Friday, 12 March 2026, marked the final day of the IDEA Test Lab Train-the-Trainers programme, a collaborative initiative bringing together UniPod Botswana, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, University of Botswana, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Penn State Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship Programme.The training focused on strengthening Botswana’s innovation ecosystem by equipping trainers with practical tools to guide innovators from idea validation to venture development.

Throughout the programme, participants explored key entrepreneurship frameworks, including problem framing, hypothesis testing, customer discovery, competitive analysis, business model development, and pitch preparation, all grounded in the lean startup philosophy and designed to support impactful and scalable ventures.The programme concluded with a certificate-awarding ceremony, during which participants were recognised for completing the training.

Certificates were presented by Dr John Gershenson and the Director of UniPod Botswana, Prof Richie Moalosi, in celebration of a shared commitment to collaboration, mentorship, and the empowerment of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs in Botswana.