Wimbart Launches Office Hours to support the strategic growth of African Businesses

Wimbart, the Public Relations agency specialising in Africa & emerging markets, has launched the second edition of its Office Hours Program, that equips early stage technology startups with the PR and communications tools needed to help scale their businesses. In partnership with Pan-African early stage fund Ventures Platform, and leading media platform Techpoint Africa, the three (3) – month program will deliver PR and business mentorship to 30 Africa focused startups. Targeted at technology-enabled startups building solutions for Africans on the continent or in the Diaspora, eligible start-ups must be less than two years old, have a minimum viable product and be pre-Series A.

Launched in March 2020, the pilot Wimbart Office Hours Program saw 22 startups, including Crop2Cash, Ecodudu and Wellahealth selected from a pool of over 80 applicants from across Africa, Europe and the US. Successful startups joined an in-depth PR webinar + Q&A with Wimbart founder and Managing Director Jessica Hope, followed by dedicated one-on-one sessions with senior members of the Wimbart team, that covered deep dives into how PR could support their specific business goals. The power of storytelling, anatomy of a solid press release, and the art of pitching to journalists were just some of the topics covered during the program.

Office Hours participants reported some impressive milestones, including coverage in top tier international and pan-African media outlets, increased customer traction, and interest from investors, as some of the early outcomes. The spirit and practical nature of the program is set to continue as Wimbart has launched an online Alumni Network to continue supporting the early stage start-ups and allow peer-to-peer collaboration.

Kicking off in August 2020, the second Wimbart Office Hours cohort will have access to three expert webinars led by Jessica Hope, who will be joined by Kola Aina, Founder & CEO of Ventures Platform, and Adewale Yusuf, Founder & CEO of Techpoint. The webinars will focus on the importance of communication for growth, investment and reputation management. These will be followed by three dedicated one-on-one PR office hours sessions with senior members of the Wimbart team, and one business mentoring session with an advisor from Ventures Platform.

DEADLINE: July 24, 2020

Apply here: Wimbart Office Hours