KCB’s Lions den show makes a comeback with 63 entrepreneurs on board

Standard Group and KCB pen deal for 'Lions' Den' season 2 Tv show

NAIROBI, KENYA: Entrepreneurs with unique businesses to get an opportunity to tap into millions of shillings from the Lions in partnership deals.

Kenya Commercial Bank’s entertainment and entrepreneurship show (Lions den) is back to the screen from today.

The show on KTN pits 63 entrepreneurs seeking growth opportunities for their businesses.

Competing entrepreneurs will be expected to pitch their ideas and negotiate for the capital they need to take their enterprises to the next level in exchange for a stake in their business.

The financing will come from one or more of the five Lions—renowned Kenyan business gurus who are part of the panel who will be evaluating the ideas.

KCB Director of Marketing and Communications Angela Mwirigi said of the second season: "We are promising viewers high quality shows with much more expectation than the first season because applicants had time to learn from Season One. We can tell from the quality of applications that the standards have changed so much for the better and we certainly have great applications that will without a doubt engage the Lions and the audience intensely.”

The Show received at least 5,000 applications. After the rigorous vetting process, 63 successful contestants were chosen to face the Lions. Of the successful applicants, 32 percent of them were women and 68 percent were men with businesses cutting across agriculture, design, education, energy, ICT, health, publishing, food & beverages, manufacturing, environment, entertainment and service. At least 12 counties were represented. 

The KCB Lion’s Den mainly seeks entrepreneurs looking for financial, social and intellectual capital for their new and innovative businesses in the country.

Audiences will engage with the contestants as they battle in the Den.

The Lions are Kenyan-based business moguls who have risen through the business world and established themselves as trailblazers in their respective industries in their journey to grow Kenya-based businesses. Returning for season two are Myke Rabar, CEO Homeboyz Entertainment; Darshan Chandaria, Group CEO and Director of Chandaria Industries; Olive Gachara, Founder and Publisher of Couture Magazine Africa; Kris Senanu, CEO of Blackrock Entertainment and Wandia Gichuru, Co-Founder and MD of Vivo Activewear.

The TV show is part of the KCB Group 2Jiajiri programme expected to benefit at least 500,000 youth in a period of 5 years. The programme, which also encompasses a business challenge for start-ups, will enable young entrepreneurs to submit their business ideas for funding.