New Economy Accelerator reveals SA’s game-changing startups for 2015

On a mission to promote sustainable development, the African Transition To A New Economy (ATTANE) has revealed the 10 South African startup finalists selected for its inaugural New Economy Accelerator (NEA) programme.

NEA gives the selected enterprises — which are all focused on so-called bottom of the pyramid solutions — the opportunity to join its nine-month programme which will include couching, access to finance and general business support.

The 10 chosen companies generate annual turnover ranging from R120 000 to R16 million and were selected based on scalability, new economy fit, employment creation, innovation and investment readiness.

Read more: New accelerator aims to boost youth entrepreneurship in South Africa

In a press release sent to Ventureburn, Michael Weatherhead of New Economy Foundation said that the New Economy Accelerator is significant because of its support for radical experimentation:

It creates the space for a different definition of economic activity, and does so with practical examples on the ground. People are crying out for actual examples of doing things differently and the activities of the programme participants provide those examples of how to support a flourishing society within planetary limits.

As listed in the media statement, the participating companies are as follows:

Geza Jozi (Waste and Transport, Gauteng)
Khona Cafe (Digital Inclusion, Western Cape)
Last Mile for BoP (Localized Retail, Western Cape)
Let’s Go Trade (Skills and Mass Employment, Gauteng)
Naturally Good (Eco-friendly Consumer Products, Western Cape)
Sidingulwazi Co-Op (Recycling Co-Op, Gauteng)
Umgibe (Urban/Community Farming, KZN)
Use-It (Sustainable Housing, KZN)
Y-Waste (Upcycling – Food waste, Western Cape)
Zuka (Organic Fertilizer, Eastern Cape)

The programme will run from 1 October 2015 to 28 April 2016 and will include a demo day.