South Africa’s top business leaders get revved up and ready to put small businesses on the map.
Are you a business owner in the automotive sector, raring to boost your business into the fast lane? Sometimes, all you need to shift your business to the next gear is for someone to believe in you, as much as you believe in yourself. Are you able to prove your business’ potential, to show large enterprises why your innovative ideas deserve a chance? And is your business a small or medium* Black-owned business? If you answered yes to these questions, then you’re exactly who the 2021 Business Accelerator Programme is looking for, and you’re invited to put yourself in the running to win your share of R100 000 in seed capital.
In addition to the fabulous cash prize, selected finalists will be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a 3-month hands-on mentorship programme with some of South Africa’s top business leaders, and then stand a chance to unlock invaluable procurement and preferential loan funding opportunities.
Megan Wuite, Head of the 2021 Business Accelerator Programme explains, “South Africa is bursting at the seams, overflowing with talented entrepreneurs with worthy business concepts – but they lack the expertise and resources they need to unlock their growth potential. That’s exactly why The Business Accelerator Programme came about – to develop high potential Black SMEs as strategic suppliers to industrial lead enterprises through market access, standards upgrading, and capital investment interventions. Large Lead Enterprises Lumotech, Goodyear and Hesto Harnesses are looking to identify new talent and exciting innovation. Don’t miss the opportunity to present to this incredible panel of leaders!”
To date, The Business Accelerator Programme has been running for three years in the Durban Chemical Cluster and the KZN and Cape Clothing and Textile Clusters, and its proven methodology has a track record of positive results across South Africa. Megan says, “So far the Programme has unlocked over 250 jobs and R3 million in new market opportunities in the clothing and textile sectors, and over R2 million in preferential loans in the chemical sector. Based on this success, we’re thrilled to announce that the Durban Automotive Cluster (DAC) and Eastern Cape Automotive Industry Forum (ECAIF) have come on board for the first time this year. The Durban Automotive Cluster has a proud and long-standing (over 20 years!) partnership with the eThekwini Municipality and the Durban private automotive manufacturing sector.”
ECAIF is a public-private partnership between the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) and the automotive manufacturing sector in the Eastern Cape which was established in 2015 to develop the Eastern Cape automotive manufacturing industry.
The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) has also lent their support to the programme this year and is fully committed to seeing amazing results.
The Business Accelerator Programme for the automotive sector is open to all black-owned start-ups and established SMMEs in KZN and the Eastern Cape. To enter, interested parties need to submit their business case and/or innovative projects by completing an online application by 22 October 2021.
“The full-day, highly-interactive, pitch support face-to-face session is an incredible opportunity for entrants to network and learn from business leaders and fine-tune their business pitches to present to a panel of judges at the second full-day event (modelled on the ‘Dragon’s Den’ concept). The winners and other selected candidates will also be awarded the business mentorship programme,” says Megan.
“An idea or innovation takes so much more than money to turn it into a viable, growing business. It’s for this exact reason that we’ve harnessed experience, expertise and partnerships to create a winning accelerator platform that has earned its stripes in boosting small businesses to the next level,” Megan concludes.
If you’re a startup or an established business in the automotive sector, or with the potential to supply the sector, isn’t it high time that you burnt some rubber and geared up?
Apply Now:
Eastern Cape-based automotive sector entrants can enter here:
https://ecaif.co.za/business-accelerator/
KZN-based automotive sector entrants can enter here:
https://dbnautocluster.org.za/business-accelerator/
Dates of events:
4 November: Capacity Building Online workshop (all sectors)
29 November: Automotive and Chemical Cluster Pitch workshop (Durban)
2 December: Automotive Cluster Dragon’s Den (Durban)
*small and medium businesses are defined as having up to 250 employees and less than R170 million annual turnover.
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