Fellow:Yonatan Bekele Hilegabriel


Name Yonatan Bekele Hilegabriel School (Cohort) Bowie State University (2024 cohort) Majoring in MBA Country United States Email Special:EmailUser/Hilegabriely0430

Bio

Yonatan Bekele Hilegabriel is an MBA student at Bowie State University, where he focuses on business development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Since July 2024, he has worked as a research assistant at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), contributing to significant economic research projects and collaborating with diverse experts to address critical economic issues.

From pioneering mushroom production with a modest $185 loan to steering the success of Shitaki Mushroom Trade Company and co-founding Mushroom House Trading P.L.C., Yonatan has honed a unique blend of business acumen and strategic innovation. His efforts have resulted in training over 4,500 people and creating more than 700 jobs for mostly unemployed youth in Ethiopia. His leadership has earned him recognition as a finalist in the Mandela Washington Fellowship by the U.S. State Department for Young African Leaders and the USAID, USADF & Citi Foundation Grants programs.

An aspiring entrepreneur, Yonatan has consistently maintained a 4.0 GPA in his MBA program, demonstrating his dedication to academic excellence and leadership development. His passion for sustainable solutions, particularly in agriculture and business, drives his commitment to creating lasting, positive change for communities.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Yonatan continues to mentor and guide young professionals and entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and growth in the business community.

Achievements

Finalist, Mandela Washington Fellowship (2019)- Selected as an Outstanding Young African Leader in Business and Entrepreneurship.

Finalist, USAID, USADF & Citi Foundation Grants (2019)- Competitively selected as a finalist, being the only representative from Ethiopia among 42 African ventures.

Finalist, Code Family Foundation Business Plan Competition (2019)- Recognized for outstanding business plan development in Iowa, USA.

Finalist, Young African Leaders Initiative East Africa Regional Leadership Center (2018)- Selected as a finalist in Nairobi, Kenya, for leadership and entrepreneurship potential.

Entrepreneurship Award from the Ethiopian Government- Honored for creating job opportunities for unemployed youth through innovative business initiatives in mushroom production.

Founder, Shitaki Mushroom Trade Company (2012)- Established a successful business with an initial $185 loan, leading to the training of over 4,500 individuals and the creation of more than 700 jobs.

Co-founder, Mushroom House Trading P.L.C. (2021)- Played a key role in developing high-quality business strategies and expanding the mushroom production industry in Ethiopia.

Industry Champion, Glo-Bus Developing Winning Competitive Strategy (2023)- Recognized for strategic business development in a competitive global simulation.