To help unlock the full potential of Botswana’s tourism sector, De Beers Group working in partnership with the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) announced the expansion of access to the ‘Aspire programme’ under the Stanford Seed Transformation Program (STP) for local tourism operators, scheduled for later this year.
This scholarship facilitated by De Beers Group is designed to equip tourism businesses with the tools to expand beyond national borders, strengthen their operational resilience, support economic diversification and job creation, and enhance the competitiveness of Botswana’s tourism value chain.
Tebogo Ramakgathi, HATAB’s Public Affairs and Communications Manager, stated “This partnership will revolutionise the tourism industry. We are unlocking the same transformation potential we’ve seen in healthcare—this time for tourism entrepreneurs ready to lead the future of Botswana’s travel economy.”
This expansion aligns with both De Beers’ and HATAB’s commitment to supporting local enterprise, economic transformation, and Botswana’s long-term development agenda.
Meanwhile, a dynamic workshop held in Maun this past Tuesday, brought the Stanford Seed Transformation Program (STP) to the spotlight highlighting the power of entrepreneurship to reshape communities.
The STP, an initiative of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, is aimed at CEOs and founders of small- to medium-sized enterprises in Africa, South Asia, and Indonesia. Open to companies generating between US$300,000 and US$15 million in annual revenue, it combines in-person and virtual learning, leadership training, and access to a global network of advisors. According to the program, 78% of participants report revenue growth, and nearly half secure additional capital after graduating.
Hosted by De Beers Group and Stanbic Bank Botswana, this week’s event was more than a program briefing, it was a deep, reflective conversation on enterprise, gatekeeping, and the urgent need for inclusive economic transformation in Maun.
At the heart of the discussion stood a remarkable success story: that of Tebogo Nhlatho, co-founder of Doctors Inn Health, whose journey from a modest physiotherapy clinic to a private hospital employing over 100 people served as a powerful testament to what STP can unlock.
“I was raised by entrepreneurs,” Nhlatho recalled, speaking on a panel alongside Bakang Phuthego of De Beers Group.
Inspired by her father, a combi driver in Gaborone at the time, and driven by the limits she experienced working in the public health system, she took a leap of faith to establish her own private clinic in Maun, then a town with no physiotherapy services. Starting with personal savings and later boosted by a P99,000 KBL Kickstart grant, her clinic grew steadily into Doctors Inn Health, a comprehensive medical facility now catering to Botswana’s mining and tourism sectors.
But the real turning point, she said, was her admission into the Stanford Seed Transformation Program. “Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey. But with Stanford, you find a community that speaks your language,” she said. “They give you tools for leadership, human resource management, and the confidence to think beyond your limits.”
For Nhlatho, the program’s real magic lay in its reach beyond her own development. “Stanford didn’t just train me—they trained my team. They helped us solve real problems, together. That’s how we grew.”
Today, with 105 employees a growth from 42 employees and a vibrant workplace culture, Doctors Inn Health stands as a pillar of what’s possible when local ambition meets global opportunity.
Moreover, The Maun workshop didn’t just showcase STP, it gave voice to a community hungry for progress. During a compelling dialogue facilitated by Phuthego, local entrepreneurs aired pressing concerns, including poor infrastructure, governance bottlenecks, and the need to decentralize key institutions from the capital.
The answer, voiced in passionate exchanges, touched on mental health barriers, the lack of centralized entrepreneurial networks, and the persistent gatekeeping that locks out fresh ideas and youthful leadership. One speaker called for the relocation of tourism offices from Gaborone to Maun, citing that the town was the Botswana’s tourism center.
Another participant highlighted the need for racial and class healing, pointing to Maun’s historical divides: “This is where you see the black and white line… it’s historic, it’s there. But we’ve built before, we can build again.” Others echoed the need to support local suppliers, creatives, and service providers, ensuring that economic growth remains anchored in the community.
