Applications for next week’s SBC AfriTech Cape Town FastTrack close this Sunday

Startups looking to attend Startupbootcamp (SBC) AfriTech Cape Town FastTrack event next Wednesday (22 May) have just under two days to submit their applications.

Applications for the event will close this Sunday (19 May). The Cape Town FastTrack will be co-hosted by financial services provider RCS and SBC AfriTech.

FastTracks are informal events where the SBC AfriTech team, mentors and sponsors have the opportunity to meet the most suitable early-stage companies interested in joining the accelerator’s 2019 programme.

Attending a FastTrack boosts a startup’s chances of joining SBC AfriTech’s programme by up to 20%

RCS CEO Regan Adams said in a statement on Tuesday (14 May) that the firm is excited to learn what this year’s startups have to offer.

Adams said RCS is driven to become “more digitised” and to improve customer experience, and that is why it is interested in solutions that align with this.

“Today, customers are more digitally-enabled and socially-connected. Customer experience is everything and the touch-points have multiplied. We are aiming for customer centric solutions at every touch-point.

Successful implementations

RCS head of innovation and acceleration Rudi Visser said the company has successfully implemented solutions pitched by SBC startups in the past.

Visser added that RCS looks forward to engaging with startups again to drive innovation at the firm.

“In our final year of sponsorship, our focus will be on digital solutions with the potential to directly impact on customer experience and engagement, which are key priorities for RCS,” he pointed out.

The SBC AfriTech FastTrack Tour for 2019 will cover 19 events in 14 countries. The accelerator said attending a FastTrack will boost a startup’s chances of join SBC AfriTech’s three-month programme by as much as 20%.

At the Cape Town FastTrack, the top ten startups to apply will receive instant feedback from a panel of industry mentors, network with the SBC investment team and also learn more about SBC AfriTech’s programme.

SBC AfriTech programme director Nsovo Nkatingi said the SBC AfriTech FastTrack Tour is an open canvass for forward-thinking startups to initiate a shift in traditional thinking while networking with hundreds of other innovative, like-minded people wanting to set new benchmarks in the African tech industry.

SBC AfriTech 2018 alumnus Lüla CEO Velani Mboweni said attending a FastTrack is useful for startups wishing to join the accelerator programme.

“At the Cape Town FastTrack, we engaged with corporate sponsors, including Old Mutual and Nedbank, right from the get-go. This really gave us a leg-up in our SBC journey,” added Mboweni.