Greetings, Reflecting on the last six months, we are truly proud of our virtual adjustment. A once daunting and perhaps even farfetched thought, virtual engagement has become a well-integrated part of our daily operation. So much so, just looking to the hype of activity over the last month, we cannot help but be in awe of what is bred from innovation and unity. Speaking of which, we'd like to congratulate Innovate Durban for hosting an inspiring 'Innovation Festival Durban'. Alongside Innovate Durban’s insightful members, Aurelia Albert (CEO), Amy Benn, and our own Sekai Chiwandamira (ANDE South Africa Regional Chapter Manager) presented ‘Innovate Durban Research; Innovation Publication Ecosystem Snapshot and Funding Map’. View the recording. We are also pleased to share in the progression of the 'ANDE Gender Equality Initiative (AGEI) Workshop', as we have now stepped into the 'Create Phase' driven by the insights of our astute facilitators and participants; and recently we facilitated in the 'Accelerating Women
Climate Entrepreneurs Project (AWCE) Southern Africa Consultation', which forged an enriched understanding of the challenges surrounding investment and support for women climate entrepreneurs. Undeniably, our energy was also fueled by the fervor that fills Youth month, and we remain committed to propelling the spirit of the courageous youth of 1976 by doing our best to support youth entrepreneurship. It is with this zest that we continue to look ahead and to do our best to support you- our invaluable members! Read ahead to discover all the updates, opportunities, events and resources that are sure to keep you inspired!
ANDE SA Township Economy Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Snapshot Survey
Help us find out more about the South African Township Entrepreneurial Ecosystem! ANDE is still accepting responses for the latest ecosystem snapshot, supported by the Walmart Foundation, that will focus on all support to township-based entrepreneurs in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Gauteng Provinces. Don’t get left off the ANDE Township Economy Ecosystem Snapshot! Complete
the survey today! If you have any questions, sharing of contacts or if you would like to get involved in helping us spread the word about this snapshot, reach out to Nonceba Qabazi.
Submit a Session Idea: ANDE 2021 Annual Conference
Deadline: 2 July 2021
Join us virtually from September 28-30 for our annual flagship event to connect, learn and inspire! As always, the agenda will be highly interactive and feature workshops, showcase presentations, speed networking, and more. Members may submit ideas for three types of sessions by July 2; please refer to the submission form for descriptions of each session type. Registration will open soon.
Contribute to ANDE's 2021 Member Satisfaction Survey
Deadline: 5 July 2021
ANDE wants your feedback! Please set aside 15 minutes to complete this year's Member Satisfaction Survey by 5 July 2021. All member contacts are asked to respond, and we encourage multiple submissions per organization. Three randomly chosen respondents will receive a $100 credit towards registration for any ANDE event, including the Annual Conference! Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us your feedback and helping us to help grow the sector.
ANDE SA Impact Measurement and Management Learning Lab
29 June 2021 | 9am - 11am [SAST]
Join ANDE SA and ecosystem players for our second Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) Learning Lab of 2021, that's in partnership with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation (AGOF). This IMM Learning Lab will focus on 'The Importance of Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives: Understanding IMM Techniques for Youth Entrepreneurship support'. ANDE and AGOF will take attendees through a case study in understanding the importance of multistakeholder perspectives as well as robust discussions with key ecosystem players supporting youth entrepreneurs in South Africa and understanding how to better measure the impact of such programmes. Register now to join!
Impact Investing - Cross Chapter Dialogue
30 June 2021 | 9am [BRT] 2pm [SAST] 5:30pm [IST]
Join us for the second ANDE Cross-Chapter Dialogue as we bring together ecosystem players based / working in India, Brazil, and South Africa. The second virtual cross-chapter dialogue will explore Impact investing: Uncovering Opportunities for Growth, Returns, and Impact in Brazil, India and South Africa. Alongside ANDE Brazil and ANDE India, we are honoured to host our exemplary speakers for this event: Gilberto Ribeiro de Oliveira Filho (“Giba”) Partner and COO of Vox Capital; Ringetani Ndlovu, Lead Portfolio Manager, Impact Investing; and Ramraj Pai, CEO Impact Investors Council, who will share invaluable insights on impact investing trends, challenges, and opportunities that they have experienced in their respective ecosystems. Register now.
