Empowerment Institute
An exciting opportunity for startups to soar to success. Empowering youth, women, men, cooperatives, families, and students to elevate their Entrepreneurship Readiness Levels.
The ImbaHub Entrepreneurship and Innovation Challenge is meticulously crafted to empower individuals, cooperatives, families, churches, clubs, graduates, and students from various institutions. Participants will collaborate with seasoned subject matter experts and gain access to business incubation services for up to 4 years.
Who can participate in the ImbaHub 2026 Entrepreneurship Challenge? Click on each category to see detailed requirements.
Only early-stage start-ups are eligible (Pre-seed or seed stage). Established businesses or ventures beyond seed stage are not eligible for this competition.
All participants must be 16 years of age or above. For participants under 18, parental consent may be required for certain aspects of the competition.
Minimum of 1 and maximum of 15 members per team. At least one member must be designated as the team lead for all official correspondences.
All submissions must be the original work of the team. Plagiarism or use of unauthorized third-party content will result in immediate disqualification.
Participants may use English, Tonga, Ndebele, Shona, or any other native language used in the selected province. Translation support may be available upon request.
All entries must include a Pitch Deck with a maximum of 10 slides. The deck should clearly present the business concept, market opportunity, and implementation plan.
Teams can be composed of family members to encourage family entrepreneurship. This includes immediate and extended family members.
Students and graduates from universities, polytechnical institutions, agricultural colleges, and teachers' colleges are encouraged to participate.
Cooperatives, churches, clubs, and newly established small and medium enterprises can register as teams for the competition.
Note: Participants choose to compete in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre of their choice. Registration can be done individually or as part of a team.
From idea to investment-ready: Our structured timeline guides you through every step
The competition officially begins. Early bird registration opens.
Skills-building workshops to prepare participants for the challenge.
Intensive bootcamping to refine ventures and investment readiness.
Pitch rehearsals and final deck preparation for the grand finale.
The Pitch Week and Award ceremony where winners will be announced.
Win big at both provincial and national levels! The competition ends, but your startup journey continues.
Massive cash prizes to be distributed among top-performing startups at the national level.
Significant cash awards for winners in each province competing at the provincial level.
Access to provincial entrepreneurship and business incubation support services for up to 4 years.
Total prize pool distributed among national winners
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Provincial prize pool
Choose your registration category and secure your spot in the ImbaHub 2026 Challenge. Expand the sections below to see fee details.
One-time registration fee required for all participants. This fee is non-refundable and covers administrative costs for processing applications.
Pay Registration FeeTotal competition fee for ImbaHub registered members. Flexible installment options available.
Total competition fee for non-members. Flexible installment options available.
Early bird competition fee for ImbaHub registered members. Save 20%!
Early bird competition fee for non-members. Save 20%!
Important: The $20 registration fee is mandatory and non-refundable. Competition fees can be paid in flexible installments (2-5 payments). Early Bird Discounts end on 20 June 2026. Register early to save up to $50!
Join hundreds of entrepreneurs in the ImbaHub 2026 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Challenge. Take the first step toward success today.
Register Now