Thais Costa
Unleashing Innovation
This project, initiated by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), aimed to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among local entrepreneurs in Uganda. By providing essential tools and resources, it supported the development of marketable innovations with a positive social impact. A key outcome was the co-creation of eight innovation concepts, which were shared with Dutch entrepreneurs for matchmaking, along with expert advice on facilitating and scaling the methodology.
Design Innovation Group (DIG) and Proportion Global developed a design thinking-based methodology, including design sprints focused on matchmaking sectors, thematic areas, and available resources. The goal was to create a flexible, adaptable approach that could be tailored to different contexts to drive innovation.
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My Role:
In my role as project manager, I ensured the project ran smoothly and coordinated between RVO Netherlands, DIG, Proportion Global, and local entrepreneurs in Uganda, making sure timelines, resources, and budgets were on track. My focus was on creating a collaborative and inclusive environment for innovation, while keeping stakeholders updated and overcoming any challenges.
Company/ partners
Output
Developing impactful business and market-driven innovations with Design Thinking.
Location
Uganda
Date
2023
The design challenge
Dutch entrepreneurs often struggle to navigate foreign markets, facing challenges in understanding local contexts and finding suitable partners, which can result in innovations that miss the mark on local needs. Traditional matchmaking programs by RVO focus mainly on Dutch companies, potentially sidelining local entrepreneurs’ input. RVO hypothesized that success lies in addressing clear market demands and collaborating with local entrepreneurs.
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The design challenge was how to involve African entrepreneurs at an earlier stage, thereby adding value, ensuring their business case was clear and effective for a matchmaking with Dutch entrepreneurs. Importantly, this design sprint methodology should be able to be scaled and replicated in other regions in the future.
The outcome
By applying a Design Thinking approach, the project helped 9 Ugandan entrepreneurs develop marketable business cases that addressed local needs and delivered positive impact. These innovative ideas not only promoted entrepreneurship in Uganda but also improved the matchmaking process between local and Dutch entrepreneurs, ensuring both parties were well-equipped to collaborate on impactful innovations.
An additional key outcome was the development of a scalable methodology that could be replicated in other contexts. Through the use of Design Thinking principles, this approach provided valuable tools for entrepreneurs and organizations like RVO to enhance matchmaking effectiveness. The integration of peer-to-peer exchange, tailored coaching, and mentorship ensured that innovations were developed collaboratively and contextually, fostering stronger partnerships and long-term success.
