Looking to get into the South African startup scene or catch 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 them 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
The Mastermind workshop will cover three key issues affecting businesses: What to address in your marketing message, addressing the relevant issue can bump your sales and what trends will affect your business this year.
These topics will be covered by award-winning consultant Landi Jac and entrepreneur Mike Handcock.
Date: 22 May, 2:30pm to 5:30pm
Location: Blowfish Restaurant, 1 Marine Drive, Cape Town
Xtraordinary Women Networking Event: Southern Suburbs
This networking event will follow the theme of “being inspired… bringing hope to the forgotten poor”. Speaking at the event will be the national director for Mercy Ships, a charity programming bringing medical care to the poor.
Date: 23 May, 8:30am to 11am
Location: The Clubhouse, Constantia Sports Complex, Constantia Main Rd, Constantia
Geek Girl Dinner Cape Town with Buhle Goslar from JUMO
Join Buhle Goslar on her entrepreneurial journey during the Geek Girl Dinner where you can find out more about Juno’s director of customer intelligence and how her highs and lows affected her startup journey.
Date: 23 May, 6pm to 9pm
Location: The Atlantic Imbizo, Suite 301, 3rd Floor, Clock Tower Offices, Clock Tower Silo Centre, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Weekly Breakfast Networking Meeting
This networking event hosted by Business Networking International (BNI) welcomes all entrepreneurs to join a group of 30 business owners to build stronger relationships and networks relating to their industries. The group however only caters for one person per industry. If your industry already has a representative, you will be referred to another chapter which has a vacancy.
The breakfast is R130 and needs to be paid in advance for a seat to be secured. You will also be required to register for the event before you’re able to attend.
Date: 24 May, 8:15am to 10am
Location: 144 Campground Road, Newlands
#CapeMarketing Workshops for Small Businesses in Woodstock
Join networking professional Bridget Knight at a workshop dedicated to teaching you ways to build and strengthening your networks. Participants are free to discuss any issue relating to their particular marketing situation.
Date: 24 May, 1pm to 2pm
Location: The Cape Town Garage, The Woodstock Exchange, Block A / 4th Floor, 66 Albert Road, Woodstock
Join the team as they present their talk on artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential to disrupt industries. The panel discussion welcomes five guest speakers in the AI sector: the founder of the Machine Learning Institue of Africa, Jacques Ludik; co-founder of FinChatBot, Antoine Paillusseau; founder of NumberBoost, Alex Conway, co-CEO of Clevva, Ryan Falkenberg and co-founder of DataProphet Daniel Schwartzkopff.
Date: 25 May, 6pm to 9pm
Location: Far Ventures, 2nd Floor, 79 Roeland Street
This conference explores the wide world of conversational interfaces and the impact they can have on businesses and lives in Africa.
Date: 25 May, 6am to 6pm
Location: Workshop 17, 17 Dock Rd, V & A Waterfront
Johannesburg
Startup Grind Johannesburg: Ramona Kasavan of MimiWomen
In celebration of May being female founders month, Startup Grind will be hosting top female entrepreneurs across the world to follow their journey as a female entrepreneur and the challenges they had to face to become successful.
The next guest to be featured on the fireside chat is Ramona Kasavan of MimiWomen, a female hygiene company.
Date: 23 May, 5:30PM to 8:30pm
Location: Standard Bank Incubator, 5 Cradock Ave, Rosebank
Business Expansion Breakfast for business owners
The Business Networking International offers a safe space for participants to share ideas, contacts and business referrals. The invitation is open to any entrepreneur within any industry.
Date: 24 May, 7:15am to 8:45am
Location: Elm Street Cafe, Cnr Elm Street and Sycamore Drive, Edenvale
The Lean Coffee event is an agenda-less event which gives its participants the floor to choose the agenda as well as to constructively debate and explore it. There are only a limited amount of spots available.
Date: 25 May, 8am to 10am
Location: Fego Coffee, Irene Village Mall, Nellmapius Drive, Irene
Kenya
This summit will allow African women in tech to learn from each other through various sessions. The summit will also give participants the opportunity to expand their networks through an evening cocktail event.
Date: 27 May, 8:30am to 5:30pm
Location: Boma Hotel, Bellevue, Off Mombasa Road, Red Cross Rd
Nigeria
The summit is themed on ‘Entrepreneurship in an Innovation-Driven Economy’ and will look at how becoming an entrepreneur can continually drive much-needed innovation.
Date: 24 May, 10am to 1pm
Location: Education Glass House, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State
Join this month’s Startup Grind featuring Pradeep Pahalwani, an accomplished entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in Nigeria’s trading and manufacturing sector.
Date: 27 May, 3pm to 6pm
Location: Capital Square, 114b Ilupeju Street, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi,
Have a startup event that you’d like featured on next week’s event roundup? Send us an email
