Skills, Tools & Strategies to Accelerate Your Business Growth
Reach for Growth
For Africa’s Ambitious Business Owners
Joining other business owners from across Africa, you will focus on achieving your aspirational business growth goals and improving your business management skills through interactive virtual workshops, practical online tools & courses, and peer-group learning.
Infused with Stanford Seed Expertise
Unique to the Stanford Seed-sponsored edition of Aspire, your learning journey will include a live guest lecture from the Stanford Graduate School of Business Faculty.
Performance Benefits
The top 10% performing businesses in each cohort will receive pro bono access to Stanford Seed mentors and project-based Stanford Seed consultants, as determined by the level of commitment.
EXPRESS INTEREST
About the Aspire Business Growth Programme
For Business Owners & Founders
- The main applicant and participant is the Business Owner, CEO, or Founder of the business
- For Leadership Team: Business owner accompanied by up to 2 senior leaders
Business Profile
- Years In Business: Business in operation for more than 1 year
- Revenue: Generated between $20,000 – $400,000 in annual revenue in the last financial year
- Employees: The business has a minimum of 3 full-time employees
- Internet Enabled: Smartphone/internet connection to access online tools, courses, and the online community
- Performance-Oriented: Willing to share key performance/financial data (so that you and we can learn about your growth progress).
About the Learning Journey
PHASE 1
Get Set Up for Growth: Planning and Money
PHASE 2
Lead for Growth: Talent
PHASE 3
Identify Growth Opportunities: Customers
PHASE 4
Financial Analysis: Money
PHASE 5
Build Talent Pipeline: Talent
PHASE 6
Plan for Growth: Planning
PHASE 7
Growth Network
PROGRAMME START DATE
SEPTEMBER, 2023
DURATION
6-MONTHS
(Time commitment will be no more than 3-4 hours per week.)
FORMAT
ONLINE
PROGRAMME FEE
$650 per business*
* This cost covers 3 people i.e. the business owner plus 2 other senior members of the team
*Stanford Seed is providing scholarships of up to 75% based on your organization’s needs.
Proven Results for Businesses & Entrepreneurs
“To say that the Aspire Programme is my most eventful and practically enriching programme is an understatement. As a company, we owe you, AMI and Stanford”
-Dankishiya Saleh Hadi, CEO & Principal Associate, Dankish & Associates Limited, Nigeria
“Joining Aspire was one of the best decisions we made in 2021. When we took the programme, we realized we needed to streamline our processes. Installations that would take us 5 days to complete, now take us 3 days. We are saving money and getting a lot more work done.”
-Delali Pearce Founder , Macht Energy Ltd, Ghana
Aspire has been a great experience. The planning and customers & markets toolkits in particular helped us achieve our revenue growth goal.
-Ennes Edison Basson, Quanova Consulting and Advisory Namibia
“After college, 29 years ago, these classes definitely had the biggest impact. I want to also share my knowledge Aspire was just an amazing experience .”
– Mustafa Jacksi, Managing Director, Spik and Span Limited, Tanzania
“Getting the opportunity to engage and learn from other business owners especially those who run businesses unrelated to mine, opened my mind to a wealth of opportunities available there”
– Linda Nyambezi, Founder and Managing Partner, Insele Capital, South Africa
The toolkits you get from the programme are easy to use, practical, and have saved us a lot of money
-Dineo Saleshando, Loago Financial Services, Botswana
2022: Impact Report
The Resilience Factor
In this report, we share how AMI’s continued innovation in African enterprise and skills development has helped the individuals and businesses we serve to stand strong for the long term, and continue to create and sustain livelihoods – including of youth and women – through increasing turbulence.
Amidst ongoing challenges, our focus on driving deep shifts in mindset and building grit and agency has equipped entrepreneurs and leaders to thrive and innovate.
Build & grow as you learn
Instead of talking at entrepreneurs about concepts and theories, AMI introduces practical business and management tools that can be applied to business practices on day one. Participants navigate their learning journey with our learning platform and apps, powerful facilitator-led learning experiences, and peer-to-peer support.
