Fifteen

2^nd year students, Nishi Das, Craig Doescher and Kwasi Frimpong were the runners up in the Wharton Africa Business Plan Competition held last Saturday, Nov 8^th 2008. Their idea revolves around a supply chain delivery model for retail in South Africa.

The Wharton African Business Plan Competition (WABPC) is a key component of the Wharton Africa Business Forum conference. It gives fledgling entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to potential investors of sizable funds such as Emerging Capital Partners, Oridun Capital Management, Africa Catalyst fund etc. The Sloan team was thrilled with the win.

It was an excellent chance to present to an audience who were very familiar with the context. Receiving the 2nd prize among 33 entries was really the first external validation we have received on our idea. It feels really good to have people acknowledge the relevance of the concept.

The conference grounded our faith in Africa as the next great investment frontier with substantial returns awaiting those who have the wherewithal to navigate the cultural and political challenges of the continent. It was a true honor to represent MIT Sloan at Wharton.