ITRealms
Microsoft Nigeria has unveiled Cloudpreneur,
a startup academy with ISO 27018 Cloud Privacy Certification, even as the applications for the Cloudpreneur
Project opens today, Friday 20th of March through Sunday 19th of April 2015,
ITRealms.
These were disclosed at a media parley
in Lagos by officials of Microsoft Nigeria, noting, there are more than 4 million
youths that are out of school and jobless, hence the company wants to assist
them using cloud technology to make them Microsoft cloud marketers, with
support from Faith Foundation and Maramentors.
Kabelo Makwane, Managing Director
of Microsoft Nigeria informed
ITRealms that at the end of the project, the 20 best
performing participants will receive mentorship to manage their own profitable
businesses based on Cloud technology.
“Microsoft is committed to
improving youth skills for both entrepreneurship and employability across
Africa. Our efforts in Nigeria started with the launch of the Employability
Portal in 2013, which provides a platform for youth to learn leadership skills
and network with other leaders. Now through the Cloudpreneur Project, we hope
to enable and empower young business owners, so that they can contribute to the
social and economic growth of Nigeria,” he said.
The Project, he explained will be
open to 1,000 applicants who have been in business for 1 – 3 years. From these
applications, 100 successful participants will be chosen. These participants
will receive a four-week long training on business management, including
training on: sales, technology, entrepreneurship, marketing, communication and
start-ups management. Following this, 30 of these 100 participants will be
provided with startup models and, finally, the top 20 performers will be
mentored on how to build their own Cloud-based business.
“Cloud technology has the
potential to transform competitiveness amongst startups and SMEs, which is why
we’re encouraging adoption of the Cloud through this Project,” adds Kabelo. “It
delivers easier access to IT, slashes costs, improves productivity and enables
more agile, innovative business models, where everything startups need can be
accessed and done on the web anywhere, anytime and off any device.”
The Executive Director, Fate
Foundation, Habiba Balogun said “Fate Foundation is delighted to partner and
support Microsoft in its Cloudpreneur initiative which aims to empower
entrepreneurs in the Tech-related business to not only improve and hone their
skills and knowledge via an intensive training under the assured guidance of
Microsoft but also to be equipped to run successful businesses and create
employment via Fate Foundation's proven Entrepreneurship Training.
Technological Innovation translated into economic activity is the future for
Nigeria and we commend Microsoft for being part of enabling wealth creation in
Nigeria.” She said.
A similar initiative, known as
the Cloud Startup Academy, was launched by Microsoft, the Association of Women
Entrepreneurs in Morocco (AFEM) and INWI in Morocco in June 2014. The Academy
takes 50 Moroccan women through a six-month programme, where they receive
accelerated training on the Cloud to help them launched Cloud-based solutions.
While the Academy is open only to women – particularly young graduates and job
seekers – the Cloudpreneur Project is open to both male and female startups
across Nigeria.
“Mara Mentor is proud to bring
our expertise in entrepreneurship support and mentorship to the Cloudpreneurs
Project,” says Hetal Shah, Director of Operations at Mara. “As an initiative focused
on enabling, empowering and inspiring entrepreneurs, we believe this is an
opportunity for young Nigerians in technology to get the training, support, and
mentorship needed to build or grow cloud-based businesses.”
“It is pertinent that young people
embrace the culture entrepreneurship in line with global trends, and with
increasing wave of cloud computing, Mara Mentor is happy to partner with
Microsoft to empower cloud-based entrepreneurs and their ideas,” he adds.
Correspondent/GEE
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