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  • Edtech startup Chalkboard Education crowned winner of Seedstars World Accra

    By on 24 August, 2016

    Education initiative, Chalkboard Education, has been selected as the overall winner of pitching competition, Seedstars World Ghana. Chalkboard Education is a certified institution which offers a real degree certified by universities. It requires no internet connection and is accessible on any device via SMS. "If I judge by last years winners I think the global summit in Switzerland is going to be life changing. Last year’s winners Asoriba had an amazing year and we hope to be able to do the same with the help of the Seedstars platform," said The founder of Chalkboard Education and CEO, Adrien Bouillot Bouillot and his team will be headed...

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    SA consumers doing their product homework before purchase

    CompareGuru on 1 September, 2016

    At a time when most consumers are spending conservatively, with a hawkish eye on every last Rand, value for money has become paramount. Long gone are the days when people sign on to mobile contracts on a whim, or buy insurance products at the behest of a smiling salesman. With deep-seated economic and political uncertainty prevailing, consumers are looking to inform themselves as best they can before spending a cent. “The good news for sceptical South Africans is that a host of new and sophisticated digital tools are coming online, giving people much-needed access to information,” says Ryan Marx, CEO...

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  • LaunchLab, ATTACQ to launch growth fund in real estate sector

    By on 23 August, 2016

    The real estate Sector stands to benefit from a new partnership between incubator LaunchLab and ATTACQ, a high-quality real estate investor. The partnership will be driven by the LaunchLab Innovation Platform which will seek to capture new ideas and business models which could enhance the retail industry. Accompanying the LaunchLab Innovation Platform will be LaunchLab Ideas and Lift-Off Programme which aims to help startups every step of the way. The Ideas Programme extends across all the universities across the Western Cape and Gauteng. Tapping into the potential of student and non-student entrepreneurs allows them to find more innovative ways of operating. ATTACQ's desire with this...

  • Sanlam, Business/Partners announce finalists for 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year competition

    By on 23 August, 2016

    Sanlam, in conjunction with Business/Partners, has announced the 15 finalists in the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year competition. The winners will be announced on 1 September at an awards breakfast in Johannesburg. The finalists will be competing for a chance to win prizes worth R2-million, along with cash prizes of R425 000. "Beyond monetary prices, previous finalists have benefitted greatly from the various networking opportunities and associated media exposure that the competition offers. Past winners have also gone on to win international awards and form valuable partnerships as a result of their success in the competition," writes spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year...

  • Securing Water for Food challenge now open

    By on 22 August, 2016

    The Securing Water for Food Challenge is an initiative looking for innovative entrepreneurs tackling the issue of water and food security. The initiative combines the help of not only the US Agency for International Development (USAID) but also the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (MFA-NL) and the South African government. "As we see more and more droughts all over the world and surpass the one billion mark of people who don't have enough food to eat, it is increasingly clear that we need better innovations to help our planet's farmers...

  • Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [22/08/2016]

    By on 22 August, 2016

    Looking to get into the South African startup scene or scratch up on some of your skills? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are loads of competitions, networking sessions and workshops happening around South Africa and the rest of the continent (namely Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana) that we’ve rounded up to make your life a bit easier. This article is part of a weekly series that highlights all the top startup competitions, networking sessions, workshops and conferences around South Africa, and the greater region. If you have any event recommendations for us to add to the list, or...

  • Seedstars World lists 10 startups to compete in Côte d’Ivoire

    By on 22 August, 2016

    International pitching competition, Seedstars World, returns to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The event will take place on 29 august at Colab Abidjan. The startups will be competing for an opportunity to win up to US$1-million in the Seedstars World final in Switzerland, with the main prize being US$500 000 in equity investment. "We honestly think the best way to have an impact in emerging countries is by investing and promoting entrepreneurship in emerging markets. We look forward to seeing how the Ivorian startup scene has evolved in a year and we are excited to discover the new startups in Côte d’Ivoire," said associate for...

  • Bottles: delivering a ‘cold one’ to your door

    By on 19 August, 2016

    In a nation that loves to braai and enjoy a good beer, cider or glass of wine, some consumers tend to make reckless decisions and get behind the wheel, especially when the party runs dry. A solution is available though, in the form of Bottles. Bottles is an on-demand alcohol delivery app which delivers drinks to your door in under 60 minutes, saving you the trouble of leaving the party. "Towards the beginning of 2015, we were at a braai in Durban with friends, and as fortune would have it, we ran out of drinks," Vincent Viviers, the co-founder of Bottles, told Ventureburn...

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  • LaunchLab, Nedbank on hunt for next big thing in fintech, big data

    By on 19 August, 2016

    LaunchLab in partnership with Nedbank has launched a Fintech and Big Data Challenge which commenced on 16 August 2016 and will continue to 23 September with the final event take place on 20 October of this year. The challenge will seek to find innovative ideas that will alter the way consumers bank in Africa. LaunchLab along with Nedbank will search for new businesses that address new ways to use mobile technology in the sector, as well as new ways to incorporate gamification to better client engagement with products. The challenge will also focus on platforms related to money transfers and fundraising initiatives, such as crowdfunding...

  • SA investors can apply for Tier 1 visa to live in UK

    By on 18 August, 2016

    The British Home Office has created a programme in order to encourage foreign investment, opening the door for SA entrepreneurs to move to the UK. According to Gary Kockott, the MD of Sable Group (a company dealing in foreign interests), the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Investment Programme may be a viable option for those wanting to sell off their assets in SA and immigrate to the UK. "This bespoke UK citizenship investment programme requires an investment of £200 000 in a UK business opportunity for an applicant and their family to receive residency and possibly citizenship if all the requirements are met," says Kockott,...

  • Moving the Mother City forward by creating opportunity for all [SPONSORED]

    By on 18 August, 2016

    Creating cities of opportunity for South Africans are shaped by fostering enabling environments and by inspiring innovation. Local and international speakers addressed these topics at the SA Innovation Summit 2016 lead-up event, the High Impact Series, which took place on Tuesday, 16 August 2016 at Workshop 17, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Pictured from left to right is Thomas Wittig (CEO of WITTIGONIA, Switzerland), Abbas Jamie (Director of Innovation at Aurecon Africa), Aurelia Albert (Innovate Durban), Dr Morne Mostert (Director, Institute for Futures Research), Lance Greyling (Director of Trade and Investment, City of Cape Town) and Lesley Williams (Master...