BDS+ Special Focus 4: Networking & Partnerships - Possibilities at the SEED BDS+ ToTs
At SEED ToTs, participants – BDS consultants, incubators and accelerators – enjoy peer-learning and have the opportunity to network and build partnerships. When we asked several BDS ToT participants what their main takeaways were from the workshops, many mentioned the networking possibilities and new partnerships formed.
Callum (Yunus Centre AIT, Thailand)
When you spend three days with a bunch of people locked in a conference room, you end up making friends, establishing relationships and learning what other organisations are doing. This was a big strong point of the programme and a very valuable part of the training.
Emmanuel (iCode Gh, Ghana)
I like how it was really interactive. I met many participants from different backgrounds, diverse sectors and different levels of experience. This helped to broaden our perspectives and know-how.
Aditi (SIDBI Innovation & Incubation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur, India)
When I applied to join the ToT, I wasn’t sure if my profile as someone with a technical background would fit into the cohort of business people. However, knowledge transfer actually happened a lot at the workshop. For example in doing business plan analysis, my teammates have a lot of experience doing it with the start-ups, and I was able to learn a lot from them.
Emmanuel (SNV Ghana)
The training was very good. I have worked with some of the participants before, so I knew them, but there were also new people who we contacted after the training for engagement in one way or another. It brought us experts together to go through the SEED Tools and training methods which were really good. I learnt a lot!
Vivian (Challenges Uganda)
The people I met and the new contacts I made have been helpful. I am still in touch with some of them on a project where we work with young people, where we send them into enterprises to work as BDS providers. So I am using the contacts I made from the SEED ToT to identify enterprises in their network that would be able to benefit from this.
