Five young Namibian entrepreneurs have each received N$50,000 in seed funding through the 2025 SanlamAllianz Bridge Programme, an initiative aimed at providing start-ups with capital, mentorship and business development training.
Now in its third year, the programme is run in partnership with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and targets Namibians aged 18 to 35.
According to the organisers, this year’s 15 finalists, from sectors including manufacturing, services, agriculture and technology, pitched their business ideas to a panel of five judges after weeks of targeted pitch training.
At the end of the competition, the winners were announced as Dean Brandt of Brandt Auster Farming cc, Eben Ezer Nangolo of Tezer Printing and Embroidery Services, Herman Kornelius of Twin Horizons Investment cc, Mwalwa Loide Namukwambi of Loide Bead and Designs cc, and Uini Zaombo of Indeue Kreative Studio.
SanlamAllianz said each of the winners will also receive six months of tailored mentorship, business coaching and access to NIPDB’s MSME growth initiatives, including branding masterclasses, digital bootcamps, financial seminars and market access programmes.
Laurencia Prinzonsky, Marketing and Communications Manager at SanlamAllianz, said investing in entrepreneurship extends beyond providing financial support.
“When we empower young entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses, we give them the confidence to take bold steps, create opportunities, and shape their own futures. That is what our brand promise, Live with Confidence, is all about,” she said.
SanlamAllianz expressed appreciation to NIPDB for its ongoing partnership in creating platforms that turn innovative ideas into viable enterprises and commended all participants for their creativity and commitment to Namibia’s entrepreneurial growth.
Hilifa Lisias Usuiku, founder of Africa Brandberg Investments and a past beneficiary of the programme, said the SanlamAllianz Bridge had enabled their business to employ 12 Namibians and impact 20 families.
He added that refining their original concept was key to their growth, noting that they shifted from selling online classes to producing animated marketing content.
SanlamAllianz said the Bridge Programme is designed to transform promising ideas into sustainable enterprises through a combination of seed capital, structured training, mentorship and access to networks.
