Masa Innovation Programme Mentors Pay UB Vice Chancellor Courtesy Visit
A delegation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently paid a courtesy visit to the University of Botswana (UB) Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris. The visit formed part of the delegation’s engagement in the Mentorship in Action for Startup Acceleration (MASA) Innovation programme, a collaborative initiative between UB, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship.
Director of External Engagements, Ms Irene Grzybowski and Director of Partnership at MIT, Dr.Marwan Hassoun, met with Professor Norris to provide feedback on their interactions with UB students and mentors participating in the MASA programme.
Launched in October 2025 and housed at the University of Botswana UNIPOD, the programme was aimed at bringing Botswana's innovation ecosystem in line with global best practices besides providing innovators with exposure to cutting-edge entrepreneurial concepts and mentorship opportunities by linking regional innovators with international networks.
Over and above, participants who were engaged were mentored in problem discovery, then moved to interview or observe customers who had experienced difficulties in areas of interest such as Agric tech, ed-tech, clean-tech and many more. Consequently, students developed solutions based on the feedback received from customers. Ultimately, that assisted with de-risking the business and improving the startup's chances of success increase.
During the meeting, the MIT delegation highlighted the progress made by UB students in identifying challenges and developing solutions under the programme. They also commended the collaborative efforts between local and international mentors, noting the strong commitment shown by the student teams.
For his part, Professor Norris welcomed the feedback and reaffirmed UB’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that enhanced student innovation and entrepreneurship. With the first cohort nearing completion, a call for participation will be extended the UB community.