Estonia is increasingly establishing itself as a fertile home for business start-ups, and is deliberately luring emerging entrepreneurs across the world to look into the country through its e-Residency initiative.
Botswana is no exception in the target market, and as such, one relatively new business, Ipache Capital, established in 2020 but started operations a year later, has taken the challenge head-on.
It is in the process of applying for the e-residency programme, which will entail effectively running a business in Estonia while based in Botswana.
“Estonia’s e-Residency initiative can enable us to register Ipache as an EU-based company whilst we are here in Botswana,” Shine Monyatsi, the sole Director of Ipache Capital, sheds light on the initiative.
He considers it an opportunity to enable his company to access the EU market and possible funding opportunities.
“This move can position us better for easy access to partnerships such as banks and payment processors, which are key for our growth.”
Monyatsi believes the initiative is good for a scalable business looking to raise capital and secure better markets with proper regulation.
Daniel Schaer, Estonian Ambassador to Kenya and South Africa, encouraged African start-ups to consider the programme.
Accompanied by Lina Suvi Ristoja from the e-Residency team at a welcome dinner for this journalist and a Namibian counterpart, Schaer stated that with the e-Residency programme, one can completely do business in Estonia while based in their country or anywhere in the world with just a representative in the country.
“You can do everything virtually, with just your digital identity; you don’t even have to get a work permit, which you would normally need for a regular business operation,” Schaer stated.
He revealed that while more than 400 companies in South Africa are enrolled in the programme, in Botswana, only eight (8) have done so, but he hopes more will take advantage of the programme.
“E-Residency allows one to securely authenticate oneself online and sign documents with a digital signature, and is best suited for ambitious entrepreneurs.”
Schaer also shares that the best companies to do well in the programme are not from the traditional sectors but those that are digitally oriented.
Being part of the e-residency involves applying online by picking up the kit, including the digital ID card, which takes up to eight weeks. The next stage would be to start a company by using the e-Residency card created, and all this is done fully online.
At this stage, one can access business banking and other payment solutions.
The revenue of companies amounts to 15 billion Euros.
Botswana is no exception in the target market, and as such, one relatively new business, Ipache Capital, established in 2020 but started operations a year later, has taken the challenge head-on.
It is in the process of applying for the e-residency programme, which will entail effectively running a business in Estonia while based in Botswana.
“Estonia’s e-Residency initiative can enable us to register Ipache as an EU-based company whilst we are here in Botswana,” Shine Monyatsi, the sole Director of Ipache Capital, sheds light on the initiative.
He considers it an opportunity to enable his company to access the EU market and possible funding opportunities.
“This move can position us better for easy access to partnerships such as banks and payment processors, which are key for our growth.”
Monyatsi believes the initiative is good for a scalable business looking to raise capital and secure better markets with proper regulation.
Daniel Schaer, Estonian Ambassador to Kenya and South Africa, encouraged African start-ups to consider the programme.
Accompanied by Lina Suvi Ristoja from the e-Residency team at a welcome dinner for this journalist and a Namibian counterpart, Schaer stated that with the e-Residency programme, one can completely do business in Estonia while based in their country or anywhere in the world with just a representative in the country.
“You can do everything virtually, with just your digital identity; you don’t even have to get a work permit, which you would normally need for a regular business operation,” Schaer stated.
He revealed that while more than 400 companies in South Africa are enrolled in the programme, in Botswana, only eight (8) have done so, but he hopes more will take advantage of the programme.
“E-Residency allows one to securely authenticate oneself online and sign documents with a digital signature, and is best suited for ambitious entrepreneurs.”
Schaer also shares that the best companies to do well in the programme are not from the traditional sectors but those that are digitally oriented.
Being part of the e-residency involves applying online by picking up the kit, including the digital ID card, which takes up to eight weeks. The next stage would be to start a company by using the e-Residency card created, and all this is done fully online.
At this stage, one can access business banking and other payment solutions.
The revenue of companies amounts to 15 billion Euros.
