UCT Upstarts is igniting a ‘Student Start-up Nation’ by helping student-led startups launch their socially impactful ideas.
The Idea Auction is the grand finale to the UCT Upstarts programme, and the culmination of a 20 week ‘pop-up’ social innovation curriculum. It takes place on Wednesday, 30 September 2015, starting at 18:30 at the Labia Theatre and will be hosted by Cape Talk’s Breakfast Show host, Kieno Kammies.
UCT Upstarts is the Vice-Chancellor’s Social Innovation Challenge. It is a joint-initiative between the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a specialised centre at the UCT Graduate School of Business, Super Stage and the Office of the Vice Chancellor.
“When this idea was brought to me – I thought this is exactly the right thing for UCT,” says UCT Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price. “We are a research university, but research is also about figuring out how to do things differently and better – and that’s the innovation – taking ideas and seeing how they can change the world.”
Upstarts launched in February this year as the new ‘epicentre of innovation’ with customised pop-up hubs on Upper Campus to help shift mindsets and create a culture of social innovation that solves real-world problems from campus. A bespoke coaching network of inspirational social entrepreneurs, industry leaders, business and personal development gurus, and innovation activists shared personal stories, presented counter culture business methodologies, gave practical and experimental workshops and offered private coaching sessions to talented young upstarts.
Dr François Bonnici, Director of the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship believes that “Upstarts speaks directly to the Centre’s desire to inspire and challenge individuals, organisations and systems to question what is, reimagine what can be, and to get behind and deliver those solutions that have the potential to transform the world we live in.”
The Idea Auction will kick-off with a mini-expo followed by the Upstarts’ teams formally pitching their “Imagine A New Africa” ideas. Solutions range from food saving to crime prevention and money management apps, educational DIY furniture, employment opportunities, better living conditions and more. All the team ideas can be seen at http://thundafunda.com/UCTUpstarts.
After each team pitch, the audience will be prompted to interact and help make these start-up ideas happen via a live crowd-funding and bidding experience! The evening will reach a climax when affiliated partners and sponsors like The Bertha Foundation, Mr Price, the SAB Foundation, RedBull Amaphiko, Cape Talk and more will announce a variety of Upstarts’ Awards for the most innovative, socially impactful and market-ready ideas. These include vouchers, a customised website, coaching experiences, an overseas trip to meet the most innovative companies in the world, international competition entries, start-up capital, office space, advertising production, media exposure, and the opportunity to drive the latest VW UP for six months.
Gina Levy who imagined Upstarts and ran the programme says, “Our currency is opportunity: We insist youth isn’t wasted on the young, because we want to create a new generation of upstarts – university students who learn to merge purpose, profit and passion to create a ripple effect of change in Africa and beyond.”
