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The 2019 SA Innovation Summit is a must-attend event for local startups

If you’re a local entrepreneur aiming to get your ideas funded, or simply invested in the African continent’s innovation landscape, it may be worthwhile diarising the 11th to 13th September, as this year the Cape Town Stadium will play host to the SA Innovation Summit.

The event is being billed as the largest of its kind in Africa, and in particular places a specific emphasis on tech startups. Running through some of the expected numbers, organisers say 3 500 delegates will be heading to the Innovation Summit, hailing from 32 countries. Added to this will over 600 companies and firms, with 22 universities and research institutions joining.

This is expected to result in roughly R1 billion worth of deals being struck between investors and startups wanting to collaborate.

The technology and start-up space is underfunded in Africa, yet it yields the greatest results in any economy over time. In the UK every pound spent on innovation and tech start-ups yields nine to the economy. Africa still needs to leverage this potential return in its emerging economies,” notes Dr Audrey Verhaeghe, chairperson of the SA Innovation Summit.

The Summit serves as a catalytic event that strengthens and builds the tech start-up sector. We have evolved into Africa’s biggest and most exciting tech start-up event on the calendar and this year will be no different,” she adds.

Organisers explain that experts from across the continent will deliver insights into the innovation landscape, and provide advise and tools for startups aiming to achieve growth.

While those sessions will no doubt prove insightful, perhaps the most important element of the SA Innovation Summit will be the opportunities afforded to startups to get noticed.

To that end there will two platforms for startups to pitch to potential investors – the ANDZA Pitching Den and the Africa Cup. 

The ANDZA Pitching Den, in collaboration with the SA SME Fund, carries a first place prize of R250 000 and will also give some of the country’s top entrepreneurs the chance to be considered for R10 million in investment funding and acceleration.

The Africa Cup will see the winning startup receive an investment offer of R5 million, with second place getting an offer of R2.5 million and the third an offer of R1 million. 

As such there are plenty of platforms for startups to access the necessary assistance for growth needed.

To find out about tickets for the SA Innovation Summit, head here.

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