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Please note: Visit the organisation’s website for more information.
***FUNDING & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES***
SMME Development Programme (SMMEs)
The Consumer Goods Council South Africa has developed a programme to assist SMMEs to become retail ready. Their SMME Development Programme offers initiatives such as Food Labelling and GS1 standards and Identifiers (barcodes) to name a few.
For more information on the programme, email smme@cgcsa.co.za.
**The above information was sourced from the Consumer Goods Council South Africa’s Twitter account.
Visa’s Small Business Directory (Small businesses)
Visa has launched an initiative called ‘Where You Shop Matters’ which includes their Small Business Hub and the Small Business Directory.
Small business owners are able to be connected with consumers via Visa’s online Small Business Directory while the Small Business Hub platform provides useful tools, insights and information to help small businesses do more to improve their bottom line.
By applying to be part of the Small Business Directory you stand a chance to receive one of the following:
– A grand-prize of R60 000 online shopping voucher.
– High-quality point-of-sale material.
Register your business here
StepUp! Young Health Global Grants Programme (Youth)
StepUp! provides grants of up to US$10,000 to help small, innovative, youth-focused and youth-led non-profits to deliver health promotion messages effectively in under-resourced and marginalised communities worldwide, taking account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund is open to registered NGOs and non-profit charitable organisations managing youth-focused projects for health promotion or NCD prevention. Grant seekers must address the health needs of young people aged 10-30, and/or be youth-led; be focused on health promotion; and show innovation in approach, settings or implementation
Western Cape Covid-19 Business Relief Fund (Small businesses)
The Western Cape Covid-19 Business Relief Fund has committed R27 million to supporting small businesses in both the formal and informal sectors that have been hard-hit by Covid-19 restrictions.
The fund will provide financial assistance in the form of a financial grant to businesses in both the formal or informal business category. The grant will be used exclusively to subsidise business expenses such as fixed costs, operational costs, supplier debt and other pressure cost items.
The closing date for submissions is Monday, 12 October 2020.
Locally Yours Market – Port Elizabeth (All)
The Locally Yours Market initiative promotes handmade products made by residents of the Eastern Cape.
Consumers are encouraged to attend the market at The Tramways Building, 16 Lower Valley Road, Baakens Valley in Port Elizabeth. The market is held once a month – the next event is Friday 6 November 2020 from 5pm to 9pm and Sunday 7 November 2020 from 9am to 2pm.
To qualify, business owners will need to be in attendance at the market. They do not allow any copies of concepts or other brands unless under license to do so.
If you are interested, contact the Locally Yours Market directly at info@locallyyours.co.za, or look for an application form on the Locally Yours Market Facebook page.
NYDA’s 30 Seconds Pitch (All)
NYDA would like to help you market your products and services through their social media platforms. To participate, send a 30 seconds video stating:
– The name of your company
– What your company offers
– Where your company is based
– How people can get hold of you
Please email your videos to 1000Content@nyda.gov.za
*The above informative was sourced from the NYDA’s Twitter account.
The IDC’s Agro-processing and Agriculture Strategic Business Unit (Agriculture)
The IDC encourages new or existing companies within the agro-processing and agriculture sector that plan to create new or expand industrial capacity within the economy to apply for this fund.
Sectors in the following agro-processing (food and non-food) sectors can apply:
- Horticulture and high-value field crops
- Beverages
- Wheat and sugar
- Forestry
- Livestock value chain such as cattle, poultry and pigs
- Horticulture including fruit, vegetables, nuts, tea and coffee
- Fishing and aquaculture
Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs Africa (Financial services, healthcare, the sustainable agriculture value chain, etc.)
E4E (“Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs”) is a venture capital fund that is backed by a founding investment from the SA SME Fund. They specialise in supporting early stage ventures in South Africa from very early-stage (pre-series A) to scale up.
E4E focuses on smart business models that have the potential to improve the quality of life for millions. They are looking for business models that employ:
– Digital transformation
– Financial/economic inclusion
– Smart & sustainable value chains
Industry examples:
– Food & water
– Smart cities & energy
– Education & skills
– Health technology
– Financial services
– Energy & climate
SEE ALSO: Join the North-West University SME Study
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***TRAINING & SUPPORT PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES***
VC4Africa Mentorship (All)
Signup to mentor entrepreneurs from all over the continent or to apply for mentorship. To access mentorship you must be registered with a venture profile on VC4A to submit a request to get mentorship support. Once requests are screened and posted it’s up to one of the VC4A mentors to step forward and to see what can be done to assist.
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***COMPETITIONS***
Mr Price + Creative Collabs (Students, Fashion)
The search is on for the next Mr Price Creative Collab designer. Get the opportunity to have your range sold in Mr Price stores in 2021. The winner will get an opportunity to get their exclusive Mr Price X Creative Collabs range sold in over 40 Mr Price stores in 2021. The prize includes R40 000 to further your design career and full in-store, digital, social and PR exposure.
All entrants must either be current final year fashion students in 2020 or have completed their degree or diploma in fashion design in 2019.
African Development Bank – AgriPitch Competition (Agribusiness)
Stand a chance to participate in the virtual AgriPitch Competition from 16 – 20 November 2020. The African Development Bank will award shortlisted businesses between US$10,000 and US$40,000 in the form of grant capital (US$120,000 in total is committed).
To enter, your company must fall in the following categories: youth with early stage start-ups, mature start-ups, and women-empowered businesses as per the African Development Bank criteria.
