Empretec Zimbabwe was set up in 1992 as a joint initiative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Zimbabwe Investment Centre. In 1997, Empretec was registered as a Trust in order to facilitate transition into an autonomous entity that would be able to sustain its programme activities beyond the project period. Empretec's mandate is to develop entrepreneurship. Throughout its years of operation Empretec has been instrumental in the development of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe.