Aspiring entrepreneurs from around South Africa are polishing off their business plans in the hopes of winning start-up funding from Hansa Pilsener and the chance of joining SA Breweries Kickstart Foundation.
After a nationwide search, 180 finalists from Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Durban and Cape Town have been chosen in Hansa’s Special Ingredient search, which encouraged entrepreneurs to enter business or creative ideas to win mentorship and a financial kick-start.
Judges chef Citrum Khumalo and businessman and entrepreneur Lebo Gunguluza had their work cut out deciding on 30 finalists from each city, who will attend a day-long workshop in their region. At each workshop, finalists will be given business advice and guidance to help them refine their ideas and coach them on business plans. In the afternoon, finalists will pitch their business ideas to the judges who will score them individually. At a dinner that night, one finalist will win R50 000 start up capital towards growing their business idea.
The first workshop was held in Port Elizabeth on September 29, with the last in Bloemfontein on November 3. “Once the judges have traversed the country, they will choose one overall winner out of the six regional winners to join SAB’s Kickstart Foundation, which provides business training, business mentorship and start-up capital to entrepreneurs with promising businesses,” said Khensani Nobanda, General Manager of Hansa Pilsener.
The SA Breweries Kickstart Foundation is SAB’s youth entrepreneurship development programme that identifies the need for the private sector in helping to grow a productive South African economy. SAB KickStart has attracted hundreds of applications from young and aspiring entrepreneurs across South Africa and one lucky winner of the Special Ingredient search competition will join the Foundation. Successful entrants stand to win grant funding for their business of between R30 000 and R250 000.
The Cape Town candidates are: Andrea Geldenhuis, Aubrey Ndiza, Brandon Du Toit, Cecilia Sangqu and Daniel Katlego Thebe
