On Wednesday, Stellenbosch hosted its first-ever expo which was aimed exclusively at promoting local entrepreneurs.
The event, titled the Get Started Stellenbosch Entrepreneurs Expo, was coordinated by the Stellenbosch Local Municipality in association with various stakeholders, which ranged from private companies promoting startup initiatives to national and provincial government departments.
The expo took place in the Stellenbosch Town Hall on Plein Street, which was filled with attendees throughout the afternoon.
According to the Executive Mayor of Stellenbosch, Gesie van Deventer, the expo was intended to provide a “platform where young people can get a look at the resources, services and support structures that are available to help them chase their economic dreams.”
Despite the bad weather, large numbers of people turned up at the Stellenbosch Town Hall to attend the expo. PHOTO: Byron Mühlberg
This comes days after an entrepreneurship hub, Ranyaka Community Transformation (RCT), was awarded a lease by the Municipality lasting 10 years in which to operate on Victoria Street, in central Stellenbosch.
Similarly to the expo, the focus of the hub will be on “assisting entrepreneurs who come from marginalised communities,” says social entrepreneur from RCT, Marli Goussard. She says it will be aimed at people who “might not otherwise have access to opportunities such as these.”
Van Deventer claims that the hosting of the expo and the leasing out of property for the new entrepreneurship hub are both part of the Municipality’s overarching plan to incentivise social entrepreneurship among members of the community. She believes that this demonstrates the Municipality’s “clear and unwavering commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and economic development in an inclusive and innovative way.”
Stellenbosch Mayor, Gesie van Deventer, addresses the audience at the expo’s opening. PHOTO: Supplied
Prominent stakeholders which were involved in the expo include the national Department of Labour, the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (EDT), LaunchLab — the startup incubator of Stellenbosch University — and also several banks such as Capitec and Nedbank.
The first ever #GetStartedStellies Entrepreneurs Expo is well underway in the Stellenbosch Town Hall! Such a vibe! Read more here: https://t.co/gXeijxVa36 pic.twitter.com/s0nvW2PYWk
— Stellenbosch Municipality (@StellMun) October 23, 2019
However, it was one of the smaller stakeholders at the expo that appeared to be attracting some of the biggest crowds. MiDO Technologies, a small business based in Jamestown, is involved with expanding information technology infrastructure in less developed communities.
According to Project Administrator Jody Karra, “as a digital solutions hub, we are involved with outreach and giving back to the community by facilitating workshops to educate local children in the subject of robotics and other technologies.”
Jody Karra displays a programmable mobile robot which was featured at the expo. PHOTO: Byron Mühlberg
She believes that “initiatives such as [the expo] provide the younger generation with opportunities which they wouldn’t typically have.”