Training Context
The Entrepreneurship and Business Training for Solar Companies (EBT) is a core element of the provision of the advisory and training services of ROGEAP to support stage 1 and 2 businesses to launch and expand operations and increase the share of quality products in the market.
Objectives
- Overall, the EBT aims to achieve a range of objectives. By the end of the training, participants will have acquired the following competencies and skills:
- Technical skills: participants understand the foundations of off-grid solar power system components, best practices of installation, maintenance and troubleshooting, and international and regional certification requirements.
- Business analysis: participants can conduct a technical-economic and financial feasibility analysis to assess the profitability of their enterprise.
- Environmental analysis: participants can recognise environmental, social, health, and safety risks and impacts of off-grid solar products and services and the environmental and social safeguards to implement.
- Investment planning: participants develop a business plan and pitch deck of a specific investment project forecasting revenues and investment needs for potential submission to ROGEAP’s Financial Support Facility (FSF) or other potential investors.
- Communication skills: participants practice presentation skills as they pitch their enterprise and investment projects.
- Networking skills: participants strengthen their network through interaction with solar entrepreneurs, trainers, and financial institutions.
- Grant Application: Business plan development and Pitching.
Training structure
The training is organised into six chapters and twelve modules delivered to training participants over five days. The training is conducted in a standard training environment comprising a classroom with a whiteboard and projector. A half-day field trip is foreseen to demonstrate an exemplary standalone PV system’s installation, maintenance and troubleshooting. The trainer explains each module in detail, guides participants’ learning through practical exercises, and answers questions.
Target participants
The training is targeted towards solar start-ups (referred to as “stage 1”) and early-stage enterprises (referred to as “stage 2”).