Our Value Proposition
CATALYZING PROSPERITY THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
What We Do
— We Find & Fund
Synergy Crowdfunder exists to help bring creative and impactful ideas and projects to life through our crowdfunding platform. Synergy crowdfunder is Ethiopia’s first crowdfunding platform established in 2019
— We Build Networks
Access to a huge network of investors, service providers, business mentors, government agencies, and the startup community.
— We Strengthen
Promote the development of entrepreneurship knowledge and skills of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) across the country
— We Educate
Key business and life skills such as business modeling, financial management, marketing, HR, tax, legal, risk management, team building, leadership, ethics, accountability, and more.
— We Provide Care
Prospective entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, who are interested in starting their own businesses and to develop self-employment
— We Consult
Support the establishment of new MSEs and the enhancement of existing ones through the provision of continuous business advisory services with a special focus on youth and women enterprises.
Our Approach
We catalyze Prosperity
Unemployment and underemployment continue to be serious social problems in Ethiopia despite some improvements made in recent years. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the primary job creation engine in Africa; according to the World Bank, over 95% of firms and 60% -70% of employment are SMEs. Yet, SMEs on the continent report that lack of access to finance is the biggest obstacle to growth and achieving scale. One of the key challenges in addressing youth unemployment and poverty alleviation is the lack of access to financial capital. The questions asked by many entrepreneurs seeking financing are “Where do I even go to get finance?”, “How do I get funded?” and “When do I get funded?
Most of the potential sources of finance in Ethiopia have stringent requirements for accessing loans, especially for youths who have no collateral to enable them to secure bank loans. Most youths in Africa lack assets that can act as collateral and mitigate the risk involved for the financiers and as a result, capital in Africa remains too expensive for most entrepreneurs looking to build a sustainable enterprise. Crowdfunding will be a critical tool that will bridge the access to financing gap that currently exists, as it will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their business idea to a pool of financiers. Synergy foundation plans to offer entrepreneurs in Ethiopia access to its innovative crowdfunding platform, and a range of entrepreneurial skills development programs and supports
— Our Mission
Our mission is to catalyze prosperity through increasing awareness of entrepreneurship and to motivate the youth to be creative, innovative, and self-employed.
— Our Vision
Our vision at Synergy Foundation Ethiopia is to be a catalyst for economic growth and social progress by promoting entrepreneurship among the youth. We envision a future where every young person in Ethiopia has access to the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to start and grow their own business, and where entrepreneurship is a viable and desirable career path. Through our work, we aim to inspire and empower the next generation of Ethiopian entrepreneurs, and to create a culture of innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship that will drive the country’s economic development and improve the livelihoods of its people. We strive to be a leading force in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation in Ethiopia and to create a network of successful entrepreneurs who will contribute to the country’s sustainable development for generations to come.