Modelled on the successful tech start-up Moneysupermarket.com, a British price-comparison website, Fincheck.co.za provides transparent, impartial and accurate facts and figures about similar financial services products on offer from various financial services institutions.
Fincheck.co.za is free for consumers. Users will be able to compare 26 financial products from 106 financial institutions to be able to save money and to chose the products which best suits their needs. These range from loans (including personal and student loans), cheque accounts and debit cards all the way through to foreign exchange and unit trusts and the number and range of products is growing.
Michael Bowren, CEO explains that the platform was developed to make financial information easy to understand and different financial products on offer in the market easy to compare. “Fincheck means that consumers no longer have to go to several websites to obtain information about the financial service or product they are looking for, where each website presents product information differently and in a way that is difficult to understand, never mind compare with another institutions’ products. Consumers can get everything they need from our portal to make a quick comparison which best suits their needs and pockets.”
Entries are now open for the Fairlady Women of the Future 2016 Awards
Fairlady, in partnership with Santam, is looking for South African female entrepreneurs.
“The tougher things get in South Africa, the more ingenuity and determination we show. It’s in our nature,” says Fairlady editor Suzy Brokensha. “Last year, the quality of the entrants in the Fairlady Women of the Future awards really blew us away! These are women who really are changing the economic landscape in this country. It’s exciting to acknowledge and reward them. It was such an honour to award 2015’s Woman of the Future Boitumelo Ntsoane from Afrilink HealthCare and Rising Star Amy de Castro from Bamboo Revolution. I am so looking forward to seeing this year’s entrants!”
The Fairlady Woman of the Future 2016 award goes to an entrepreneur, 25 years or older, whose business has made it to 1001 days (basically, the first three years) and who is well on her way to creating an empire. The prize comprises R50 000 cash, an invaluable mentorship session with one of the judges, a R3 000 fashion voucher from Queenspark, a R12 500 online course from GetSmarter, a Sony Xperia Z5 Gold cellphone and Wi-Fi tablet, a wristwatch and a beauty hamper.
Mest to launch in other African countries
Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), the non-profit arm of San Francisco-based Meltwater Group has announced that it will expand its startup hub model beyond Accra, Ghana with a similar ecosystem expected to launch in Lagos and Nairobi this year. There are also plans to open incubators next year in two major South African cities – Cape Town and Johannesburg.
MEST is raising $50 million via MEST Venture Partners, its first venture capital fund. According to MEST managing director, Katie Sarro, “While we currently make seed round investments at the MEST Incubator, MEST Venture Partners will make check sizes closer $1 million to $2 million.” (VenturesAfrica)
