10 Ethiopian Startups That Took Part in TGB’s Accelerator

The Good Business is an entrepreneurship program that has been initiated to enable Ethiopian impact businesses to survive the COVID 19 pandemic. The program was launched with a goal to minimize the economic blow of COVID 19 on businesses and help them design resilience and survival strategies.

The program is launched through a collaboration between various international and local organizations like Invest for Jobs, GIZ, KFW, Noah Foundation, iceaddis, Business Scouts for Development, Sequoa, NEONYT & Fashion Revolution Ethiopia.

TGB has two core programs that are designed to achieve its goal; a 10-week accelerator program & an Evolver program.

The TGB Accelerator was created for Ethiopian-based emerging ethical and sustainable enterprises in the food and nutrition, fashion and leisure, and health and wellness sectors.

TGB’s accelerator program is focused on enabling founders to establish effective growth strategies. It’s a wholesome combination of training, mentoring, and seed funding.

The program offers a working and meeting space, one-to-one mentorship, up to 5000 Euros in funding, and the possibility of a direct connection with a German private investor.

TGB launched its first accelerator cohort in April 2021. The program has trained & mentored 10 startups in the nutrition, fashion and leisure, and health and wellness sectors. After 10 weeks of business development support, training, and mentoring the program has come to an end on the 7th of June with a virtual pitch event.

Here are the profiles of the 10 startups from TGB accelerator.

10 startups That Took Part in TGB’s accelerator

Aklil

Founded by Yididiya Damtew, Aklil is a brand that creates hand-crafted lifestyle items and accessories from bamboo. Aklil’s unique value proposition is that it uses sustainable means and renewable resources to produce its products.

Aklil’s products are inspired by Ethiopian culture and heritage. Some of the products Aklil produces are socks, rugs, and cushions.

Aklil focuses on creating its products from bamboo because of its decomposable and ecofriendly nature. Through utilizing bamboo as its primary raw material for fiber Aklil aims to unleash the market potential of bamboo fiber in Ethiopia.

Bamboo Labs

Bamboo Labs is a bamboo-based mobility solutions startup. It produces wheelchairs and bicycle frames from bamboo. Abel Hailegiorgis started Bamboo labs with the inspiration to address the need for improved mobility for wheelchairs in Addis.

Bamboo Labs aims to enhance the quality of life through design. Through its sustainable solution, Bamboo Labs addresses 7 of the SDGs.

Berbera Market

Berbera Market is an online marketplace based in Ethiopia. Berbera focuses on selling handcrafted fashion items and accessories created by emerging SMEs in Ethiopia.

It was founded by three young entrepreneurs Bereket Getnet, Michael Fassika, Haleluya Abebe. The team aims to disrupt the Ethiopian digital business experience.

Afropian

Afropian is a lifestyle brand founded by Cameroonian Hortense Mbea. It is a brand that crafts and sells accessories, lifestyle items and interior design articles that reflects African unity and pride. These items are created by artisians in all parts of Africa.

Afropian’s products are luxurious and traditionally handcrafted with a theme that blends Ethiopian art with other African countries’ culture and artistic values.

Afropian products can be found on its online shop.

The Goat Addis

Founded by Nahom Michael & Alexander Hezkias in 2019, The Goat Addis is a coffee shop based in Addis Abeba.

It aims to change the way coffee is obtained, consumed and sold through its consistent product offering; innovative, sustainable, and traceable value chain; eco-friendly production, and packaging. It targets a market of 6Million conscious millennials who are concerned about where their coffee comes from.

Tuba Ethiopia

Tuba design and manufacturing PLC is an Ethiopian social enterprise that creates fashion accessories, fashionable bags, and backpacks in a sustainable and eco-friendly way. Tuba’s products are made from leather and cotton.

Tuba was founded by Kidist Tesfaye. It puts emphasis on creating jobs and positively impacting the environment. Tuba has employed over 35 women so far.

Tuba sells its tote bags and back packs via its online store.

Yonael Marga

Yonael Marega is a fashion brand named after its founder Yonael. It is a brand founded in 2019 with a relaunch in November 2020.

This brand focuses on creating innovative and conceptual fashion articles and art projects.

Yonael Marega produces its attires using traditional Ethiopian weaving techniques and embroidery. It targets professional African women aged between 28 -45.

Fili Coffee

Fili Coffee is a coffee sourcing, roasting, and serving company. It was founded by Philimon T-selassie. Fili Coffee offers light, medium, and medium-dark roasted coffee in different-sized packages. Its coffee shop located in Addis Abeba around Laphto provides coffee, and various traditional Ethiopian snacks.

Besides its main business operation, Fili Coffee also organizes events, and workshops to encourage youth engagement. So far it has trained and helped 12 entrepreneurs establish their own coffee shops.

Kushineta

Kushineta is a startup named after the Ethiopian version of a skateboard ‘Kushineta’. It is a company that designs and manufactures skateboards and hip streetwear.

Kushineta sells its products through an online shop. In addition to its merchandise, the startup also offers skateboarding training to the youth.

Maleda Crafts

Founded by Alemayehu Mulat, Maleda Crafts creates bags, shoes, and rags from recycled plastic and textile. These maleda products are sold through its online shop.

Maleda is a social enterprise that aspires to create a self-reliant and innovative community through creating jobs. Maleda’s products are traditionally weaved and handmade.

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