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 next week’s, please let us know in the comments below or send us an email.
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Not all of the events are free and some will require booking in advance. Please click on the event names to find out more information.
Cape Town & Stellenbosch
This event aims to demonstrate how MEST supports entrepreneurs pre-ideation and takes them through a one-year entrepreneurial training program in Ghana where they become skilled developers, business people and have the chance to create a startup of their own, while also securing seed funding and a spot at one of its five incubators (Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, Johannesburg).
Led by a graduate of MEST, this info session will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about what’s it’s like to go through the MEST program and ask questions directly before the application deadline on May 20.
Date: 9 May, 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: Spin Street House
This event aims to bring together people interested in Ethereum, a public blockchain platform with programmable transaction functionality. It will include a presentation from an experienced Ethereum developer, a short brainstorming workshop, as well as general introductions to the space.
Date: 10 May, 4:30pm to 7pm
Location: Bandwidth Barn
Tech opportunities for the Oceans Economy
This event is a collaboration between F’SATI (French South African Institute of Technology), a French South African graduate institute for teaching, research and development, and the recently launched French Tech Hub. Aimed at exploring the opportunities in the ocean economy.
The following topics will be covered:
- CPUT’s contribution to Operation Phakisa
- Nanosatellite technologies for maritime services
- Maritime surveillance and monitoring
- Oceans Economy
Date: 11 May, 6pm to 8pm
Location: CPUT (Bellville Campus)
Johannesburg
The May edition of the Venture Network series of events aims to help attendees connect with members of the startup ecosystem. Venture Network unites a diverse group of startups through exclusive events enabling self-starters to showcase their work, develop new networks and entice influential investors.
Date: 11 May, 6:00pm onwards
Location: JoziHub
This free workshop aims to get attendees digitally savvy in two days. Digify Bytes is an intensive training experience aimed at giving thousands of young learners and job seekers a short, sharp shot of digital skills.
Date: 14 May, 9:00am onwards
Location: JoziHub
DEMO Africa Innovation Tours- East Africa (Nairobi)
The organisers of DEMO Africa, the continent’s largest startup event, are traveling across the continent, looking for 30 most innovative companies to launch their products and services in-front of investors, technology buyers and the media.
The first of these regional tours covers East Africa and will take place in Nairobi. The tour aims to bring together startups and technology industry players to look at ways through which innovations can be turned into business ventures. Entreprenuers from East Africa will get a chance to pitch to a panel of highly placed individuals in the tech sector.
Date: 10 May, 1:30pm to 5:30pm
Location: Pawa254 Hub
This event aims to demonstrate how MEST supports entrepreneurs pre-ideation and takes them through a one-year entrepreneurial training program in Ghana where they become skilled developers, business people and have the chance to create a startup of their own, while also securing seed funding and a spot at one of its five incubators (Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, Johannesburg).
Led by a graduate of MEST, this info session will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about what’s it’s like to go through the MEST program and ask questions directly before the application deadline on May 20.
Date: 12 May, 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Location: Strathmore University
Lagos
This event aims to teach you how to put together an effective succession plan which fits in with your personal aspirations, within a timeframe of your making. It can also help you understand the challenges you will face in exiting your business.
Date: 11 May, 11:00am to 1:00pm
Location: Crossway Plaza, Beside UBA
Accra
The Ghana Startups Awards is an annual award ceremony that celebrates ambitious and indigenous Ghanaian start-up businesses that are making impact, contributing to economic growth, meeting social needs and putting Ghana on the global economic map. The Awards honours young, smart and daring entrepreneurs, who, despite all the challenges they face, have taken the risk to pursue entrepreneurship as a full-time career.
Date: 11 May, 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: British Council – Liberia Road
