ZBIN – The Entrepreneurial Chariot of Empowerment

Background

THE Zim Business Ideas and Network (ZBIN) was formed in 2014 and formally registered as a trust in May 2017, trust deed 00457/2017. The forum uses the Mirasapo Model, which is a Japanese term for supporting the future needs of entrepreneurship, using digital platforms. It is a leading entrepreneurship forum of 91 000 members, with main objectives being;

• Provision of access to opportunities information to entrepreneurs,
• Access to marketing platforms and resources,
• Access to capital, and
• Unlocking opportunities through networking,

Vision & Mission

• Supporting the future needs of entrepreneurship

Core Values

Transparency, Effective Networking, Compliance, Partnership and Innovation

Some Members of ZBIN attending meetings and some other activities

Major Milestones

• Empowered more than 1000 SADC women (6 countries) directly in handmade carpets making in 2018
• Empowered hundreds of SADC women (4 countries) directly in hat making programmes in 2018
• Received a traditional award in Kwazulu Natal for the impact of our work
• Founder (Victor Munemo Muchemwa) is 2^nd Runner Up Business Coach of the Year for Zimbabwe in 2020
• Attracted the largest number of entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe at events in February (180), March (240), Seke Tour in October (100)
• Mobilised members to foreign business tours to Mozambique (Tete & Beira)
• Published 6 books to date on business opportunities and digital marketing
• Formed 5 crowdfunding companies with a total value of $80,000 –  the companies are based in Zimbabwe and South Africa
• Established a website (www.zbinworld.com)  that has more than 700 posts and almost a million views

Challenges

The forum has a thin budget and mostly relies on a few members subscriptions. Most of our members need capital for projects and the forum is not in a position to assist although we have innovated with the crowdfunding model, however, this is a drop in the ocean.

The Future of ZBIN

We would like to fully empower our members by making the forum active in local areas. We started on a great note on November 21, with well attended forum events across the country. The target is to have all the 91k members attending events, creating markets and unlocking opportunities in their areas of residents.

We started on a high note and we expect the buzz word across the country to be entrepreneurship, with our members unlocking opportunities to start and upscale their operations.

Our objective is to see fully empowered entrepreneurs contributing to the economic development of Zimbabwe.