Entrepreneurs Lars Veul and Derk Hoekert from logistics startup Pargo were two of four SA entrepreneurs from two companies that Endeavor South Africa this week welcomed into the organisation’s network.
The two other entrepreneurs were Ingrid Osborne and Julie Mathieson, the founders of Saryx Engineering Group.
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While Pargo allow consumers, companies and couriers to send and receive parcels at 2000 pickup points, Saryx Engineering Group were named the winners of the 2018 FNB Business Innovation Awards held in June.
The group has also developed its own cloud-based platform, HSEC Online, which manages risk compliance documents online, in realtime, and saves clients an estimated $324-million in violation costs each year.
Pargo was also one of the FNB Business Innovation Awards finalists earlier this year and has recently expanded to Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland.
FNB is a key sponsor of Endeavor SA.
With their selection as Endeavor entrepreneurs the two will have access to a worldwide network of successful entrepreneurs, as well as mentoring and the chance to receive investment from Endeavor.
In a press release on Tuesday Endeavor SA — a non-profit organisation that supports high-impact entrepreneurs around the world — said the four were selected at the 82nd International Selection Panel (ISP) in Buenos Aires held between September 5 and 7, and hosted by Endeavor Argentina. As part of the ISP, Endeavor selected 27 entrepreneurs leading 18 companies from 12 countries.
Pargo allow consumers, companies and couriers to send and receive parcels at 2000 pickup points
Endeavor now supports 1742 entrepreneurs leading 1088 companies in 32 growth markets around the world.
Top business leaders and investors from the region and around the world, including Luis Lora (Allen & Company) and John Farrell (Acelera Capital) among others, served as panellists at the event. Panellists were drawn from Endeavor’s extensive network of board members, mentors, supporters, and experienced Endeavor entrepreneurs.
At the ISP, which was attended by over 100 entrepreneurs, network members, and partners, panellists interview entrepreneur candidates about their businesses, evaluating them on their potential for high-impact growth, and deliberating on which candidates should be selected to become Endeavor Entrepreneurs.
The ISP is the culmination of a rigorous multi-step selection process to identify innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are committed to advancing an ecosystem of entrepreneurship.
Endeavor will host the remaining ISPs in 2018 in Athens (22-24 October) and Stellenbosch (11-13 December).
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*Correction: We incorrectly referred to Pargo co-founder Derk Hoekert as “Derek Hoekert”. This has since been corrected.
Featured image: Pargo founder Lars Veul (left) and Derek Hoekert (right) (Supplied)
