For 10 years, MEST has trained aspiring entrepreneurs and invested in exceptional businesses with Pan-African ambitions. These businesses have gone on to enter new markets, with MEST growing alongside them as we’ve learned about the opportunities and challenges they face as they scale. This year, MEST will host their first Pan-African start-up pitch competition, the...
As part of our African Regional Social Entrepreneurship Program (SENAP region), Ashoka has just launched the Ashoka Social Investment Accelerator Program to support social entrepreneurs to become investment ready. This six-month program is designed to support social entrepreneurs that are looking to raise investments for the first time. Selected participants will be provided with mentorship...
Cape Town has again been ranked as the top tech entrepreneurial ecosystem for startups among 71 emerging markets cities by the Seedstars Index (SSI). With a measure of 74.4 (with Silicon Valley at a base of 100) Cape Town is ranked ahead of Santiago, Chile (69.6) in second, Nairobi (68.4) in third and Mexico City...
The SAB Foundation supports and invests in entrepreneurs and social innovation with a priority in benefitting women and youth, people in rural areas and people with disability. The SAB Foundation is especially keen to create opportunities for disabled entrepreneurs and innovators, who are strongly encouraged to apply. The Social Innovation Award is aimed at innovators/social entrepreneurs/...
One of the most widely quoted distinguishing features of high-growth firms is that they often receive funding from venture capitalists (VCs). While this may be true, there is very little knowledge about companies that grow fast in the absence of VC-funding. A number of competing theories exist about these firms: some believe that they...
The Social Innovation Awards are aimed at innovators, social entrepreneurs, institutions and social enterprises with prototypes or early-stage businesses that can solve social problems. These products, services, business models and processes should directly address the challenges faced by low-income women, youth, people living with disabilities, or people living in rural areas. Prizes awarded range from...
LaunchLab has launched the 2018 edition of The Ideas Programme which aims to assist early-stage start-ups looking to validate their concepts or improve their technology offering to the market. This is achieved by providing participating start-ups with access to its client network of corporates, who in turn, assist with idea validation. The incubator is looking for...
Seed Academy’s Real State of Entrepreneurship Survey (prev. Startup Survey), has expanded in scope and focus from start-ups to all entrepreneurs irrespective of business size, age or revenue as we look to get a true reflection of the state of entrepreneurship directly from entrepreneurs. Now in its 4th year, the Real State of Entrepreneurship Survey...
Applications are now open for the 2018 Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for startups in South Africa (GCIP-SA). The programme is part of a global initiative that aims to address environmental and economic challenges as well as issues around energy through the promotion of clean technology innovation. This year’s competition will focus on energy efficiency, renewable...
According to the GEM) 2017/2018 report, total early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) in South Africa is at 11.0%, 4.1 percentage points higher compared to 2016’s score of 6.9%. Apart from the country’s 4.1 percentage points TEA growth, entrepreneurial intentions has also increased in the last few years to 11.7%, up from 10.1% in 2016/17. Read more Source: SME...
