The journey continues... After a rigorous selection process, we are proud to unveil the Top 20 Startups advancing to the next round of the Value Creation Challenge 2026. These startups have demonstrated strong business potential, creative thinking, and a commitment to creating value in their respective sectors. Congratulations on reaching this important milestone. We also introduce the VCC6 Wild Card Startups. While these startups did not make it into the Top 20, they stood out for the exceptional potential they demonstrated throughout the selection process. As a result, they have earned a Wild Card opportunity to continue in the competition. The challenge now is theirs to prove that they belong among the best, and potentially secure a place in the coveted Top 12 Cohort of 2026. To all participating startups, thank you for your passion, resilience, and commitment to building solutions that matter. #VCC2026 #ValueCreationChallenge #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Top20 #WildCard

One of the most powerful things happening in our innovation space is young people learning how to be critical thinkers. How to ask questions. How to test assumptions. How to work with uncertainty. Those skills last far beyond any single product they build. We are proud to be actively nurturing the next generation of innovators. #NextGenAnchorsProgram #NextGenAnchorsClub #TeensinTech #TechHub #Eight2FiveHub

He joined the hub as a solo founder, figuring things out as he went. Now, Brian is building with a small team behind him. Same space, just a different stage of the journey. Some things change as you grow. Having a place to work from, and people around who get it, still matters. That’s been part of Brian’s process. You can grow from our hub too! Sign up now: apply.eight2five.africa/ Contact us: 263 780 250 091 #CoWorkingSpace #Harare #Eight2FiveHub #Workspace #Startup #Entrepreneur #StartupGrowth

💭 Unpopular Opinion: Most startups don’t need investment. They need customers. It is easy to believe that funding is the answer to every challenge. But without customers, even the biggest investment will not create a sustainable business. Customers provide validation, feedback, revenue, and proof that your solution is solving a real problem. What is your take? Would you rather have: 👍 1,000 paying customers and no investor? ❤️ An investor and no customers? Share your thoughts below. #FounderTakeFriday #Startup #Entrepreneur #Feedback #BusinessGrowth #StartupEcosystem #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutual

Thank you, Ambassador @PeteVowles , and your team, for championing Zimbabwe’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. We are grateful for the partnerships, opportunities, and support extended to young entrepreneurs through initiatives such as the Value Creation Challenge. Wishing you success in your next chapter. Your impact will be felt for years to come 🇿🇼

Our first Deep Dive is now live. As Zimbabwe charts its path in artificial intelligence, the real question is how we position ourselves to create value from it. In this edition, we explore the opportunities within Zimbabwe’s AI Strategy and what they mean for the future of innovation, business, and economic growth. Follow the link to read more: eight2five.africa/wp-content… #AI #Startup #Founder #Opportunity #Technology #Innovation #DeepDive #AIDeepDive #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutual

A founder working from a café is not the problem. A founder who never graduates from the café is. There comes a point where your business needs structure, consistency, and focus. Growth requires spaces designed for growth. Learnmore: eight2five.africa/our-servic… #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneur #Coworking #PrivateOffice #HotDesk #Harare #Zimbabwe

Month-end energy check⚡️✅ Deadlines have a way of revealing how the month really went 😅 What is your relationship with them right now? #MonthEnd #EndofMay #May #Q2 #MonthlyReview #Reflections #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Africa’s tech ecosystem is building faster, thinking bigger, and investing smarter. ⚡🌍 This edition of African Tech News Blitz is packed with major moves shaping the future of innovation across the continent: 🔹 Econet launches a dedicated AI Unit in a bold digital infrastructure push 🔹 VCC6 returns to fuel Zimbabwe’s next generation of innovators 🔹 IPEC and FSD Africa unveil a Regulatory Sandbox opening doors for InsurTech and FinTech experimentation 🔹 The Africa Forward Summit signals renewed global investor confidence in Africa 🔹 Blue Cloud Softech and GCIB Africa announce a “Digital Factory” initiative in Senegal From AI to policy innovation and startup growth, the continent is positioning itself for what’s next. Read the full edition 🚀 bit.ly/49WkmUA #TechNewsBlitz #AfricaTech #Innovation #AI #StartupEcosystem #DigitalTransformation #ZimbabweTech #FinTech #InsurTech #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Hosting impactful sessions starts with the right environment. Our space is built to accommodate workshops, startup discussions, MSME trainings, presentations and collaborative events in a setting designed for focus, interaction and meaningful engagement. We are open for bookings and partnerships, contact us today: 263 780 250 091 / info@eight2five.co.zw #EventSpace #Conferencing #Events #Harare #CorporateEvents #TrainingSpace #WorkshopSpace #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

