MASERU – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has unveiled the Top-9 finalists of the 2026 Growth Stage Impact Ventures (GSIV) Programme, marking a major boost for Lesotho’s private sector and signalling growing investor confidence in the country’s emerging enterprises.
The GSIV Programme is a flagship enterprise acceleration and investment readiness initiativedesigned to identify high-growth businesses in Lesotho with strong commercial potential and measurable contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNDP GSIV Programme Signals Confidence in Lesotho’s Entrepreneurs
In a statement released this week, UNDP said the selection of the nine ventures demonstrates that Lesotho’s private sector is ready to scale, attract investment, and compete regionally and internationally, despite ongoing economic challenges.
The programme focuses on:
• Increasing business visibility and credibility
• Connecting enterprises with investors and partners
• Strengthening Lesotho’s investment pipeline
• Supporting sustainable and scalable business models
Importantly, GSIV does not function as a basic entrepreneurship training programme but instead focuses on positioning already-established growth-stage businesses for expansion and investment readiness.
Only 9 Ventures Selected from Competitive National Pool
UNDP received 15 nominations from impact funds, development organisations, and enterprise support institutions, but only nine met the programme’s strict selection criteria.
Key requirements included:
• Strong...
