FROM IDEA TO SCALE
A Practical Playbook for Venture and Ecosystem Builders
Why do so many promising business ideas fail before they scale?
Why do entrepreneurship programmes often produce enthusiasm but not sustainable ventures?
And what does it really take to build successful businesses in African and developing economy markets where funding is limited, infrastructure is uneven, and uncertainty is constant?
From Idea to Scale answers these questions through a practical, experience-driven guide for entrepreneurs, mentors, educators, innovation hubs, policymakers, investors, and ecosystem builders.
This book is not based on Silicon Valley theory alone. It is grounded in real venture-building experiences from Africa and other developing markets where entrepreneurs must innovate under constraints, adapt continuously, and build businesses in environments shaped by informality, fragmented markets, infrastructure gaps, and limited access to capital.
Drawing from decades of entrepreneurship development experience, research, mentoring, consulting, and real business case studies, Prof. Donath R. Olomi presents a structured six-stage venture-building framework that helps readers move from idea discovery to sustainable growth and scale.
Inside the book, you will learn how to:
• Identify real customer problems worth solving
• Validate business ideas before wasting resources
• Design practical and scalable business models
• Build prototypes and test solutions quickly
• Generate traction and early revenue
• Understand funding realities in developing markets
• Build systems, teams, and partnerships for growth
• Navigate uncertainty, risk, and operational challenges
• Scale ventures sustainably while maintaining impact
The book includes:
• Real African entrepreneurial case studies
• Practical worksheets and reflection tools
• Innovation and ecosystem-building frameworks
• Mentor and facilitator guidance sections
• Entrepreneurship curriculum support for universities and innovation hubs
• Step-by-step venture-building guidance grounded in local realities
Unlike many entrepreneurship books that assume stable systems and easy access to resources, From Idea to Scale addresses the realities entrepreneurs actually face in emerging economies and provides tools that can be applied immediately.
Whether you are:
• An aspiring entrepreneur
• A startup founder
• A mentor or business coach
• A university lecturer
• A programme designer
• An investor
• An ecosystem builder
This book provides practical guidance for turning ideas into sustainable ventures that create jobs, solve real problems, and contribute to economic transformation.
This is more than a theory book.
It is a working playbook for people building businesses in the real world.
