Seedstars World, the global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes is coming to Uganda for the 3rd time. With the support of the Stanbic Bank Uganda and local ambassador Outbox Hub, Seedstars World will be holding a dynamic pitch event on the August 4th.
Seedstars World is travelling to more than 75 countries this year to identify the best seed-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with an opportunity to win up to USD 500 000 and network with investors and mentors from around the world. Its previous participants have raised over USD 61M collectively, providing employment to more than 800 employees worldwide.
The event will take place at Outbox Hub (Soliz House Plot 23 Lumumba Ave, Kampala, Uganda) with the startups to pitch to a panel of judges. The top startup will be declared the most promising startup in Uganda in 2017, and will be invited to pitch at the global stage.
The startups that were selected to participate at the Seedstars World Kampala pitching event are:
- Chap Chap Africa Limited – a mobile payments platform that enables users to earn and save while they top-up airtime, pay bills and shop online.
- CHARIS FOR GRACE – an online, interactive and dynamic cost planner that helps farmers to evaluate options much easier and conveniently with up-to-date prices.
- ClinicPesa – a platform to set aside dedicated healthcare funds in order to extend healthcare micro-savings discipline and loan.
- Kuanza Gari Limited – a fingerprint based car ignition system that enables users to capture, store and use their fingerprints to start cars.
- Musana Carts provides the support to street vendors in Africa to achieve a clean and dependable work environment through solar powered street carts.
- Numida – a free business financial management mobile app to issue affordable, convenient and unsecured credit to Ugandan MSMEs.
- TrendingshoW – an online flexible and local TV service that lets you watch content on the go.
- Ubuntu Capital provides digital marketing and payment solutions for medium enterprises, enabling them to realize their market potential.
- hiDr – a mobile app to enable patients to consult accredited doctors at a fraction of the cost of a traditional office consultation.
The Masisizane Fund Celebrates 10 Years Of Supporting South African Entrepreneurs
The Masisizane Fund this year celebrates its 10th anniversary. Set up in 2007 as an Old Mutual initiative to drive and support entrepreneurship, it has helped to sustainably grow small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) across five provinces in South Africa, empowered business owners and positively impacted many communities.
Since inception, the Masisizane Fund has facilitated about 7 950 jobs (60% in rural areas) and has helped fund more than 200 enterprises. By the end of 2016, the Masisizane Fund had invested over R390 million in entrepreneur ventures predominantly owned by women and youth in three high impact sectors critical to the growth of the South African economy: agribusiness, franchising, supply chain and manufacturing.
Zizipho Nyanga, CEO of the Masisizane Fund, says Old Mutual applauds business people who carry the vision of job creation at a time when our economy is at its toughest. “The entrepreneurial pioneers who have partnered with us are helping to reduce unemployment and poverty in their communities and playing a role in strengthening rural and peri-urban economies.”
The Fund was established following the closure of the Unclaimed Shares Schemes Trust in consultation with the National Treasury and set up as a non-profit funding company to provide loan financing and support to SMMEs.
“We offer entrepreneurs tailored solutions through financial education, capacity development and mentorship,” explains Nyanga. “It is important that we don’t just provide access to funding, so our hybrid funding model for enterprise development also provides crucial non-financial support such as financial management and business skills. At Masisizane we take time to fully understand each enterprise’s needs, challenges and characteristics. The understanding and the partnerships we create add value and offer innovative enterprise models aimed at ensuring long-term enterprise growth, sustainability and development impact.”
“We continually recognise, honour and celebrate the various SMMEs in the different regions of South Africa,” explains Nyanga. “The National Gala Dinner in Johannesburg on 27 July marked the 6th and final round of award ceremonies that have taken place across various provinces. The ceremony honoured entrepreneurs who have demonstrated great passion and dedication to see their businesses succeed.”
The national winners in various categories and provinces were announced at the event and the overall winners are:
- Best Female Owned Business of the Year : CTU Manufacturing Primary Co-Operative Ltd
- Best Youth Owned Business: Going Places Construction and Projects 109 Cc t/a Vaalkop SaveMor and Buildit
- Entrepreneur of the Year: GTL Food Manufacturing & Distribution (Pty) Ltd
- Employer of the Year: Bright Bizarre (Pty) Ltd t/a SPAR Vryheid
- Business of the Year: WP Timber Products CC
- Best Flagship Business Entity of the season: NMZ Greening Co-operative
- Chairman’s National Achiever Recognition Award: CTU Manufacturing Primary Co-Operative Ltd
Africa Property Investment (API) Summit & Expo To Unpack The African Real Estate Sector
This year’s Africa Property Investment (API) Summit & Expo, held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 24 and 25 August 2017, will unpack and examine the latest in developments and potential opportunities for the African real estate sector.
Among the topics and trends that will come under the microscope at this event will be the African real estate markets’ ability to attract capital from different investor types.
Absa, API Summit & Expo sponsor, believes there have indeed been notable developments in the last ten-year period. “This is largely linked to the improvement in the macroeconomic environment within a number of African countries, many of which are still largely commodities dependent,” says Absa’s Klaus-Dieter Kaempfer, Head of Commercial Property Finance, Africa.
“One important development within African real estate markets over the past decade has been the adoption, in some markets, of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) structures as vehicles to enable the participation of diverse investor types,” notes Kaempfer.
Boasting a young and growing consumer base, urbanisation in Africa is also expected to drive over 50% of Africans into cities by 2050, compared to 40% today. “To many investors, this makes Africa the last frontier for growth,” adds Bronwyn Corbett, CEO of Grit Real Estate Income Group, which is also a sponsor of the API Summit & Expo.
“Listed property has always been regarded as a relatively low-risk investment. Given the see-through and longer-term predictability of earnings, the asset class provides investors with a much more stable earnings profile than other equity classes and its exposure to interest rates makes listed property a proxy for bonds,” she says.
While there are currently only four countries with REIT promulgation in Africa, this is expected to change. The JSE was the first to introduce real estate investment trusts (SA REITs) on the continent. “Starting from a R5 billion market capitalisation in 1998, the combined market capitalisation of listed property companies in South Africa today exceeds R500 billion.”