YOUR TOOLKIT FOR BUSINESS
More than traditional training - practical tools that you’ll use immediately
HUMAN-CENTRED LEARNING
Expect engaging Learning Labs led by world-class facilitators and interactive peer group meetings
BITE-SIZED CONTENT ON THE GO
Get the content you need, when you need it, via web and mobile. Access 20+ online courses & over 125 business tools
Start Your Aspire Journey
Learn More
Connect with our Enrolment Team
Certificate of completion
The Aspire Business Growth Programme is also available in French:
The Faculty & Team
Bronwen McConkey
Chief Product Officer
Sam Kimera
Facilitator
Caroline Karangi
Facilitator
Kirsty Tudhope
Lead Learner Success
Latest Updates
About AMI and Stanford Seed’s Collaboration
Stanford Seed is collaborating with African Management Institute (AMI) to provide an exclusive offer for early-stage founders and business owners. The goal of the AMI and Stanford Seed relationship is to help your business achieve its aspirational growth objectives by blending AMI’s business growth programme with Stanford Seed’s expertise
Scholarship Support
For a limited time, Stanford Seed is providing partial scholarships for the Aspire Business Growth programme to qualified applicants.
FAQs
The next cohort kick’s off September, 2023
The program runs for 6 months each month you have;
- 120 min. live learning lab/webinar where the topic/concept for that month is introduced by AMI expert facilitators.
- An online learning platform where you will be expected to to download tools and resources for continuous learning and
- A pod this small peer meeting where founders meet to discuss and problem solve.
This cycle happens every month and your commitment is 3 to 4 hours per week.
During the 3rd month, we have a guest lecture from Stanford Graduate School of Business Faculty and after the 6 months of learning, you can apply for mentorship and project based consultants from the Stanford Seed, this comes at no additional cost.
Yes, there are live learning lab sessions every month.
The programme also includes accessing our learning platform where you can download resources and access courses on demand.
All the sessions in this programme are virtual, no sessions are done in person/face-to-face.
This is not an academic programme so there are no graded assessments, however, at the end of each phase there are tools and resources that you are supposed to review, download and implement on your business.
Once you complete your application, a selection committee reviews your application to check your eligibility. This process takes 1-4 days. We intend to respond to you as soon as your application has been reviewed.
We encourage you to check the eligibility criteria listed on this programme page before applying.
No. As the business owner and the key driver of change in your organization, you are required to actively participate in the programme .
However in certain circumstances, we allow senior team members such as co-founders, directors or C-suite executives e.g chief operations officer to attend of behalf of the business owner.
The cost of the programme is $650 per business. This fee covers 3 people i.e. the business owner plus 2 other senior members of their team. Nominating the 2 additional participants is optional . Meaning whether you decide to attend alone as the business owner, or accompanied by 1 or 2 team members, the price of the programme is the same. Please note that there will be no additional costs incurred by you during the course of the programme
The fee covers 3 people i.e. the business owner plus 2 other senior members of their team. Nominating the 2 additional participants is optional . Meaning whether you decide to attend alone as the business owner, or accompanied by 1 or 2 team members, the price of the programme is the same.
A 4th or other additional participants will be charges $217 USD per person for the full duration of the proramme
Yes . 50% at contracting (to confirm your enrollment) and the remaining 50% due one month after the 1st installment.
For a limited time Stanford Seed is offering further scholarships of up to 75% based on the organization’s needs.
Female -led businesses, businesses in agriculture, clean energy or those operating in small and rural markets are encouraged to apply for the programme.
Yes.
On enrolment we send you a payment link customized to your country. So you can pay in your local currency or in USD whichever is convenient.
Yes. On graduation you get a certificate of completion from both AMI and Stanford Seed.
AMI and Stanford Seed do not offer business loans or any direct business funding to participating businesses.
However as part of the programme you will learn how to access finance to grow your business. We have seen participants who successfully complete the programme leverage their skills to access funding.