Stephan Brun

YEEP tech and business Week, April 2025

Tech and Business Week, April 2025 in Hawassa, Ethiopia with focus on prototyping and business development

The next visit to Ethiopia is in the pipeline: From 21 to 30 April 2025 (possible alternative dates: 26 April to 4 May 2025 or 2 to 11 May 2025) we will organize the next YEEP week in Hawassa, Ethiopia. Application for participants from Switzerland is now open. Please note: the dates are not yet confirmed. You can chose among 3 alternative options for the date in the application form and we will take the final decision once we have the confirmation from our partners.

 

On what will we work?

During the YEEP week, we will work with a group of around 15 to 20 Ethiopian students, who would like to become an entrepreneur and start their own company. They have participated in the YEEP Entrepreneurship Week in November 2024 and already have a first, concrete business idea. During the tech and business week we will do technical prototyping and develop a concrete business model. As many ideas are from the field of electronics and IT, we might also organise some workshops on these topics, namely Arduino and web programming. We will work in small teams on different ideas. Furthermore you will be involved in giving input sessions about different topics that are necessary for Ethiopian students who want to start their own business.

Apply now!

Are you a student at one of our partner schools (first priority) or from another institution? Would you like to work during one week with Ethiopian engineering students from Hawassa to create and test ideas for possible business projects? And would you like to learn and practice design thinking?

Then apply now before Thursday, 13 March 2025 (deadline) to join our team and to travel to Ethiopia with us.

To register, click on the link above or scan the QR code below:

Why should you participate? Because YEEP will give you:

 

  • A unique opportunity to practice interdisciplinary collaboration in an international context.
  • An insight in a fascinating country and its culture.
  • The possibility to apply your know how practically for a meaningful cause.
  • Support in preparation and during the trip by an experienced team.
  • A possibility to apply for a scholarship to cover parts of your travel costs.

If you are interested, we strongly recommend you to participate in one of our online information events, in order to better understand, what the project is all about and what are the exact requirements to participate.

  • Friday 7 February, 20h
  • Wednesday 12 February, 20h
  • Monday 24 February 20h
  • Thursday 6 March 20h
  • Tuesday 11 March, 20h

To join the meeting click on this link above or scan the QR code below:

If you need individual help or if you cant make it to our meetings, contact stephan.brun@yeeproject.org

 

Details

Partner schools: hftm, HFW/ WKS Bern, BFH Biel/ Bern, StudentImpact HSG, FFHS, Supsi, FHNW, HEIA-FR, ETHZ.

Dates: Departure from Switzerland on Monday 21 April 2025 in the evening. Return to Switzerland on Sunday 30 April in the morning.

Alternative dates: The dates are not yet confirmed. In the application form, you can indicate your preference for the main date (21 to 30 April 2025) or two alternative dates (26 April to 4 May 2025 or 2 to 11 May 2025).

Who is behind it: YEEP is a project of DEVENTURE, an association based in Bern, Switzerland. DEVENTURE is a non-profit organization who offers different projects that promote entrepreneurial thinking and exchange between Switzerland and Ethiopia.

 

What our former participants say:

"The hackathon week was a massive experience. In consideration to the intercultural exchange and furthermore for the work with people from other countries." (Pascal)

"A unique experience with a deep insight into what happens on the ground. I will never forget how open and interested the Ethiopian students were." (Damian)

"The most impressive moment in Ethiopia was to get invited to a family home. It was very interesting to see how they live and they were very hospitable. Even thougt the parents couldnt speak english" (Andreas)