We are a venture studio. We create startups, provide expertise, co-invest and rapidly launch ideas to market.
Founded in 2020 by Solomon Kassa (TV Personality, tech consultant, strategist, author, and public speaker), we aspire to be the fastest launch pad for disruptive innovations and businesses from Ethiopia that will champion wealth creation, digital transformation, and employment.
1888EC is named after the historic Battle of Adwa. The “EC” holds multiple meanings, including, Entrepreneurship Center, Equity Central and Ethiopian Calendar.
This multi-layer representation of our past victory is adopted to inspire new victories against poverty and other challenges of the future – through entrepreneurial grit and equity-based development.
Our
Vision
To be the launchpad of successful startups.
To solve society’s grand challenges through entrepreneurship.
Our
Value
We commit to creating sustainable ventures.
Our venture studio offers a repeatable approach where a valid problem statement is identified, a team built around it and investments are made to quickly enter the market. As of now, we are sector agnostic, however, we require that a startup has a clear path to profitability and scalability to be hosted in 1888EC.
We raise investment from multiple sources including equity (local + international), proceeds from professional services offered by our sister entities and grants provided by developmental partners.
We maintain an open ideation process where all ideas are welcomed and heard – whether they are generated internally or externally.
Every idea sounds good at first. We put an idea through validation to assess demand, feasibility, unit economics, marketability, investor interest, and more.
We build a team around the project and rapidly develop a prototype or MVP (minimum viable product) to take to market and assess our customers’ feedback.
Successful startups require top talent and investment. We will provide all support needed to ensure rapid incorporation – as fast as humanly possible.
Once a company is established/spanned-out, our role will transition into governance where in tandem with our investors and partners, focus on realizing the full potential of the startup.
Yes, we will ideate, develop, grow, exit, and repeat!
An e-tourism marketplace dedicated to marketing and promoting local experiences and destinations worldwide.
Stage: Early
Investment needs:
<$500K
A robust pharmaceutical marketplace for businesses that connects the pharma supply chain in Ethiopia.
Stage: Early
Investment needs: $2.5M –
$5M
A dedicated financial services company that delivers loans to policy projects in Ethiopia.
Stage:
Early
Investment
needs: <$500K
A network of outlets that serve lightning-fast Ethiopian cuisine for the working-class urbanite.
A trusted source for retailing top-quality vehicle spare parts, delivered straight to your door.
Stage: Early
Investment needs:
<$500K
An ed-tech platform that leverages crowdsourced content to distribute high-quality, affordable and accessible educational content.
Stage: Early
Investment needs: $5M –
$10M
Through our vast network of partners, management and advisory board, we are best positioned to facilitate meetings with the right people.
We offer initial investment, office space and shared administrative resources to ensure low-cost operation of our startups.
We ensure sound governance practices are in place early on.
Create young entrepreneurs driven by critical problem-solving thinking and “can do” mindset.
Job
Creation
Provide employment opportunities for the youth in Ethiopian and beyond with the emphasis on women.
Ecosystem
Building
Contribute to a startup ecosystem development through our venture building.
Digital
Economy
Produce a tech/ knowledge-based economy and bring digital transformation.
1888EC Consulting is a boutique consulting firm which is part of 1888EC.
1888EC Consulting is home to experienced business and technology consultants and offers a wide range of services: including software/systems development, strategy consulting, business process improvement, technology planning and implementation, as well as data analytics.
Our team brings over 10 years of diverse experience in the consulting industry globally, and we are passionate about helping our clients to achieve their business objectives. We specialize in adopting cutting-edge technologies to develop innovative solutions that drive our clients’ success.
As part of a portfolio of the first of its kind venture studio, working with us means supporting innovative startups that we are investing in to advance economic growth and development in Ethiopia.
Our clients
We also offer the perfect blend of work environments to suit your needs:
