Anticipation is growing among 40 young entrepreneurs selected to receive startup capital and business mentorship from the Paul Katema Foundation under the Young Builders Challenge Season One, after the organisation announced it will reveal the finalists this Friday, November 7, 2025.

A statement published on the Foundation’s website indicates that, out of the 40 semi-finalists, judges will select the 10 best ideas to advance to the National Finals in December.

At that stage, three winners will receive grand prizes of K5 million, K2.5 million, and K1 million, along with business mentorship and development support.

Said Katema: “The Challenge embodies the spirit of mindset change as an enabler of Malawi Vision 2063, proving that progress begins with courage, innovation, and the belief that Malawi’s youth can build their own future.”

One of the judges for the Young Builders Challenge Season One, Dennis Imaan, revealed that the business pitch competition received over 700 business ideas from public and private college students and graduates, drawing more than 212,000 public votes on the Foundation’s digital platform.

The young entrepreneurs were challenged to showcase the creativity and determination of Malawi’s youth to drive innovation and self-reliance through business ideas and investable homegrown solutions in their communities.