iceaddis

On December 24, 2024, we gathered at the Ramada Hotel for a pivotal consultation on the Startup Proclamation. The event brought together startups, support organizations, investors, associations, development partners and policymakers to collaboratively address challenges and opportunities within the ecosystem. Outcome of the Consultation: We are proud to announce that the discussions and insights from the event will be compiled into a Policy Brief, which will be shared soon with the wider ecosystem. This document will provide clear, actionable recommendations for consideration for the responsible organization in the revision of the proclamation and guide policy decisions to drive meaningful change for startups' in Ethiopia. Ministry of Innovation And Technology- Ethiopia, Ethiopian Capital Market Authority, Ethiopian Investment Holdings. Highlights of the Event: 🔹 Our master of ceremony was Kalkidan Mulugeta 🔹 Opening remarks were made by Biruk Yosef Zenebe and Hailemelekot Tekesteberhan Tekleyohannis, CMSA® 🔹 Selamyhun Adefris Haile gave clarity and context how the Startup Act was developed. 🔹 Tsegamlak Solomon gave a presentation on how the Startup Act address challenges, unlocks potential, and fosters innovation with tailored support in the Ethiopian Startup Ecosystem. 🔹 Dynamic breakout sessions were held by the stakeholders that revealed challenges in the ecosystem and generated practical recommendations. The breakout sessions were facilitated by Bruck Sewnet, Hoheteberhan Arefeaine, Nasreen M. Adem Thank you to everyone who contributed to this successful consultation. Stay tuned for the release of the policy brief as we move forward to shape a brighter future for Ethiopian startups! #EASE #EthiopianStartups #PolicyBrief #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #EcosystemDevelopment Melaketsehaye Messele Lelaw Wondimu Beza Gebrekidan Dagmawit Shiferaw Tam Sul Seminas Hadera Nebiyou Yirga Wolde

New Course Alert: Stay Safe Online! Introducing our latest addition to the Venture Meda Bot: Internet Safety in the Ethiopian Digital Landscape. Language: Amharic & Afaan Oromoo Start learning today with : https://lnkd.in/eVhRNm7A #DigitalSafety #VentureMedaBot

Venture360 is supporting entrepreneurship across Ethiopia by bringing together business minds, professionals, and community leaders to exchange ideas and explore opportunities. Through events in cities like Hawassa, Bahir Dar, and Mekelle, the initiative highlights key topics such as the digital economy, sustainable practices, and business resilience. With tools like the Venture Meda Bot, it equips participants with practical skills and resources to grow their businesses and connect with peers. Discover how #Venture360 is fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across communities.

Access to Finance Networking Event: Accelerating Ethiopian Agricultural Ventures! On December 4th, 2024, the USAID CATALYZE Market Systems for Growth (MS4G) hosted an “Access to Finance Networking Event” as part of the Fertilizer for Food (F4F) Open Innovation Challenge (OIC). The primary goal of this event was to connect OIC awardees with financial institutions and investors, enhancing the growth of impactful solutions for Ethiopia’s agricultural sector. The event commenced with opening remarks from Ms. Liya Getahun, Enterprise Growth and Enabling Specialist at USAID CATALYZE MS4G. She introduced the project and emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving innovation and sustainable growth within Ethiopia’s agriculture. Following her, Mr. Dagim Mulatu, Investment and Resource Mobilization Specialist at USAID CATALYZE MS4G, provided valuable insights. He encouraged innovators to pitch their ideas confidently and urged financial institutions to attentively consider the needs of these ventures attentively, fostering deeper partnerships. Five OIC ventures presented their innovative solutions during the pitching sessions. These awardees showcased their business models, growth strategies, and funding requirements. The participating enterprises included #BogaleBorenaVermi Compost Production and Distribution, #GreenREE Recycling, #TedlaBelachewOrganicFertilizer Production, #3AM Manufacturing, and  THUR BIOTECH. Their pitches highlighted scalable solutions to Ethiopia’s agricultural challenges by producing organic/non-chemical fertilizers. The presentations generated significant interest, followed by insightful questions and constructive feedback from attendees, who included representatives from seven banks and eleven individuals from the finance sector. An additional event highlight was the Networking Session, which facilitated connections between ventures and financial institutions, enabling discussions on potential funding opportunities and strategic partnerships. Thank you to all participants for contributing to this event's resounding success! #CATALYZE #Finance #Fertilizer #FoodSecurity

See you tonight at Blue Nile's Monday Talks! Session Details: 📆 Tonight, Dec 09, 2024 ⏰ 6 PM (Doors Open) ⏰ 6:30 PM (Session Starts) 📍ICE Addis, Bole: Location: iceaddis, Bole Medhanialem, next to Kebe Cake/Pastry - in front of Chanoly Want to become a member? Come check us out tonight at iceAddis around Bole Medhanialem, Next to The Hub hotel. For more information, join our Telegram: (https://lnkd.in/dnmuxB95) Lalise Getachew Rediet Kefelegn Moges Esayas Yeyesuswork Dagmawi Ameha Dagmawi Bedilu Degefe Israel Tewodrose Shega Adane Aweke Alula Pankhurst Mekedela Mekuria Hailu, DTM Mekdes Tamrat Semira H Ebrahim, MD, MSc Samrawit Geremew Natnael Aklog Laike #BlueNileMondays #BlueNileToastmastersClub #Toastmasters #PublicSpeaking #Leadership