Mamelodi Sundowns “Sing with Sundowns” 50 Year Celebration (Songwriters, musicians)
To celebrate the South African football team Mamelodi Sundowns, musicians and songwriters have the opportunity to compose and submit their Sundowns song in any of the 11 official languages (including Xu and Khwe).
A total of R6 million in cash can be won including, first prize of R1 million. Between R600 000 and R100 000 will be awarded to six other winners. Winners will be announced in December.
13 songs will win R30 000 every month from July. 13 lucky voters will win R7 000 every month.
Innovation Challenge – Beyond Tourism in Africa (Wildlife conservation)
The Luc Hoffmann Institute, the African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation and the WWF Regional Office for Africa have launched a global innovation challenge which encourages anyone from any sector or background with bold and sustainable ideas for concepts, projects, businesses or products.
You can apply if you are an innovator from anywhere in the world, especially people from non-traditional backgrounds and those with strong ties to rural communities in Africa.
You must fill out and submit the online application form before 15 October 2020.
Space-Tech Challenge 2020 (Space-tech)
The Space-Tech Innovation Challenge 2020 is calling on promising new innovators, entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses across Africa who have innovations using geospatial intelligence to serve one or more in the industries: agriculture, insurance, retail, sustainability and conservation.
According to DisruptAfrica, winners will receive four months of online incubation and virtual mentorship, and ongoing access to a peer-to-peer network through TechTribe. “The overall winner will win a SecureWatch Premium 5GB valid for three months to the value of US$12,500, there are smaller prizes for second and third place. All three finalists will have the chance to pitch their idea directly to a MAXAR representative.”
Applications close 16 October 2020. Online pitches take place at Geo Week.
The 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Writers)
The winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize will be awarded the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words) and will receive £5,000 as a prize. Regional winners each receive £2,500 and the opportunity to be published online by Granta magazine.
Entrants must be aged 18 years or over on 1 November 2020. Entries must be unpublished and remain unpublished in any language until 1 May 2021.
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***ACCELERATORS***
Nelspruit Incubation Programme (Tech)
Innovative tech SMME owners can apply to be part of an incubation programme at the 4th Industrial Revolution Incubator (4IRI) in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. The benefits of this incubation programme include access to markets, product modeling and prototyping, linkages to industry experts, marketing, access to key business information, business planning and development, and targeted simulations.
Directors of the company must be prepared to sign a two-year incubation agreement with 4IRI. Businesses must have been trading for at least one year.
AlphaCode Incubate programme (Financial services)
Five startups will be chosen to join this programme which offers intensive incubation focused on achieving product-market fit, as well as financial viability. Each startup will receive grant funding of R500 000.
Successful applicants will receive funding, guidance from performance coaches and a panel of advisory experts, access to AlphaCode’s co-working space and opportunities to apply for further early-stage investment.
Applications close on 26 October 2020.
Makers Landing (Food industry)
V&A Waterfront in partnership with the National Treasury’s Job Fund has launched the incubation hub, Makers Landing, which will facilitate relations between budding foodpreneurs and industry experts.
The incubator programme has been developed by Stellenbosch University’s LaunchLab and industry experts with real life experience. Sessions will comprise of a combination of online modules, in-class learning and individual assignments. Participants will learn the fundamentals of building a business and gain insight into the local food industry, through modules which cover a variety of topics such as food safety, product development, marketing, sales, operations and finance.
Applications for the first cohort close 23 October 2020. You can apply to be a mentor or coach; or as a participant in the Makers Landing Incubator.
PropreneurX Property Accelerator (Property)
Property entrepreneurs can apply to be part of this six-month programme which consists of business development and enablement, mentoring and coaching. You will also receive support services that include marketing collateral.
To apply your business must service the property industry within any of the following sectors:
– Business Operations and Maintenance
– Facilities Management Services
– Business and Office Services
– Management Services
Please note – this is not a funding programme.
Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (ICT)
Are you a young or women entrepreneur with a business idea in the ICT sector? Register NOW to apply to the Youth Entrepreneurial Programme (YEP) for 2021.
The Innovator Trust’s YEP programme was launched in 2017 with the aim to provide local unemployed youth with the practical skills, facilitated training and mentorship support required for young business owners who are just starting out with the ultimate outcome to stimulate job creation and drive innovation among ICT focused small businesses.
Minimum requirements are.
– A company defined in South Africa as an SMME, QSE or EME
– Must be operational and trading for 2 or more years.
– The business should be at least 51% black owned.
– A minimum Level 1 – 4 BBBEE status according to the DTI or ICT Codes
– The Business must be a registered company with key focus in ICT
– Latest annual financial statements.
– Companies with the potential, vision and desire to grow.
VC4A Startup Academy (All)
This is an online resource for startup founders. Get access to the latest industry insights, startup tools and methodologies needed to take your business to the next level.
About the modules
The first course is called “Start your business”, and walks you through the founding stage of your startup; the second course, “Grow your business”, covers what’s needed after your startup finds its feet and is ready to scale up.
Course three, “Finance your business”, covers how to attract venture funding. The fourth course, “Your legal business“, is aimed at founders who want to learn more about the legal implications of setting up their business and getting their operations funded.
You can obtain a certificate for each course.
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*** PREVIOUS ISSUES ***
– Business Opportunities Monthly – September 2020
– Business Opportunities Monthly – August 2020
– Business Opportunities Monthly – July 2020
– Business Opportunities Monthly – June 2020
