Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s Eight2Five Innovation Hub Opens Applications for 6th Value Creation Challenge

Old Mutual Zimbabwe's Eight2Five Innovation Hub has opened applications for the 6th edition of its Value Creation Challenge (VCC), launching a nationwide tour to reach young entrepreneurs, women-led businesses, and enterprises run by persons with disabilities across the country.

The Value Creation Challenge, now in its sixth year, has grown into one of Zimbabwe's most prominent youth entrepreneurship programmes. It operates against a backdrop of high youth unemployment Zimbabwe's youth jobless rate has remained persistently elevated making private-sector-led initiatives of this kind a meaningful supplement to government employment creation efforts.

Nationwide Tour and What Applicants Receive

The Eight2Five team began its outreach in Mutoko and will conclude the tour at the Harare Institute of Technology on 15 April 2026. At each stop, participants receive hands-on assistance with registration and application submissions, business training, and exposure to entrepreneurship as a vehicle for personal and national economic growth.

Last year's edition drew approximately 725 young participants. Organisers say the 6th edition is designed to build on that reach, with explicit efforts to ensure equal access for applicants from all provinces.

Partners Backing the Programme

The British Council and the British Embassy have supported the programme since its inception. In 2025, three new partners joined: the Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust (ZADT), the Swiss Embassy, and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. Together, they expand the resources, mentorship networks, and funding pathways available to participants.

Dr Lloyd Anderson, British Council Country Director for Zimbabwe, said the partnership is anchored in a commitment to Zimbabwe's creative industries.

"By providing essential resources, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration, we are not only nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs but also fostering a vibrant artistic community that is vital for the nation's economic growth and innovation," Anderson said.

Four Pillars Driving the Challenge

According to Lillian Mbayiwa, Old Mutual Zimbabwe's Head of Group Marketing, Public Affairs, and Sustainability, the programme is built around four pillars: Innovative Technology, Creative Industries, Emerging Industries, and Sustainability.

"By empowering emerging businesses with essential resources, mentorship, and funding, the Value Creation Challenge will foster a new generation of leaders poised to tackle the country's challenges head-on," Mbayiwa said.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe, the country’s largest integrated financial conglomerate, has positioned entrepreneurship as a key element of its responsible business strategy.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can register for a business clinic by following Eight2Five on social media at @eight2fivehub or visiting vcc.co.zw. The nationwide tour wraps up on 15 April 2026.

Six editions in, the Value Creation Challenge has quietly become one of the few private-sector programmes in Zimbabwe reaching young entrepreneurs beyond Harare and this year, it is expanding even further.

Additional reporting sourced from The Sunday News. The Granite Post has independently verified key details.