University Students in Botswana Selected to Participate in the Highly Anticipated Second Class of the HB Innovation Lab

HB Antwerp is proud to announce the selection of thirty (30) soon-to-be graduates from Botswana to participate in the second session of the HB Innovation Lab. Launched in 2021, in partnership with boutique pan-African incubator WomHub, the HB Innovation Lab is a comprehensive training program intended to cultivate sector-specific skills and offer meaningful, in-country training and job opportunities for young people in Botswana.

The second iteration of this intensive program will take place over three months and will include mentorship, masterclasses with subject matter experts, and curated coursework intended to strengthen participants’ expertise. The students will gain exposure to the work environment and enhance their confidence in public speaking, networking, and other professional skill sets. While the first cohort was comprised of engineering and technology students, this class will have a much broader focus, including students from multi-disciplinary fields such as finance, human resources, legal and business administration.

After the successful HB Hackathon event which took place in Gaborone on the 6th of August 2022, thirty (30) students were selected from fifty (50) top-performing candidates. The HB Hackathon was an intense day-long competition where the group of fifty (50) shortlisted students participated in an Innovation Challenge, identifying innovative and impactful solutions to problems faced in Botswana by Batswana people.

“We are delighted to be building on the success of the first class of the HB Innovation Lab and opening this program to a wider range of students. The young people of Botswana have incredible potential. This program is about creating a tangible opportunity to develop marketable skill sets with a direct route to real employment. At HB Antwerp, we are focused on creating lasting talent pipelines and supporting broader development opportunities to strengthen this incredible country,” said Margaux Donckier, Director of Public Affairs, HB Antwerp.

“We are excited to announce this cohort of high potential future leaders and innovators who will have the opportunity to further their professional development through the HB Innovation Lab. This program reflects our mission at WomHub to foster African entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and innovation within the context of the future world of work – a goal that we share with our partners at HB Antwerp. We look forward to enabling these young people with the tools they need to thrive in their future work environment and beyond,” said Anjani Harjeven, COO at WomHub.

In line with HB Antwerp’s fundamental commitment to invest in and strengthen the communities where they operate, the program aims to support the Botswanan economy, foster long-term talent development, and create economic fairness and brand exposure for young and emerging graduates, while furthering sustainability, diversity, and inclusion in the diamond industry.

About HB Antwerp

HB Antwerp turns the diamond supply chain upside down, starting with the customer. Using technology, we bring simplicity and transparency to a usually complex supply chain. Everything happens in a closed system; supported with the latest technologies and tracked with blockchain making it 100% transparent from diamond mine to market.

About WomHub

WomHub is a boutique Pan-African ecosystem builder with a focus on the entire women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Manufacturing) value chain from attraction to ownership. The strategy is to ensure a comprehensive, holistic approach and create systemic change. WomHub is the only ecosystem builder in the world providing end to end support that focuses on:

• Building strategic talent pipelines and advancing women in STEM fields from high school to university through the WomEng (Women in Engineering) foundation, founded in 2006 with the vision to support 1 million women and girls through STEM awareness and education. This provides key talent and resources as STEM skills are critical across every sector.
• Supporting venture creation, incubation, and acceleration of female-founded businesses to holistically support women and women ownership through WomHub Accelerators. The business technical support starts with in-depth business diagnostics and provides a tailor-made approach to support business growth and investment readiness.