What kind of support do you think young innovators need more of today? Last weekend’s NextGen Anchors session was another reminder that confidence in tech is rarely built overnight. It grows through consistent exposure, experimentation, mentorship, collaboration, and being trusted enough to try. More often, young innovators need environments that make exploration feel possible. Spaces where asking questions is encouraged, where building before being perfect is normal, and where guidance exists without removing ownership. As the journey continues, we remain excited to see what becomes possible when young people are given both support and space. @TMEeducation #NextGenAnchors #TechKids #KidsinTech #TeensinTech #innovation #TechHub #Harare #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Happy Africa Day! From conversations to collaboration, every environment shapes what becomes possible. #AfricaDay #Eight2FiveHub #TechHub #InnovationHub #CoworkingSpace #OfficeSpace #EventSpace #Zimbabwe #OldMutualZw

Let us have an honest conversation about startup growth in Zimbabwe. 🇿🇼 We see the launch posts, the funding headlines, and the innovation drive. But we rarely pause for the harder conversation: what does it actually take to build here? To move the needle, we need to talk about the unvarnished realities: >The Survival Blueprint: How founders are genuinely financing and navigating the fragile early stages. >The Execution Gap: The stark friction between grand digital ambitions and local execution capacity. >The Scale Paradox: Why certain innovations thrive locally while other brilliant ideas stall. While the current buzz and activity are incredible, sustainable ecosystem growth requires better questions, honest reflection, and shared learning. To help bridge these gaps, we are currently working on a definitive playbook designed to capture these raw, real-world insights and map out practical pathways for Zimbabwean founders. If you are currently building a startup or have successfully scaled one, how much of your journey are you willing to share for the collective betterment of the ecosystem? Let’s talk in the comments👇 #StartupEcosystem #Entrepreneur #StartupFounder #Startup #InnovationHub #TechHub #Zimbabwe #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Zimbabwe’s National AI Strategy is creating more conversations than ever around innovation, startups, and the future of business. But beyond the headlines, where are the actual opportunity gaps for startups and entrepreneurs? Over the next few days, we will be publishing a deep dive unpacking: • The startup opportunities hidden inside the AI strategy • What sectors founders should be paying attention to • What this means if you’re building in Zimbabwe right now • Who stands to benefit early,  and who risks being left behind But first, we want to hear from you: Have you actually gone through the AI Strategy yet? Who do you think should be paying the closest attention to it? And do you think buiders are ready for what’s coming? Comment “DEEP DIVE” if you want to receive the first edition before everyone else. 🚀 #AIDeepDive #ZimAIStrategy #AIPolicy #Zimbabwe #Innovation #Tech #DeepDive #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutual

The VCC6 Top 100 Startups are officially in. 🚀 After an incredible application cycle filled with ambitious founders and innovative solutions from across Zimbabwe, and a rigorous screening process, we are proud to announce the startups moving to the next stage of the Value Creation Challenge. This Top 100 stage is being delivered in collaboration with SMC Viable and Uncommon, ecosystem players that share the vision of strengthening startup support and helping shape the next generation of Zimbabwean businesses. Congratulations to all the selected startups. A special thank you to our partners @OldMutualZW, @zwBritish, @UKinZimbabwe, @zadtonline, @SwissEmbZim , and @SNVZimbabwe . This is only the beginning. #VCC6 #StartupsZimbabwe #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #BuildInPublic #Eight2FiveHub

Most conversations about youth and work focus on skills. But the real gap is earlier than that, it is exposure. We have just published a new piece on how the NextGen Anchors program is shaping how young people think, build, and engage with real problems.

Before we get too deep into Q2, here is a look back at the builders, startups, ideas, and moments that shaped our first quarter. Our Q1 newsletter is out: linkedin.com/feed/update/urn… #Newsletter #Q1Newsletter #Q12026 #Innovation #Technology #InnovationHub #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Applications for VCC6 are now closed. Thank you for the the incredible response. Next step: applications review and selection. Stay tuned for updates. #VCC6 #Opportunity #Funding #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneur #Eight2FiveHub #OldMutualZw

Today we host another important conversation for builders with Chiedza Muguti as we explore Product-Market Fit in Volatile Markets. In environments where customer behaviour shifts quickly, costs continue to rise, and market conditions remain unpredictable, founders are constantly being forced to reassess what traction really looks like. Products that once made sense may no longer align with the realities of the market. Through this masterclass series, Chiedza has been leading practical, grounded conversations around product thinking, helping founders move beyond assumptions and build with clearer alignment to real user needs. Participants have explored product validation, utility vs functionality, product bloat, and smarter decision-making in constrained environments. Today’s session continues that work by focusing on how founders can identify real demand signals, adapt to changing conditions, and make better product decisions in uncertain markets. If you’re currently questioning whether your product still fits the market, this conversation is for you. If you haven’t registered yet, this is your last chance to join the conversation: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi… #Eight2FiveInnovationHub #ProductMarketFit #Startups #ProductThinking #Innovation