum potential from entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs that graduated from the programme have been taken through weekly classes on topics that grow their businesses including: brand, sales, customer experience, legal, capital, finances, mentorship and networking, human resource and administration.
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner, Cytonn Investments, Edwin H. Dande
For more information of graduates of the Cytonn eHub training programme, see link: http://cytonn.com/download/Cytonn_eHub_Graduates.pdf
