Global Awards Open Doors for Rwanda’s Boldest Young Entrepreneurs

The Investec Early-Stage Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (The Investec Easies), powered by OPUS, are the first awards designed to spotlight founders at the very beginning of their journey. The awards are open to founders leading companies under four years old and pre-Series A.

Only a small fraction of the estimated 305 million businesses formed each year reach significant scale. The Investec Easies aim to uncover the boldest ideas before founders achieve market exit or large-scale growth.

In partnership with Investec Wealth & Investment International and Endava, a publicly listed technology services company, the awards offer prizes across four categories: Impact, Consumer, Technology, and Female Founder. Winners will receive a £10,000 cash prize, membership in the OPUS founder ecosystem, global media visibility, and a seat at the World Economic Forum in Davos with the OPUS Delegation.

The winners will be decided through a combination of public votes and a panel of international judges spanning capital, culture, and entrepreneurship. Judges include Imtiaz Patel, former CEO of MultiChoice Group; Maxine Gray, Head of Strategy and Implementation at Investec; Lyndon Subroyen, Group Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Investec; Alastair Lukies CBE, Chief Engagement Officer at Endava; Kristen McLeod CBE, Chief Strategy Officer of British Business Bank; Erin Platts, CEO of Octopus Ventures; and Marc Porat, founder of General Magic.

“For founders at this stage, much of the work happens in the shadows,” said Sam Tidswell-Norrish, Founder and Chair of OPUS. “The Investec Easies reward the audacity to begin, not just the ability to scale. Every story starts with a leap of courage—the idea scribbled on a napkin, the risky quit from a stable job, the first late-night coding session. Those sparks of possibility are rarely recognized, yet they are the beating heart of entrepreneurship. With The Investec Easies, we want to celebrate those sparks because they are where the future is born.”

Applications are now open at www.theeasies.com. Founders leading companies under four years old and pre-Series A are invited to apply before 5 November 2025. The application process takes just a few minutes and is designed to be accessible to anyone at the start of their entrepreneurial journey.