South Africa’s telecom company Telkom, has announced the activation of the Township Innovation Incubator, a virtual technology business program that is targeted at Soweto-based tech entrepreneurs.
The program is on a search hunt for 15 Soweto based entrepreneurs who have developed a tech solution addressing any problems faced in a community
In an official press release, Mmathebe Zvobwo, Telkom’s Executive for FutureMakers explained the aim of the Township Innovation program as that set aside to address social challenges within communities, he said;
“The project is close to our heart as a business because driving meaningful social impact in and around the communities we operate is imperative; we have to take care of the people who take care of us.
There exist a very clear correlation between our success as a business and the success of our communities.
The devastating rate of unemployment among youth alone is an alarming call to which we need to wake up and actively engage with local businesses and communities in an effort to lessen and ultimately eliminate.
The repercussions otherwise are a ripple wave that will stun us all.” Township Innovation Incubator
Telkom’s FutureMakers Township Innovation Incubator intends to offer tech development support access, alongside financial and non-financial business support services to technology-driven social entrepreneurs.
It is a virtually held technology business program, and lasts for a period of a year and half to two years.
In the course of the incubator program, participants get educated in a number of areas such as; entering the market, access to funding, digital skills training, business development, and more.
Soweto-based entrepreneurs who streamline their focus towards tech-driven innovations to aid them in solving problems within the community with the use of these tech innovations.
Eligibility for participation
- The ideal applicant must leverage technology to solve a social challenge
- Applicants must have a technology-based concept that solves a social challenge –
- Applicants must possess entrepreneurial characteristics such as risk taker, problem solver, curiosity, leadership, strategic thinking, and innovator.
- Founders must be based in and intend to operate in Soweto
- Businesses must have 51%+ Black-owned South African entity Telkom FutureMakers
How to Apply
Interested entrepreneurs that have satisfied the mentioned criteria can go ahead to apply here. The deadline for application is Friday, December 11, 2020.
Featured Image: myofficemagazine
Don’t miss important articles during the week. Subscribe to techbuild weekly digest for updates.
