Record turnout expected at Startup Grind Cape Town with over 800 tickets issued

Over 800 tickets have been sold for tonight’s Startup Grind Cape Town party and event, which kicks off at 5.30pm at Workshop 17 in the Waterfront.

Speaking to Ventureburn yesterday Guillaume de Smedt, who is the chapter ‘s Cape Town director, said he had already issued 800 free tickets to tonight’s event which will feature Takealot co-CEO Willem van Biljon. There will also be live music and entertainment.

De Smedt said he expects about 40% of those that got tickets to drop out, but has as a contingency measure organised special viewing screens in rooms around at Workshop 17 to accommodate the expected additional numbers. Usually Startup Grind Cape Town events attract between 100 and 200 people, from sold tickets.

Startup Grind Cape Town director Guillaume de Smedt told Ventureburn that he had already issued 800 free tickets for tonight’s event

The party is being held to celebrate De Smedt’s last event after four years running the Cape Town chapter.

De Smedt, who hosted the first Startup Grind event in Africa in August 2013 will from next month be focusing on his full-time role working for Startup Grind Headquarters in Silicon Valley as Global Community Director – overseeing 250 chapters worldwide. He will also continue to run Startup Grind Pretoria events.

Sandras Phiri, who runs Startup Grind’s Lusaka chapter will takeover from De Smedt from next month when the next event, scheduled for September 7 is held (it will feature Fundamo founder Hannes van Rensburg).

Read more: Want to run a Startup Grind chapter? New Cape director Sandras Phiri tells how

Free tickets for this event can be got here: www.startupgrind.com/cape-town

Featured image: Attendees at a past Startup Grind event held earlier this year (Onsight Pictures)