There are times when the African incubator and accelerator space can seem like a bit of a crapshoot. One minute a new player will have a ton of press coverage and a load of backing behind it, the next it'll have quietly disappeared and its founders will be suspiciously unavailable for interviews. A new incubator and accelerator programme called Sw7 is, however, trying to change all that. Following the example of programmes like the one used by the Co-creation Hub ...

Your startup still has time to enter the DEMO Africa competition. One of Africa's biggest startup pitch events is keeping its application process open for another week from 15 June to 22 June. The annual event last year saw over 500 applicants of which 40 were chosen to pitch at the conference. Executive producer Harry Hare explains why DEMO Africa has decided to extend the application deadline. "From experiences, there is always a last minute rush by start-ups to comply. ...

The IBM Global Entrepreneurial Initiative has been gaining traction in Africa over the last three years. The goal of the initiative -- comprising the IBM Global Entrepreneur Programme and SmartCamps -- is to build relationships with quality startups and ultimately help accelerate them to market in a quick, cost effective manner while boasting a sustainable and profitable business model. 2014 is set to be IBM's biggest so far. The IBM Entrepreneurial week was held online and in over 40 locations around the ...

When I was in Nigeria a few months ago, I go the distinct feeling that education startups were the new hot ticket for young tech entrepreneurs. One of them wanted to build an online university, another wanted to provide a test platform for standardised tests and Fora wanted to give Africans access to the best possible education online. Today, Fora is dead. When I met the bright-eyed founder of this company, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, his energetic smiles and excited air suggested that he really ...

In order to make our lives a bit more convenient, a couple of developers in Cape Town, South Africa have conjured up some very nifty maps that we've decided to round up for you. By mostly crowdsourcing data from the public, and leveraging tools like Google Maps, these sites listed below have enabled us all to get a bird's eye view of where what is in the Mother City. Know where to find free Wi-Fi The site is aptly titled Find ...

Having had his work featured in publications like Mail & Guardian, Financial Times and Elle Magazine, South African artist Atang Tshikare has recently been making a name for himself locally and abroad. He is also one of the many artists currently using the online marketplace, Unsung Art. "We make beautiful original art affordable to the amateur art collector and also give the emerging (and established) artist an alternative online platform to showcase their work," says co-founder of Unsung Art Jessica Kramer. ...

Alright Capetonians, no more complaints about Toyota Corollas and Avanzas picking you up when you order an UberBlack. Yup, the luxury car ordering service is relegating the "not so luxury" cars into its X range, which launched in Cape Town today. Uber's Cape Town team has been hinting at including the low-cost option into its service offering for some time now. "We are thrilled to launch uberX in Cape Town today. This new service means that you can now ...

South African tech company Millbug has recently announced its Vuya tablet PC together with its grand vision of bringing affordable gadgets to local areas with limited access to electricity. Vuya carries a price tag of just R1 500 and is developed with one of South Africa's most widely available resources in mind: the sun. The tablet relies on a solar charger (which is bundled with the device) as well as traditional electricity power outlets. Apart from having a very nice ring to ...

This week, the Central Working Committee of the Future Africa Awards & Summit(TFAAS) announced its formal global expansion of its brain trust.Conversely, the TFAAS will be expanding their Board of Judges, along with their Independent Audit Committee and its Global Board of Advisors. According to Mfon Ekpo, a memeber of the Central Working Committee and Fellow with President Barack Obama's Young African Leaders Initiave, the expansion will consist of distinguished leaders from across the world. The announcement coincides ...

As Nigeria's economic growth has eclipsed South Africa's, it brings to light areas where the country's growth potential is not being realised. Growing the SME sector is a viable option for growing a country's economy, but this does not just happen without input from the government and bigger, more established, businesses. For the best impact, big business and government should work together -- and not in silos -- to help stimulate the SME sector. South Africa's population is one of the youngest ...