Welcome to the Business Development Gateway!

Your Gateway to Business Success!

Fanikiwa Ki-Biashara!

The Government of Tanzania initiated the Business Development Gateway (BDG) programme which is implemented under auspices of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF). The initial two year BDG programme started in August 2008 and ended in October 2010. Because the programme was successfully implemented it has been extended for two more cycles starting December 2010 and to end in August 2012. By that time it is planned to be transformed to a mechanism for developing entrepreneurship and competitiveness.

The objective of the Business Development Gateway (BDG) is to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture in Tanzania by creating a critical mass of successful entrepreneurs. One of the unique features of BDG is that it focuses not only on registered enterprises but also on informal, not-registered businesses. Another special element of BDG is that it covers the whole country. Eligible entrepreneurs can apply to benefit, whether he/she operates in Kagera, Rukwa, Lindi or Pemba.

The BDG is a Business Skills Development Programme implemented in all 26 regions of Tanzania and working together with local partners in every region. Countrywide service delivery is made possible through close cooperation with a network of local key partners, specialized in business training, consulting, SME banking, enterprise development and business networking. These key partners include: Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), National Microfinance Bank (NMB), Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (TCCIA) and East African Speakers Bureau (ESB) on the Tanzania mainland, and the Zanzibar Institute of Financial Administration (ZIFA), Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (ZNCCIA) and People’s Bank of Zanzibar (PBZ).

One business skills development cycle lasts for eight months. Two programme cycles are planned during the course of the extension period. The competitive programme design has proven its value as each business education round yields the top hardworking entrepreneurs and motivates them to perform the next round even higher. The BDG consist of four components, the Business Plan Competition (BPC), the Business Diagnosis Programme (BDP) and Training services. After Care Services (ACS) are provided to BDG graduates through the BDG Business Clubs, established and managed by the BDG alumni themselves.

During the course of an eight month programme cycle, a series of business training sessions are provided to inspire, instruct and guide participants, but the participants themselves who prepares their own Business Plans and perform their own Business Diagnosis. Based on their performance they are judged by independent judges and only the best performing entrepreneurs are allowed to continue to the next round.

The BDG stands for a strong competitive skills developing system, consisting of a series of training, mentoring, judging and rewarding. Each phase yields the most entrepreneurial participants who are awarded with business development grants. 4,000 start-up and existing entrepreneurs will benefit from BPC and BDP programmes in the extension period, while additional 2,900 will benefit through ACS programme.

Our programs

BDG provides two options for new applicants to benefit from training, mentoring, new business contacts, and seed capital for serious businesses or business ideas. Grant Awards are available for entrepreneurs who successfully participate in one of the programmes of the Gateway: the Business Plan Competition (BPC) for establish businesses wishing to expand and innovative business start-ups and the Business Diagnostic Programme (BDP) for less developed and/or informal businesses. • The After Care Services (ACS) are provided to BPC and BDP graduates. If you are interested in participating, click one of the buttons on the right to find out more...

BDG is an initiative of the Government of Tanzania, the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation is the Contracting Authority and the programme is implemented by ICON Institute, Germany, PKF East Africa and EDC Tanzania. (Click here for more information on this consortium.) BDG programme is now funder by DFID, to whom we are very greatful.

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