Did you know that a group of our alumni just secured funding ranging from TZS1 million to more than TZS20 million?
Through the Next Frontier and Small Grants Program, The School of St Jude is helping alumni turn their ideas into real, scalable ventures. The Tester Grants, now supporting Cohorts 1 and 2, are empowering young innovators to strengthen their businesses, expand their reach and create impact within their communities.
Cohort 1 Achievers
Alumni from the first cohort are already taking bold steps forward.
- Faith (Class of ’20, Hair Gallery)
- Suleiman (Class of ’15, Afya Kongwe)
- Erneus (Class of ’20, Premium Poultry Farm)
- Malik (Class of ’20, Dr Shoe)
- David (Class of ’22, Ask IT)
- Alexander (Class of ’16, A&B Accessories)
These entrepreneurs will use their grants to upgrade operations and expand their customer base. As Faith shared:
“With this funding, I can optimise production and elevate packaging, strengthening our brand’s market presence and consumer trust.”
In the non-profit space, Tabitha (Class of ’20, New Hope Centre) will enhance and expand her organisation’s community initiatives for greater social impact. Meanwhile, Robert (Class of ’23, Denk Innovations) and David (Class of ’22, Ask IT) will boost their tech solutions, positioning their start-ups for growth in competitive markets.
Cohort 2: Bigger awards, bigger impact
The second cohort saw an even greater momentum, with top awards reaching TZS22 million. Visionary alumni such as Livingstone (Class of ’20, Mclive Farm Smart), Brian (Class of ’20, Meru Safi Sunflower Oil) and Denis (Class of ’17, Okkota 255 Investment) are now driving large-scale impact in agribusiness and local enterprise.
Brian shared:
“This support has not only accelerated my business growth but will also create jobs within my community.”
Other promising ventures funded in Cohort 2 include:
- Sifuni (Class of ’17, Moopower Project)
- Richard (Class of ’20, Avosol Agriventures)
- Daudi (Class of ’21, Landevor Locality)
- Nasma (Class of ’21, Ladha Asilia Products)
- Irene (Class of ’23, Creative Design)
- Godbless (Class of ’22, Blenko Stiches)
- Rajabu (Class of ’18, Arusha Finest)
- Godfrey (Class of ’16, Apex Solution)
These ventures demonstrate that alumni-led businesses can thrive and generate a meaningful impact, regardless of their size or sector. The Tester Grants act as a launchpad, helping young entrepreneurs transform ideas into real, sustainable enterprises.
As Godfrey noted:
“This funding does more than support our projects financially. It validates our vision and empowers us to create sustainable impact for Tanzania and beyond.”
If you’re an alum with a powerful idea, this could be your moment. Applications for Cohort 3 will open in February 2026 don’t miss out! . Reach out for more information at incubatorandgrants@schoolofstjude.co.tz
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