Trampoline Launches the JumpStart Challenge, a New Solution to Reduce Entrepreneurship Risks in Mauritius
Trampoline, the incubator of the Currimjee Group, launched JumpStart on January 22, 2026, an innovative program that addresses significant hurdles hampering entrepreneurship in Mauritius: difficulty in acquiring initial customers, lack of initial funding, and uncertainty regarding the commercial viability of innovative projects. A call for projects has been initiated for the program's inaugural challenge, focusing on two critical national issues: electronic waste and plastic waste.
JumpStart aims to mitigate the risks associated with entrepreneurship, marking a new phase in Mauritius' innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem with a clear objective: to drastically reduce the risks of starting a business by providing entrepreneurs with four essential guarantees from the outset, including:
- Non-equity funding from Trampoline,
- Mobilization of resources from JumpStart's partner companies (initially Emtel and Quality Beverages Ltd) for the selected startups,
- Securing an initial paying contract,
- Ongoing support for growth even beyond the incubation period.
Indeed, this is a bet on the future made by Trampoline, the incubator of the Currimjee Group. Through JumpStart, regional entrepreneurs are encouraged to tackle real issues faced by large companies, thereby eliminating the risk of developing a solution without a market. Selected startups will receive non-dilutive funding of up to one million rupees and can prepare for their first commercial contract, significantly reducing the financial and commercial risks that hinder many talented entrepreneurs.
By connecting strategic challenges with entrepreneurial talent, JumpStart transforms innovation into a shared, sustainable, and measurable growth lever while securing the entrepreneurial journey at every stage. "One of the biggest obstacles to entrepreneurship in Mauritius is the inherent risk involved. Many have excellent ideas, but very few dare to implement them out of fear of failure," explained Arif Currimjee, president of Trampoline. "Through JumpStart, we aim to bridge the gap between the real needs of the country and its pool of innovators and talents, which remains largely underutilized. Our partner companies act as genuine clients looking for concrete solutions, rather than investors, as the Currimjee Group does not take equity in the supported startups," he added.
The JumpStart approach is designed to attract a wide range of innovative entrepreneurs, then work closely with them and corporate partners to refine, validate, and test value-creating solutions.
Two National Challenges to Launch the First Edition
For this inaugural edition, JumpStart invites regional entrepreneurs to propose innovative solutions around two major environmental issues: the management of electronic waste in partnership with Emtel Ltd and the management of plastic waste in partnership with Quality Beverages Ltd.
Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to co-develop innovative projects in four key areas applicable to both challenges:
- Circular business models: product-as-a-service, repair and reuse, reverse logistics, or sharing systems that extend product lifespan and reduce waste at the source.
- Resource and material innovation: new recycling techniques, high-value upcycling processes, material or component recovery systems.
- Digital and data solutions: sensors, digital platforms, or tracking technologies to optimize traceability, management, and recycling according to ESG requirements.
- Community and systemic design: initiatives that mobilize citizens, businesses, and networks to make waste management more efficient, accessible, and scalable.
Joint Mobilization of Businesses and Entrepreneurs
"The management of electronic waste is now an urgent challenge for Mauritius. The 31 tons of e-waste collected since 2019 reflect the efforts made, but also the extent of the journey ahead," emphasizes Kresh Goomany. The CEO of Emtel is certain that "addressing this issue now requires broader mobilization and more ambitious solutions. With this challenge, we aim to combine the audacity of entrepreneurs with Emtel's expertise to co-create concrete responses to these environmental challenges. The most sustainable innovations arise from collaboration and collective intelligence. At Emtel, we deeply believe that circularity is a vital pathway to building a more responsible future. Together, we can turn this challenge into a real opportunity for the country."
On the other hand, Inigo de Prado, Managing Director of Quality Beverages Ltd, stated: "Last year, around 159 million plastic bottles were produced in Mauritius, yet less than 40% of these locally produced bottles were collected for recycling. We are convinced that local innovation can provide powerful answers to environmental challenges. With JumpStart, we seek to identify sustainable and operational solutions to encourage and improve the collection, traceability, and upcycling or recycling of plastic bottles."
A Structured Support Process in Three Phases
JumpStart offers much more than funding: it provides a clear and progressive pathway designed to support entrepreneurs from concept to their first customer through three key phases.
Phase 1 – Innovation Workshop: Pre-selected entrepreneurs will participate in collaborative innovation workshops. This phase allows for exploration and refinement of solutions, alignment of proposals with the real needs of partner companies, and validation of their potential before field testing.
Phase 2 – Pilot Testing: Selected solutions are tested in real conditions through pilot projects conducted with partner companies. Entrepreneurs receive continuous support as well as financial, operational, logistical, and administrative assistance.
Phase 3 – Scaling: If the pilot is successful, the solution is deployed on a larger scale. The commercial partnership is finalized, and the partner company becomes the first customer of the startup, paving the way for sustainable growth.
A call to action for entrepreneurs Trampoline is aimed at entrepreneurs, startups, and experienced professionals, whether local or regional, who have a concept, prototype, or initial approach and wish to co-create a solution with a partner company. More than a finished product, JumpStart values the robustness of the approach, the ability to collaborate, and the transformation of an idea into a concrete solution addressing real issues related to electronic or plastic waste.