Seedstars announces launch of hub in Cape Town to take place this month

Seedstars, the Swiss-based organisation that supports startups in emerging markets, has announced that it will this month open a Seedspace hub in Cape Town.

In a statement yesterday (6 June), Seedstars announced that the hub will be opened on 21 June. Prior to the announcement, Seedstars had been operating a work space in Cape Town in a joint venture with co-working space Spin Street House.

Seedstars head of operations Romulo Navarrete said Spin Street House had “played a vital role in our settlement in the city”.

Seedstars currently operates eight hubs around the world, with plans to add seven more before the end of the year

“Now, by fusing this local hub with Seedspace globally we aim to consolidate our activities in Cape Town and South Africa, providing the local ecosystem not just with a space, but also access to a robust international community,” Navarrete said in the statement.

He said Spin Street House has been a major player in the industry for many years and has enabled a solid community around it.

“Being community focused just like Seedspace, it made great sense that we joined forces to provide a greater impact to the members as well as adding Cape Town to the Seedspace global map,” he added.

Seedstars is set to support the startup community from the hub through increased events, programmes, as well as training with other partners.

The opening of Seedspace Cape Town follows the April launch of Seedstars first hub in the Middle East and North Africa region, Seedspace Cairo.

In all, the organisation operates eight Seedspace hubs including two in Geneva, Switzerland (La Chevillarde and La Praille); one in Lagos, Nigeria; another one in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and two in Colombia (Bogota and Medellin).

Navarrete said the organisation aims to have 15 hubs around the world by the end of the year.

“This expansion is pivotal so that we can bring more impact to local ecosystems while interconnecting the different locations, creating access to an international community of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and corporates interested in innovation,” he said.

Read more: Seedstars to launch hub in Cairo, kick off first Seedstars competition pitch
Read more: Seedspace in drive to buy up, partner with co-working spaces across world
Read more: Seedstars mulls expansion of co-working offering Seedspace in Nigeria [Q&A]

Featured image: Spin Street House via Facebook