By: Donna Rachelson, Seed Engine CEO, incorporating Seed Academy and the WDB Seed Fund It has been a difficult year for South Africa. In September the World Bank downgraded South Africa’s 2017 growth forecast to 0.6 percent, down from 1.1 percent at the beginning of the year. To get ahead the South African economy is […]
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AccelerateHer calls on Ekurhuleni-based, black women entrepreneurs
Applications now open for SA’s most impactful fully-funded business accelerator Seed Academy in partnership with WDB is calling on young, black female-owned businesses to fast track their success through AccelerateHer – a three-month business accelerator sponsored by Shell Downstream South Africa. AccelerateHer provides women entrepreneurs with an intensive programme including developmental workshops, high impact business development […]
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WDB Seed Fund continues to creatively address funding scarcity At a time when South Africa faces a number of significant economic challenges from slow growth to high unemployment, creating suitable funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses has never been more important. “The question of funding is not just about entrepreneurs getting the support […]
Continue readingMore TagThe power of personal branding
Who you are is up to you The 30 second elevator pitch, your next social media update, your LinkedIn profile, and the answer to the question ‘tell me about yourself’ are all opportunities to make a great first impression. According to Donna Rachelson, founder of Branding & Marketing YOU, they are also ideal occasions to […]
Continue readingMore TagWDB Investment Holdings increase equity stake in Seed Engine to 51%
Partnership reaffirms commitment to development of black women and youth entrepreneurs WDB Investment Holdings (WDBIH) has increased its stake in Seed Engine (incorporating Seed Academy and the WDB Seed Fund) from 35% to 51%, officially confirming Seed Engine as a proudly 51% black women owned company. Venture capital company Grovest is Seed Engine’s second major […]
Continue readingMore TagSeed Academy release results of SA’s largest entrepreneurial survey
Youth entrepreneurship, access to funding and markets remain key challenges More impactful business development support that provides entrepreneurs with robust business basics is needed to increase small business success rates, while a decline in youth owned businesses has emerged as cause for concern given South Africa’s dire unemployment figures. These are just some of the […]
Continue readingMore TagThe time is now! SA youth can blaze a trail to entrepreneurial success
South Africa’s latest unemployment figures make for sombre reading. While official unemployment is now 27.7 percent, the most affected group are young people under the age of 35 with a staggering 38.6 percent of youth unable to find work. Interestingly, according to the 2016 Seed Academy Startup Survey results only four percent of entrepreneurs started […]
Continue readingMore TagYoung black, female owned businesses on the fast track to success
The inaugural Seed Academy/WDB AccelerateHer programme, a three-month business accelerator for female entrepreneurs, sponsored by Shell Downstream South Africa concluded by notching up a string of successes for young black female owned businesses. The fully-funded AccelerateHer programme provided 25 black female entrepreneurs with an intensive programme including developmental workshops, high impact business development support and […]
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