MOBILISE incubation program culminates in successful business pitching event
On July 25, 2025, the MOBILISE project, in collaboration with Hawassa University, hosted a Business Idea Pitching Event in Hawassa, Ethiopia, showcasing the work of seven students (two teams) who completed a six-month incubation program (three months of training followed by three months of mentorship) at the university’s College of Agriculture. Held at the Rori Hotel, the event brought together representatives from the Sidama Region’s Enterprise and Agriculture offices, faculty from Hawassa University, local entrepreneurs, and private sector partners, including Klaver Flowers. The session opened with remarks from Dr. Teramage (Vice Dean of the College) and Dr.Ir. Huub Mudde (MOBILISE Project Director), both highlighting the positive impact of the program in shifting students’ mindsets from job-seeking to job-creating.
The business ideas presented were "Wholesome Herbal Tea," focused on caffeine-free herbal infusions with health benefits, and "Pure Bite," which offers natural dried fruit snacks made from mango and banana. Both ideas emphasized health-conscious products rooted in local sourcing and sustainable practices.
Over the course of the six-month program, the student entrepreneurs received intensive mentoring in product development, market research, and business planning. The pitching event marked the culmination of this process, giving them the opportunity to present their refined business ideas to a jury of experts in food science, business development, and entrepreneurship. The jury evaluated each pitch using a structured rubric covering market need, innovation, business model, customer acquisition strategy, and investment potential. They commended both teams for their creativity and effort, while also providing constructive feedback. For “Pure Bite,” the panel highlighted the appeal of natural dried fruit snacks but raised questions about production scalability, food safety certification, market testing, and supply chain management. For “Wholesome Herbal Tea,” the jury noted the strong preparation and market potential but challenged the team to further differentiate their product, refine their branding and distribution strategy, and address the inclusion of sugar in a health-oriented product. Overall, the feedback encouraged both groups to refine their business models, strengthen product positioning, and clarify their revenue strategies.
In recognition of their strong performance and potential, and thanks to MOBILISE project support, each group was awarded a €3,000 grant to co-finance essential startup investments, such as equipment and other operational needs to help launch and scale their businesses. Mentors and the university’s Business Incubation Center were also honored with Certificates of Appreciation for their guidance and commitment throughout the program.
The event concluded with encouraging words from Eskinder Berhanu, a successful young entrepreneur and Hawassa University graduate, who shared his personal journey from student incubatee to founder of a thriving agribusiness. He encouraged the participants to remain resilient, leverage partnerships, and continue building on the momentum created by the MOBILISE program.
This event marks an important milestone in the MOBILISE project’s mission to empower young talent in Ethiopia’s horticulture sector and to bridge the gap between education, entrepreneurship, and sustainable agribusiness innovation, by strengthening incubation capacity at Hawassa University and deepening links with the private sector.
Maastricht School of Management (MSM) played a central role in designing and supporting this entrepreneurship program. Through MSM’s expert Alemfrie Derese, MSM contributed to the development of the entrepreneurship training program and facilitated a training of trainers for the Hawassa University incubation staff, thereby strengthening their capacity to guide student entrepreneurs. MSM also closely monitored the implementation of the incubation process, providing both organizational support and technical expertise, including feedback during the internal preparatory pitching sessions. Finally, MSM was represented at the pitching event itself by Dr. Huub Mudde, Project Director, and Alemfrie Derese, local entrepreneurship expert.
To stay up to date with the progress and impact of the MOBILISE project, register for the quarterly newsletter or visit the MOBILISE website.
The Migration Partnership Facility
This news item has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union, contracted by ICMPD through the Migration Partnership Facility. The contents of this news item are the sole responsibility of the Maastricht School of Management, Maastricht University and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and the one of ICMPD.
MSM's Expert Centre on Emerging Economies
The MOBILISE project is part of MSM’s Expert Centre on Emerging Economies (ECEE) and exemplifies MSM's commitment to fostering international collaboration and developing sustainable solutions in climate-smart agriculture. By bridging the gap between education and industry, the project contributes to the creation of a skilled workforce capable of addressing the challenges of modern agriculture.
The ECEE department is an expert centre on sustainable private sector development in emerging and developing markets. We capacitate managers and professionals from government, private sector, NGOs, and post-secondary education in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Latin America. We offer consultancy and customized training programs, and we manage complex projects in key sectors, e.g. water, agriculture and health. For more information click here.
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