Standard Bank launches innovation incubators to support entrepreneurs in South Africa

[TeamSouthAfrica]

Great business ideas are a dime a dozen. Realising these ideas and making them profitable remains a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Standard Bank is proud to launch business incubators with the aim to educate, create, empower and develop entrepreneurs.

Growing entrepreneurship is a priority for Standard Bank and these incubators will give entrepreneurs access to the information, technology and expertise they need to make their business a success. The support will take the form of business development, acceleration as well as product design and prototyping.

How to access the incubators

There are two incubators in Johannesburg; the business incubator based in Rosebank, that provides mentoring, coaching, and access to training in enterprise development and the technical incubator at the University of Johannesburg. Here, entrepreneurs have access to technical support on manufacturing, design, 3D printing, patenting, design support and new technologies, thereby enabling rapid prototyping.

A virtual incubator will provide entrepreneurship co-working space at Workshop 17 in the Watershed, Cape Town, and offer access to development opportunities. Additionally, three satellite incubators run by Standard Ban’s partner LifeCo, will support social entrepreneurs operating in the Free State, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The Business Development Programme

Once an innovator has completed a programme at one of the incubators, the Standard Bank Incubation team will monitor his or her business for the next twelve months, measuring the growth and viability of the business.

For more information follow @StandardBankZA on Twitter or email [email protected].