From emergency wristbands to innovative gaming and web-based solutions, one of South Africa’s most prominent startup accelerators, Seed Engine, today announced the six local startups taking part in its second business programme.
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Chosen out of 300 applications, the six potentially disruptive ventures which are currently undergoing a 12 week business bootcamp, will receive R100 000 start up capital, and over R300 000 in additional benefits. In return, Seed Engine gains a 20% stake in each business.
Seed Engine CEO Marc Elias says that the programme is committed and has an invested interest to support South African ventures that are well-defined and likely to disrupt:
“There’s a desperate need for jobs in South Africa. Companies create these. Seed Engine and its partners are supporting people with distinctive and disruptive business concepts and turning them into investable businesses. We take people with strong ideas and we turn them into leaders.”
The new ventures which are currently joining the accelerator include:
Stockshop is described as being an online portal that bridges the gap between stock market product and service providers and those that want to invest. The company, which was founded by Annabel Dallamore, encourages users to access an extensive range of educational and research tools for the South African stock market, in an easy-to-use format.
Founded by Grant I’Ons and Gerhard Taljaard, Puntr is described as being a “game within a game”. Puntr is said to have embraced the second screening technology and has produced a real time, social, sports prediction game, in the form of an app for mobile devices that sports fans can play against their mates, while they watch live sport on TV.
1heart streamlines communication in emergency situations and allows people to help save the lives of others. The website shows the concept of a emergency wristband that can be used to help in dire situations. The venture was founded by Lawrence Joffe and Justin Price.
Autodek was founded by Gregory Dix and describes itself as being a web-based online marketing and management system focused on the auto retail sector. It offers an array of turnkey solutions to extensively streamline data management and reporting as well as providing innovative marketing solutions for vastly increased efficiency and sales performance.
Colormeclever creates educational apps for kids. The company’s working on digital products ranging from a Monster Art storybook to a collage iTunes app and was founded by lecturer and artist Daniella Orkin.
Fifty2 was founded by Sean Pleaner and Karl Buys and is described as being an academic organising platform for students and lecturers.
Demo Day, where they will pitch their ideas for potential investors, takes place 27 November. To apply for Seed Engine’s next accelerator starting in February 2014 or more information on the programme go to the Seed Engine website.
