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South Africa: SA Small Business Minister Launches Startup Nations South Africa Initiative |
| Source: |
Google Alert |
| Source Date: |
Thursday, January 08, 2015 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
South Africa |
| Created: |
Jan 08, 2015 |
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The aim of the global network is to advance the national agenda for entrepreneurship and the creation of a sustainable environment where start-ups and small businesses can meaningfully contribute to the economic and social development of South Africa. As a full member of Startup Nations and Global Entrepreneurship Week, supported by the Kauffman Foundation, this initiative will enable local startup businesses to share best practices and collaborate with other like-minded peers in the global entrepreneurship movement.
Speaking at the launch event, Minister Zulu said, “The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2012 annual survey reminds us that entrepreneurship levels in our country are the lowest they have been in three years. The call to action is for all of us to work hard to inculcate a culture of entrepreneurship in the country. We must consciously strive to build a nation of entrepreneurs and not a nation of job-seekers.”
“In the spirit of vukuzenzele,” she added, “our people must seize the economic opportunities presented by our democracy and freedom to build and grow businesses. We see small businesses and co-operatives as critical to creating an economy that benefits all. It is through this intervention that we will be able to defeat the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
Through the support of the Industrial Development Corporation, The Innovation Hub, and the Wits Business School’s Center for Entrepreneurship; Startup Nations South Africa will focus on creating a national collaboration platform between public sector, private sector,
academia and civil society.
“Cultivating entrepreneurship is vital for generating inclusive growth in South Africa. Startup Nations South Africa is an extremely important initiative because it will create the conditions for entrepreneurs to flourish and showcases what can be achieved through collaboration between the public and private sectors, and civil society.” says Professor Steve Bluen, Director and Head of School, Wits Business School.
According to McLean Sibanda, CEO, The Innovation Hub, “Innovation is critical for the growth of our economy as the National Development Plan acknowledges; startups are important elements of ensuring that innovation reaches the market and start to contribute towards job creation, poverty reduction and competitiveness.”
Startup Nations South Africa also claims to have set about building a trusted knowledge-network of highly connected local and global innovation and entrepreneur thought leaders who will provide strategic guidance on how best to create a national impact and
encourage dialogue on entrepreneurship capacity development.
It adds that the Startup Nations South Africa Advisory Board will not only play a mentorship role, but also offer collective insights and thought leadership as part of the capacity building and development process.
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South Africa: SA Small Business Minister Launches Startup Nations South Africa Initiative South Africa’s Small Business Minister Lindiwe Zulu today launched the Startup Nations South Africa initiative a collaborative effort by founding partners The Innovation Hub the Industrial Development Corporation IDC and the Wits Business School aimed at contributing towards building a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem and vibrant sustainable entrepreneurship culture With the launch of the initiative South Africa joins a global network of Startup Nations such as Startup Britain Startup Chile Startup Malaysia Startup China Startup Norway Startup Australia and more recently Startup Brazil Startup Vietnam and Startup Korea
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