The A-Z of LEA’s Business Incubation Programme

The A-Z of LEA’s Business Incubation programme. Are you an aspiring entrepreneur with an innovative idea ready for the market? Chances are you have the financial muscle to kickstart your project but lack other resources and a place to setup your business. The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) has for years now run an incubation programme that has housed numerous exceptional businesses and its doors are always open for the next amazing project!

The modeling of the incubator program is tailored on the premise of agreed priority sectors in Botswana and forms part of entrepreneurial centers focused on development of skills necessary and the creation of an enabling environment for accelerated growth of businesses. This focus targets sectors with high growth potential.

LEA Has Five Incubators;

Gaborone Leather Industries Incubator

The starting sector with potential is the down-stream leather industry which culminated into the creation of the Leather Industry Incubator based in Gaborone. This incubator was set up to strengthen the leather industry in Botswana. New enterprises currently include upholstery, shoe manufacture and other leather products.

Pilane Multi sector Incubator (2009)-

Next area with potential is the Pilane Multi-sector Incubator which attracted a broad range of local companies including food processing, household chemicals manufacturing.

Francistown Industrial Business Incubator (2011)

The third is the Francistown Light Industrial Business Incubator which houses a wide range of businesses which include manufacture of industrial products, among them steel works, furniture, textile, packaging, etc.Glen Valley Horticulture Incubator (2011

Glen Valley Horticulture Incubator

The fourth Incubator is the Glenvalley Horticulture Incubator which is based in Gaborone with the prime intention of introducing innovative approaches to ensure increased horticulture production through modern technologies and improved farming practices. This approach ensures sustained transfer of technology and is targeted towards reduction of imports. This incubator intends to grow high value, high demand, high yield crops under controlled environment using treated waste water. Currently only tomatoes are grown in the Glenvalley due to their off-season high demand. Production structures include tunnels using passive ventilation, Green houses with controlled environment and Shade net with anti-virus, insect proof nets

Kutla Incubation Centre (2017)

The Kutla Incubation Centre was introduced to bridge technology gap in machine operation, manufacturing/production process and business advisory services. The Centre is located in Gaborone along the Nkrumah Road with the aim to address lack of entrepreneurial skills amongst the out of school youth and the disadvantaged groups in the society. This incubator is piloting training on general, technical and business aspects in different manufacturing plants. The facility was set up to house 12 projects but currently operating seven (7) manufacturing plants namely: toilet roll manufacturing, confectionary making (biscuit, cookies/bread making), sunflower oil extraction, liquid detergent making, packaging solutions (granules and powder), socks knitting and ice cream cone manufacturing.

LEA was set up to promote entrepreneurship and SMME development through various support services, especially through incubation coaching; the organization also offers services related to skills development and start-up support. The purpose of LEA incubators is to therefore develop and grow businesses as a way of fostering economic growth and job creation.