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The bootcamp, attended by 29 Participants from 15 different Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) from across Cambodia, was designed to translate the knowledge and inspiration gained during the study tour into actionable strategies to strengthen Cambodia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study tour to Malaysia was a significant step in empowering Cambodian ESOs with the insights and networks needed to drive business performance and mobilize investments in the local context.
The bootcamp, led by visiting Entrepreneur in Residence Helena Habdija, who brings a wealth of experience as programs innovator, facilitator, and community builder, provided a collaborative space for ESOs to reflect on their experiences from the study tour. Helena, known for her passion for youth development and female entrepreneurship, guided participants through a series of intensive sessions aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation.
The primary objective of the bootcamp was to foster deeper collaboration between ESOs within Cambodia's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Participants worked together to co-create innovative solutions, drawing on lessons learned from the study tour in Malaysia as well as their own experiences. The bootcamp's structure emphasized the importance of collective problem-solving and the development of strategies tailored to the unique challenges faced by Cambodia’s entrepreneurial landscape.
The bootcamp equipped participating ESOs with essential skills to select and research challenges effectively. They learned to refine problem statements, ensuring they were well-framed and user centered. Activities like the CARE café, reflection and reframing exercises, and creative solution generation aimed to enhance these capabilities. Additionally, techniques such as Random Stimulus Creativity, Customer Pain Points, and Refinement helped ESOs thoroughly explore idea generation. The bootcamp concluded with a working session focused on developing, prototyping, and refining their solutions.
The post-workshop survey showed that participants were highly satisfied with the bootcamp, with outcomes meeting most expectations. One participant noted, "The sessions were clear and fostered engaging discussions among ESOs, bringing collaboration, friendship, and knowledge." Another highlighted the use of design thinking tools to inspire new project ideas. Key takeaways included collaborative problem-solving, practical innovation, feedback, goal setting, and networking. Most participants found the learnings applicable to their work and expressed intentions to collaborate with other ESOs on new initiatives to support entrepreneurs.
Following the bootcamp, participants have the opportunity to win a seed fund of USD 15,000 to launch a pilot project. The project can be a collaborative effort between two organizations. To qualify, the pilot must be based on a completely new idea, rather than building on existing programs, and the implementation period should not exceed one year. Additionally, learning captures will be conducted throughout the pilot to monitor progress and outcomes, focusing on capitalizing on innovation and scalability of impact.
As the 3Ei initiative continues to build on the foundation laid by the study tour and bootcamp, the strategies and solutions developed during these activities are set to play a critical role in shaping the future of Cambodia's entrepreneurial landscape. The commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation among ESOs will have a lasting impact on the growth and sustainability of Cambodia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The 3Ei initiative is co-implemented by Khmer Enterprise (KE) and Swisscontact Cambodia, and funded by Khmer Enterprise (KE), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is focused on enhancing coordination and collaboration within Cambodia's entrepreneurial landscape.
The event was covered by the following media: