Local entrepreneurs have said building ecosystems and strong networks is crucial to unlock growth and resilience for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
Home Industries founder and managing director Victoria Mwafulirwa said this on Friday in Lilongwe during the 265 Pitch where start-ups and innovators showcased business ideas before potential investors, partners and fellow entrepreneurs.
In her remarks, she told participants that her company’s growth as an agro-processor rests on a supply chain of about 8 000 smallholder farmers.
Mwafulirwa said success for start-ups should not be seen as an individual journey, but as a collective one where deliberate effort is made to create
She said: “It does not just happen. You have to be intentional, put in the hours and build systems that make you bankable.
“Partnerships with institutions such as the Malawi Bureau of Standards are also part of sustaining an ecosystem that gives businesses staying power.”
Mwafulirwa urged entrepreneurs to take system-building as essential from the start if they are to access finance, adding that commercial banks assess businesses based on records, which means accounts have to be active and transparent.
“For me, the first system is financial. Even if you start small, use social capital to build proper records. That is how banks and investors will trust you,” she said.
In the creative sector, Andrew Phiri, who is Cimag Media chief creative officer, said his digital printing business supports graphic and fashion designers who cannot afford their own equipment.
He said the model allows them to control production and earn from their craft.
“Many creatives can now earn through small-scale production even from homes with minimal tools. By supporting them, I am also building my own business,” he said.
Event co-convener and Hope Business Hub founder James Nyirongo said collaboration is central to the country’s development, observing that small businesses account for 75 percent of the country’s employment base and contribute more than 30 percent to the country’s gross domestic product.
He said: “In this journey of entrepreneurship, you cannot walk alone. Iron sharpens iron.
“These platforms allow entrepreneurs to share challenges, learn from one another and build trust with investors and partners.”
Nyirongo said Malawi’s entrepreneurial culture has for too long been defined by individualism, with many working in isolation.
By creating spaces such as 265 Pitch, organisers aim to change that culture and highlight the importance of building ecosystems that can generate jobs and attract investment.
The event, convened by Hope Business Hub and Synergy, has been rebranded from Lilongwe Pitch Night to signal national ambition and a focus on strengthening Malawi’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
