The New Economy Accelerator (NEA) which was launched in 2015 is graduating its first cohort of entrepreneurs and is unveiling initial opportunity investment of R22 million. The investments being sought will go towards the 10 enterprises which are focusing mostly in the green economy sector.
The investor showcase is hosted at the inaugural ATTANE Forum taking place at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria from the 27th -28th of June 2016.
The ATTANE Forum is a platform for championing Africa’s transition into a more inclusive and sustainable economy by bringing together thought leaders from business, government and civil society to collaborate towards driving Africa’s development agenda.
The 10 innovative enterprises being showcased are as follows:
- Geza Jozi offers waste pickers a safer technological mechanism for waste collection.
- Khona Cafe retrofits and equips shipping containers with recycled and redundant computer equipment in previously disadvantaged communities.
- Last Mile for BoP provides a POS system to improve the management and trading system between spaza shops and their supply chain.
- Let’s Go Trade equips youth with essential skills to prepare their own business development.
- Naturally Good are suppliers of natural and environmentally-friendly commercial and industrial cleaning and personal care products.
- Sidingulwazi Co-Op converts dumping sites in urban areas to food gardens
- Umgibe is a platform that creates access to market for small farmers.
- Use-It converts construction waste into building material for affordable housing.
- Y-Waste recycles organic waste to produce organic highly nutritious compost.
- Zuka converts organic waste to produce a 2-in-1 pest repellent and organic fertiliser.
The aim is to channel investments to scale the businesses and their impact, to grow local economies at the base of the pyramid in order to achieve sustainable development goals.