Sharpe Business Academy: Building Africa’s Next Generation of Visionary Entrepreneurs

By Dr. Rutendo Mudzamiri

In a country striving toward economic transformation, a quiet yet powerful force is equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs—not just with knowledge, but with capital, confidence, and a compass for legacy.

Sharpe Business Academy (SBA), founded in 2024 in Zimbabwe, is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most ambitious and effective entrepreneurial institutions. Designed for action, grounded in values, and built to scale, SBA is not merely a training ground—it’s a movement.

With over 60 graduates in its inaugural cohort, and 140 more set to graduate this May, the Academy has already catalyzed the launch of dozens of early-stage ventures across sectors such as agribusiness, fashion, health, tech, and education. As applications open for the July 2025 intake, SBA is drawing the attention of business leaders, policymakers, investors, and philanthropists from across the continent—and beyond.

A Legacy of Vision, Built on Proven Leadership

Sharpe Business Academy is the brainchild of Ken Sharpe, a visionary entrepreneur and CEO of WestProp Holdings, whose pioneering work in real estate development has helped shape the modern urban landscape of Zimbabwe.

But Ken Sharpe’s ambitions have always gone beyond buildings. A Harvard-trained urban strategist and award-winning businessman, his legacy is now taking a deeply human turn.

“After decades of building cities, I knew it was time to invest in something more lasting—people,” Sharpe reflects. “Sharpe Business Academy is my way of sharing everything I’ve learned—the wins, the failures, the networks, the capital. It’s a mentorship gift to Zimbabwe, to help entrepreneurs rise, scale, and lead.”

Sharpe’s leadership is personal and active. As Chairman and Lead Mentor, he engages directly with students through pitch reviews, business model coaching, and high-level strategy sessions. His approach blends entrepreneurial discipline with national duty—deeply aligned with Zimbabwe’s need to unlock innovation-led economic growth.

Working alongside him is Joanna Sharpe, a respected philanthropist, women’s empowerment advocate, and board member of SBA. Known for her unshakable belief in the transformative power of faith and education, Joanna brings a heart-centered approach to SBA’s mission.

“We’re not just building entrepreneurs—we’re nurturing leaders who build families, companies, and communities,” Joanna says. “This Academy is about dignity, courage, and contribution. And we’re just getting started.”

Not a Classroom. A Catalyst.

SBA’s curriculum is built on a bold promise: that entrepreneurship in Africa must be both profitable and purpose-driven. It weaves world-class business training—drawing from Harvard Business School case studies—with rigorous, Zimbabwean-contextualized strategy development. Courses in finance, sales, marketing, and leadership are paired with real business execution, pushing students to move from vision to validated action.

The Academy culminates in the now-celebrated Sharpe Tank—a pitch competition where the top 10 students present their business ventures to a room of real investors, business executives, and fellow entrepreneurs. In 2024, $18,000 in seed capital was awarded, with the top student receiving a powerful $10,000 investment to launch their business.

But as CEO Dr. Rutendo Mudzamiri, known widely as Dr. Ru, powerfully explains—this is much more than prize money.

“This isn’t just a competition,” says Dr. Ru. “It’s a launchpad. A moment where preparation meets purpose. Our students aren’t pitching ideas—they’re pitching impact. Backed by vision, grit, and strategy, they stand boldly in the arena. And when they receive capital, they don’t just fund a business—they ignite a legacy.”

A seasoned strategist with a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Regent University and a Master’s from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Dr. Ru brings a rare blend of academic insight, creative leadership, and deep operational excellence to the Academy. Under her direction, SBA is becoming a blueprint for entrepreneurship education.

Masterclasses That Matter

In addition to its core program, SBA hosts quarterly in-person Masterclasses featuring Africa’s most respected leaders across business, finance, and innovation. These sessions are not keynote talks—they are interactive forums where students engage directly with minds that have moved markets.

Past Masterclasses have featured:

• Dr. Nigel Chanakira, whose work in financial markets and indigenous banking systems has redefined economic empowerment.
  
  
• Courage Matsa, celebrated for his high-impact insights on mindset, self-leadership, and transformative thinking.
  
  
• Mudiwa Hood, who illuminated the power of personal branding and the monetization of authenticity in Africa’s digital economy.
  
  

The upcoming May 2025 Masterclass will feature:

• Mr. Lawrence Nyazema, newly appointed Group CEO of CBZ Holdings
  
  
• Gloria Zvaravanhu, Managing Director of Old Mutual Life Insurance
  
  
• Tatiana Sharpe, Founder and CEO of the Global Impact Network

Their participation is not symbolic—it signals SBA’s rising influence as a national convening platform for strategy, innovation, and capital alignment.

From Students to a Million-Strong Business Network

Sharpe Business Academy isn’t just building entrepreneurs—it’s building a connected, collaborative community. With each graduating cohort, SBA’s alumni network grows into a powerful engine for co-investment, collaboration, and continental scale.

What started with just 60 trailblazers is growing rapidly. As over 140 new graduates join this May, the Academy is laying the foundation for something much bigger: a vision to see tens of thousands—and eventually a million entrepreneurs—connected across Zimbabwe, Africa, and the world.

“We dream of a million people—doing business with each other, funding each other, hiring each other, and building futures together,” says Dr. Ru. “Because this isn’t just about one business. It’s about building an ecosystem of trust, trade, and transformation.”

With annual gatherings, continuous support, and a shared commitment to excellence, the SBA network is becoming a lifelong platform for impact—well beyond graduation day.

“This isn’t a transaction,” adds Joanna Sharpe. “It’s a transformation. And the alumni are proof that when you invest in people—they multiply that investment far beyond what you imagined.”

Aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision. Positioned for Africa’s Future.

Sharpe Business Academy is deeply aligned with Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 agenda, which emphasizes production, innovation, and entrepreneurship as core outcomes of the national education system. The Academy is also working with local authorities and national regulatory stakeholders to position itself as a formally recognized institution of higher learning.

According to the World Bank, Africa must create over 15 million new jobs annually to absorb its growing youth population. SBA is answering this challenge—not with theory, but with entrepreneurs who are starting businesses, creating jobs, and scaling solutions.

“What we’re doing at SBA is a national and continental imperative,” says Ken Sharpe. “We are not just educating—we are unlocking economies. Every entrepreneur we train becomes a multiplier—of ideas, of income, and of opportunity.”

Now Open: July 2025 Cohort Enrollment

Applications are now open for SBA’s next cohort, starting July 2025. The Academy is looking for driven, coachable entrepreneurs with real-world ambition—individuals who want more than just a certificate. They want clarity, traction, funding, and legacy.

With its growing alumni network, dynamic faculty, powerful mentors, and investor network, SBA is delivering outcomes few institutions can match. It’s not just preparing students for the market—it’s preparing them to shape it.

Africa’s Builders Are Rising

Sharpe Business Academy is a story of excellence, relevance, and vision—a homegrown institution with global standards and an unshakable commitment to raising Zimbabwe’s and Africa’s future business leaders.

And as Ken Sharpe says with conviction:

“This is not about charity—it’s about lasting impact. It’s not about handouts—it’s about giving a hand up to be hands-on. SBA is where the future of African business begins—with solid ideas, backed by young people, building a bold new world.”

To apply for the July 2025 cohort or partner with the Academy, visit [www.sharpebusinessacademy.com]