“Our diversity is our greatest strength. When we make opportunities available for everyone and fully leverage what Brunei has to offer, our economy can become stronger, smarter and more innovative,” said United States (US) Embassy in Brunei Darussalam public affairs officer Katherine Ntiamoah.
She emphasised the US State Department’s core values in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in ensuring diversity in this year’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) cohort.
The fourth cohort officially launched at the iCentre, welcomed 27 women entrepreneurs selected from over 100 applicants.
The global initiative, spearheaded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, aims to enhance economic opportunities for women through entrepreneurship in over 100 countries.
The US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam funds AWE, with the Brunei Economic Development Board through Darussalam Enterprise (DARe), the appointed facilitator.
The participants will undergo a two-month training using DreamBuilder, an online learning platform developed by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management.
The platform covers 13 essential business modules, focusing on key areas such as business planning, financial literacy, and marketing strategies.
The fourth cohort represents a diverse group of Bruneian women with various interests such as community tourism, food and beverage production, fashion, and educational training services. DARe will facilitate weekly in-person sessions, providing guidance and promoting peer-to-peer learning over the modules.
The sessions will offer participants the opportunity to discuss course material and receive feedback, significantly improving engagement in contrast to online-only courses.
After receiving pitch training, participants will showcase their business ideas to a panel of judges and deliver their completed business plans.
The programme will culminate with a graduation ceremony in January 2025, where the top three entrepreneurs will each be awarded USD3,000 in seed funding to support their business ventures.
AWE graduates will continue to benefit from DARe’s ecosystem of business development initiatives, which includes access to financing, workspace, further training, mentorship and market access.
