A plunge into Zambia's unique startup scene

The country is betting on its looser regulatory environment to make it one of the continent's startup hub.

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As of now

Landlocked nations don’t always have it easy. No access to the sea makes the development of an export industry difficult, as the country has to rely on its neighbors’ transport infrastructure to do so. One alternative consists of fomenting a robust services industry, coupled with high-end, manufactured products. Switzerland, its bankers, and its luxury watches are a case in point.

Zambia, located just south of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and sporting a population of almost 20 million, is coming to terms with that realization. Landlocked between 8 different countries, the almost 60-year-old republic has embarked on a path to diversify away from copper, its historical cash cow. The recent emergence of a humble, yet ambitious local startup scene paves one of the roads to that diversification.