Basecamp Business Incubator

𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏 | 🌍 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯! The Founders’ Nexus Pilot brought together game-changing entrepreneurs, ecosystem players, and bold thinkers to explore the future of Namibia’s startup landscape. From fireside chats to the high-energy speed pitch, the event was only a glimpse into what’s possible when innovation meets opportunity. 🔥 🎥 VC: Milky Way Photography Corporate #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2024 #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryone • #Startup #Innovation 💡 #Growth 🌱 #Community 🫂 #Impact 📈 #ThinkOutside #GEWNamibia #FNBNamibia #GENNamibia #NABAN

Growing our ecosystem, one innovation at a time! 💡

We won Basecamp Business Incubator Start-Up of The Year Award 2024, Thank you for everyone who have voted for us as my team and I will strive to keep making progress and grow as a business, To Gaming and Game Development ecosystem in Africa this is a huge win because it’s about time that gaming gets recognized and seen as an important field in our respective economies and a field that governments Should start investing in. #GEN2024 NUST Research, Innovation and Partnerships MTC Namibia Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct Digital Valley Portugal

Last week marked a significant milestone in my startup founder journey: Talking candidly about building and growing Billet. For Global Entrepreneurship Week 2024, Basecamp Business Incubator organized the Founders Nexus Pilot—a day dedicated to bringing entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners together to drive innovation and growth in Namibia's startup ecosystem. During the event, I joined a panel discussion on scaling startups with inspiring founders, sharing challenges and lessons learned along the way. Also, as part of #GEW2024, I gave a brief presentation on my startup journey to over 60 entrepreneurs at the Empower-a-Startup Bootcamp, hosted by The Great Facilitator. While preparing for these talks, I kept coming back to a central theme: Billet’s journey has been underscored by resilience and survival. This isn’t unique to us. As Panduleni Victor from Ibia TV put it, navigating Namibia's startup ecosystem requires the grit of a Welwitschia—thriving in harsh conditions despite scarce funding, bureaucracy, and a fragmented community. But how did we do it? How have we survived over three years and kept striving? Here’s how: 1. Bootstrapping We fund our activities the old-fashioned way—with income for our jobs. Every dollar not needed for bills goes into the startup. It’s not glamorous, but it keeps the vision alive. → Pro tip: Set aside a fixed percentage of your income to reinvest—no matter how small it seems. 2. Keeping product costs low Low-code tools have been our secret weapon. They’re cheap, easy to use, and scalable. Why burn resources when lean solutions work? → Pro tip: Start with free tools that match your needs, upgrading only when necessary. 3. Being scrappy We’re a team of serial budgeters! We rarely pay unless it’s essential, and we maximize free plans and trials to get from point A to point B. → Pro tip: Create a "freebie inventory" of tools and resources for solving problems without spending a dime. 4. Remote first An office might seem like a startup rite of passage, but for us, it’s an unnecessary expense. We’re remote-first, with co-working and occasional meetups. → Pro tip: Evaluate how often your team needs face-to-face time. Use remote tools for everything else. 5. Seizing opportunities We apply to pitch competitions, grants, and accelerators aligned with our goals. It’s about more than funding—it’s networking, visibility, and unexpected wins. → Pro tip: Spend an hour weekly scouting opportunities and apply, even if you think you’re a long shot. -------- Resilience doesn’t make this journey easy, but it makes it possible. I’m grateful to have shared pieces of our story. What strategies have helped your startup survive and thrive? Let’s trade notes! FNB Namibia, GEN Namibia ACT, Sonia Mubiaelelwa, Magnaem A., Niita Shikongo, Ndeshihafela Ndivayele, Festus Malakia, Panduleni Victor, & Eline Nyau.

𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏 | 💡 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴! Take a look back at the excitement of the Namibia Business Angel Network (NABAN) Pitch Event #12, where visionary entrepreneurs shared their businesses with angel investors,, with the aim of securing mentorship and investment. 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥-𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 — 𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵-𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 — 𝘔𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 🤝 🎥 VC: Milky Way Photography Corporate #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2024 #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryone • #Startup #Innovation 💡 #Growth 🌱 #Community 🫂 #Impact 📈 #ThinkOutside #GEWNamibia #FNBNamibia #GENNamibia #NABAN Global Entrepreneurship Network

𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏 | 🎉 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵! Our official launch event for #GEW2024 set the tone for a week of inspiration, collaboration, and entrepreneurial celebration. Check out the highlights! 🌟 🎥 VC: Milky Way Photography Corporate #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2024 #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryone • #Startup #Innovation 💡 #Growth 🌱 #Community 🫂 #Impact 📈 #ThinkOutside #GEWNamibia #FNBNamibia #GENNamibia #NABAN Global Entrepreneurship Network GEN Namibia ACT

𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏 | 💡 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯! The #BasecampCook Programme Pitch Event brought together 20 remarkable startup founders who showcased their innovative business ideas with passion and purpose. From inspiring pitches to a room full of potential, the event highlighted the power of entrepreneurship to drive change. Here’s to bold ideas and brighter futures! 🚀 🎥 VC: Milky Way Photography Corporate #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2024 #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryone • #Startup #Innovation 💡 #Growth 🌱 #Community 🫂 #Impact 📈 #ThinkOutside #GEWNamibia #FNBNamibia #GENNamibia #NABAN

🌍 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒! | #𝗚𝗘𝗪𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘦 🏅 🌟 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞! As an event partner, Basecamp had the privilege of collaborating on the 20th anniversary of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame (NBHF), which marked the grand finale of #GEW2024 in Namibia. The prestigious event, powered by the incredible efforts of GEN Namibia ACT, supported by FNB Namibia, celebrated the inspiring journeys of Namibia’s most impactful entrepreneurs and leaders. From Laureates to Emerging Entrepreneurs, the evening was a testament to the vision, resilience, and innovation that define our entrepreneurial ecosystem. 🎉 Congratulations to all the 2024 Inductees! Your achievements inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to dream bigger and build bolder. 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: Mr. Alfeus Benjamin – CEO: Swakopmund Municipality Mr. Erwin Tjipuka – CEO: Standard Bank Namibia Dr. Erikson David & Dr. Henok Kleopas – Co-founders of Nkurenkuru Private Hospital Mrs. Esser Shilimela – Founder of Vin Par Essie 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀: Ernst Sirefwe Founder – EG Freshway Farming (Kavango East Region) Cecilia V Kamati – Founder of Superb Group of Schools (Omusati Region) Victoria Joel – Founder of Circle of Hope School [Special School for Autistic children and adults] (Oshana Region) Jolokeni Nambahu – Founder of Pepata Restaurant & Indigenous Food Supplies (Khomas Region) Vitalis P. Haupindi & Lotto Naghonda – Co-founders of YYeni AI (Khomas Region) Together, we continue to celebrate, connect, and grow the entrepreneurial spirit in Namibia! 🚀 #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #GEW2024 #EntrepreneurshipIsForEveryone • #Startup #Innovation 💡 #Growth 🌱 #Community 🫂 #Impact 📈 #ThinkOutside #GEWNamibia #FNBNamibia #GENNamibia #NABAN Global Entrepreneurship Network

I would like take this opportunity to announce to everyone that, Edu Game Namibia won Basecamp Business Incubator Start-Up of The Year Award 2024, Thank you for everyone who have voted for us as my team and I will strive to keep making progress and grow as a business, To Gaming and Game Development ecosystem in Africa this is a huge win because it’s about time that gaming gets recognized and seen as an important field in our respective economies and a field that governments Should start investing in. #GEN2024 NUST Research, Innovation and Partnerships MTC Namibia Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct Sanlam Namibia Digital Valley Portugal

You are an inspiration to the Namibian startup community 🌟, Basecamp Business Incubator .I am truly humbled to receive this award 🏆. Thank you once again for this amazing opportunity 🙏🏾.