UKZN Student Attends Africa’s Biggest Entrepreneurship Forum

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Business Science student, Mr Jabulani Nyembe, was not only one of more than 5 000 entrepreneurs to attend the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum in Abuja, Nigeria, but he was also awarded $5 000 seed investment and mentoring.

The second-year student was selected from more than 200 000 applicants to take part in the forum. He is the founder and Managing Director of a start-up called Clinalytics which aims to create software for medical doctors to record and store patients’ medical records.

‘The forum included panel discussions with internationally acclaimed persons and masterclasses around entrepreneurship which are directly applicable within my business,’ said Nyembe.

‘I learnt a lot from these sessions and being in a space with other entrepreneurs where I have now found collaborators with whom I will work. I am also benefitting from establishing networks and contacts which I will share with some of my classmates and colleagues within the University community in different clubs and societies. I am grateful to the Student Governance and Leadership Development department that ensured my trip to the forum was a success.’ he added.

The forum was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be addressed by African heads of state such as the presidents of Rwanda, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and other dignitaries. Engaging in discussions with policy?makers, development leaders, and entrepreneurs on how an enabling environment can be created for?entrepreneurship across Africa has given him a better, practical understanding of the concepts he has been learning in class.

‘I now have a better understanding of the concepts we learn in class, such as medium and long-term financing for a business and working capital management. I am currently working on finalising the development of my software and will start alpha and beta testing by the end of the year. Hopefully, by mid-2020, the company will be able to publicly launch the software to all medical doctors in the private sector. I will be finishing my degree with honours in 2021 and from there I will focus on scaling up the services of my company nationally,’ he said.

Words: Thandiwe Jumo

Photograph: Supplied