Cape Town Startup Week 2018 to celebrate city’s ‘vibrant’ tech scene [Updated]

Over the last decade Cape Town has grown to become arguably Africa’s tech startup capital. To celebrate this the city’s leading tech organisations yesterday (8 November) unveiled Cape Town Startup Week (CTSUW), which will take place between 3 and 6 December.

The event is a result of collaboration between tech organisations Silicon Cape, Heavy Chef, Startup Grind Cape Town, Future Females, Startupbootcamp Afritech, Workshop17, Inner City Ideas Cartel and the CiTi.

Commenting in a statement announcing the launch of the event on Heavy Chef’s blog yesterday, Silicon Cape interim general manager Kerry Petrie said over the past 12 months, the city’s tech ecosystem has been hard at work to build a “vibrant community”.

Cape Town Startup Week 2018 is comprised of several events that aim to celebrate the success and achievements of entrepreneurs over the past year

“Cape Town Startup Week is essentially our intent to celebrate the contribution that all our entrepreneurs and innovators have made to our ecosystem and to the South African economy,” said Petrie.

Excited? Here’s what’s lined up so far

A schedule of events can be accessed here on the event’s website which went live last month.

A few events have already been posted, with more set to be announced. Those with events they would like to add are invited to submit their proposals on the event’s Partner page (access it here).

3 December

The week kicks off with a Future Females event at Workshop 17 on 3 December titled  How to Show Up, Know your power and use your influence.

4 December

Tech accelerator Startupbootcamp Afritech will provide a free workshop to showcase the level of input that their team is being recognised for globally.

During the week’s first evening event, Heavy Chef will announce the winners of its SA’s Top Most Exciting Startups for 2018. The event will be held at Workshop 17 between 6pm and 11.30 pm. You can nominate your entry here and book your seats for the event here.

Youtube star Dan Mace and his manager Willie Morris will conduct a four-hour long Heavy Chef masterclass on what it takes to become a world-class YouTube creator. The two will unpack the basic unpack the basics that are required and outline the principles you’ll need to attain success.

5 December

Startup Grind Cape Town will host Silicon Valley based founder and investor Gabriel Luna-Ostaseski from 6pm to 8pm at Workshop 17.

Luna-Ostaseski is the founder of home improvement marketplace Modernize and growth accelerator Upshift Partners. Upshift Partners has advised and consulted with many of Silicon Valley’s most promising technology companies on growth and customer acquisition including among others Uber, Thumbtack and Lending Home.

Tickets for this event — which are going for R145 and can be purchased here — and will also give you access to the Heavy Chef Masterclass on scaling your company, which takes place on 6 December.

6 December

Luna-Ostaseski will present a Heavy Chef masterclass on scaling businesses or projects at Workshop 17 between 9am and 1pm.

Featured image: capetownsuw via Twitter

Editor’s note (27 November): The article has been updated to reflect new events that have been added to the Cape Town Startup Week 2018 calendar.