🚀 We did it! 🏆 Excited to share that my team and I won 1st place at the Venture Meda Hackathon organized by iceaddis with our project JCraft! 🎨💡 JCraft is an eCommerce platform designed to empower wood furniture craftsmen in Jimma and surrounding areas by expanding their market access and showcasing their creativity through innovative features like 3D modeling and AR visualization. A huge shoutout to our mentor, Alemisa Endebu, for his invaluable guidance and support throughout the journey. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without his insights and the incredible effort and collaboration of my amazing team. A big thank you as well to the organizers, mentors, and everyone who supported us along the way. 🙌 Also this couldn't have happened without Jimma University Institute of Technology - Artificial Intelligence Center, Jimma University. Here’s to solving real-world problems through technology and innovation! 🌍✨ my team (Tokuma Abdisa Goro Lalisa Bula Naol Fisseha Hermela Hailegiorgis) #Hackathon #Innovation #Teamwork #JCraft #eCommerce #AR #3DModeling #JimmaInstituteofTechnology #VentureMedaHackathon #iceaddis #Hackathon #eCommerceInnovation #Solana #WinBig

Proud to share that we earned 1st place at the Venture Meda Hackathon by iceaddis with our project, JCraft! 🎉 JCraft is an eCommerce platform designed to empower wood furniture craftsmen using tools like 3D modeling and AR visualization. A heartfelt appreciation to my incredible team: Tokuma Abdisa Goro, Firaol Tesfaye 🇪🇹,Naol Fisseha , and Hermela Hailegiorgis—your dedication and creativity made this achievement possible! Grateful to iceaddis , Jimma University Institute of Technology - Artificial Intelligence Center,Jimma University , and everyone who supported us along the way! #JCraft #eCommerce #3DModeling #ARVisualization #Innovation #iceaddis

On November 21st and 22nd, the iceaddis Communication Team had the privilege of attending a transformative two-day workshop on "Crafting and Disseminating Compelling Impact Stories," organized by our esteemed partner, Mastercard Foundation. This eye-opening session highlighted the power of storytelling in driving change and emphasized how compelling narratives can elevate the visibility of our work. The workshop explored key strategies for crafting impactful stories that humanize development efforts, reminding us that while reports are essential, it is the voices of those we serve that truly tell our story. This invaluable opportunity to learn, share, and grow reinforced the importance of storytelling in creating lasting impact and broader engagement. We’re grateful to Mastercard Foundation for organizing this remarkable workshop.

My team and I participated in the Code for the Future event, which aimed to empower young girls by providing training in coding and business. This initiative targeted participants with basic programming knowledge and equipped them with industry-level skills to solve local problems, start businesses, or secure employment in the tech industry—all contributing to sustainable development. While the initial plan was to train 60 girls, the overwhelming interest saw that number grow to 75 participants! We received two days of intensive hackathon training from experienced programmers, combined with entrepreneurship mentoring and support by senior developers to coach us in building practical applications. From a jury of experts in business, ICT, and innovation, three finalists were selected, and I am thrilled to share that my team and I took first place! As winners, we were promised to receive ongoing support from UNESCO and ICEADDIS to help translate our project into a business. Our project, Upgradify, is an innovative self-improving website built with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP. It helps users achieve their best version, accessible on both web and mobile platforms. The simplicity yet effectiveness of Upgradify reflects the power of technology to drive personal growth. A key highlight of this journey was being selected to present Upgradify on the final day of the competition. I had the honour of representing my team during the presentation—a thrilling experience where I showcased our vision and innovation to a panel of experts and fellow participants. This program was a transformative journey for me. I learned so much beyond coding, including: Teamwork: Collaborating with diverse perspectives to achieve a shared goal. Entrepreneurship: Understanding market needs and planning for sustainability. Problem-solving: Tackling challenges creatively and resiliently. Confidence: Being surrounded by brilliant, motivated women was incredibly empowering. A heartfelt thanks to UNESCO and iceaddis for this incredible experience. This journey is a powerful reminder of how impactful such initiatives can be, especially for young women in tech. I hope to see even more programs that inspire and equip future innovators to make meaningful contributions to our world. For more about the Code for the Future event, check out this blog post: BY UNESCO : https://lnkd.in/d2MPt6wq Markos Lemma #Teamwork #Innovation #WomenInTech #YouthEmpowerment #UNESCO #CodeForTheFuture #LifelongLearning

We support Emebet - Job Matching Platform's growth through the #VentureMeda program. https://lnkd.in/dEd-TEnm