TIA-backed startups have two weeks left to apply for Young Enterprise Initiative

Young South African entrepreneurs who have received support or funding from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) have two weeks left to apply for the Young Enterprise Initiative South Africa (YEI South Africa) 2017 programme. Applications close on 7 August.

The programme, held by the French Embassy in South Africa and TIA aims to provide four South African startups with an opportunity to develop and grow in France.

To be eligible for support applicants have to have companies that are at the early-revenue or pre-commercialisation stage that have been funded by TIA or that have participated in one of the agency’s programmes.

In an announcement last week on the French Embassy in Pretoria’s website, the embassy said those startups selected will spend a week in France this November.

There they will take part in training sessions on how to do business in France, get mentoring and coaching from experienced business people with successful international partnerships and participate in networking events with venture capitalists, potential partners, research centers and incubators.

YEI South Africa 2016 participants established links in France

Travel insurance, transport and accommodation costs will be provided by TIA.

Romain Petit, innovation advisor at the French embassy in South Africa, told Ventureburn that applicants would have to motivate their interest for the programme. They could do so by stating the partnerships they intend to develop, companies they want to approach and the research and design they want to perform with specific teams.

He said the four South African startups that participated in last year’s programme, SanAqua HCA, Clear Sky Energy, Miser Hybrid Transmissions and Balancell had all developed links with French companies.

Learn more about programme here.

Applications can be submitted here 

Featured image :Guilhem Vellut via Flickr (CC 2.0 BY-SA, resized)