South African launch of the Gender Smart Nexus - Value for Women
1 July 2021 | 2pm - 4pm
From opening up new market segments and achieving efficiencies in sales, to a more productive and innovative workforce, to access to gender-lens investment and support; pursuing gender equality in your business can take on many forms, and can lead to many benefits. Too often, small and growing businesses assume that gender equality targets are reserved for large corporates with corporate social responsibility budgets - but this is not the case! Join us for the South African launch of the Gender Smart Nexus to learn more about the benefits of applying a gender lens to your business, and which strategies you can apply to your work. Complete a free assessment on the Gender Smart
Nexus and receive a tailored report and register for the virtual launch. Register now.
ANDE West Africa Regional Conference
27 & 28 July 2021
The ANDE West Africa Regional Conference, which was piloted in 2017, is a gathering of ANDE Members and partners in the region including leading investors, capacity development providers, foundations, banks, corporations, and research institutions. The 2-day, highly interactive conference features sessions on solutions to common challenges that SGBs face, networking meetings, and plenaries with thought leaders in the SGB space. Register now.
Financial Constraints for Entrepreneurs in Ghana
Our ANDE West Africa chapter has launched a report on the Financial Constraints for Entrepreneurs in Ghana in collaboration with Dalberg. This report gives an overview of the Ghana financial ecosystem, focusing on the Small and Growing Business (SGB) sector, highlighting the constraints and impact of COVID-19, and presenting research-based recommendations from the ecosystem actors. The report was developed as part of the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership (GIGP), a collaboration between the Aspen Institute and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. Read the report.
Back to Basics series: Pick up the Pace | Entrepreneurship to the Point
24 June 2021 | 6pm [SAST]
As a leader, are you catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship in your environment? The ‘Back-to-Basics series: Pick up the Pace’ will provide insights on how to promote innovation and entrepreneurship from expert Dr Sibanda, author of 'Nut & Bolts-Strengthening Africa's Innovation and Entrepreneurship ecosystem'. To win a free copy follow ETTP on any of their social media accounts. Get your free ticket for the upcoming Back to Basics series: Pick up the pace. TechTribe Accelerator Open Day | TechTribe Accelerator
24 June 2021 | 12pm [SAST]
Do you feel stuck in your business? Entrepreneurship is a team sport. Success is largely dependent on access to support and the quality of that support. Join the Open Day on 24 June 2021, to experience the TechTribe Accelerator (TTA) for entrepreneurs from anywhere in Africa. The Open Day will take you on a tour of the TTA platform and how it can leverage and accelerate your entrepreneurial goals. Attendees will receive complimentary access, valued at R3 000, to one of the core modules in curricula, Investment Readiness Programme. Register for the Open Day. Building the Conditions for Women’s Entrepreneurship and Empowerment with a Focus on Financial Health | Value for Women & UNCDF
29 June 2021 | 3pm [IST]
Register for the UNCDF webinar on building women entrepreneurship with a focus on financial health. Value for Women Strategy & Development Director, Aparajita Agrawal, will be moderating the practitioner panels. The webinar is 29 June 3PM Indian Standard Time. Register for the webinar. Impact!Africa Social Entrepreneurship Summit - Virtual Edition | British Council/Ashoka
Ongoing through October 2021
The Impact!Africa Social Entrepreneurship Summit is an annual event held across Africa targeted at the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. The summit is a partnership by the British Council and Ashoka to accelerate innovative solutions to Africa’s most pressing challenges by inspiring, supporting and connecting leading social entrepreneurs and key ecosystem players across countries, organizations and sectors such as policy, social investment, business and media. Register to attend sessions.
Southern Africa Corporate Innovation Challenge | Plug and Play South Africa
Deadline: 30 June 2021
In partnership with Plug and Play South Africa, the World Bank Group, Business Unity South Africa and the South African Department of Science & Innovation (Technology Innovation Agency) seek to identify and connect a select group of Southern African start-ups to corporate innovation opportunities and potential investment. This challenge aims to showcase the benefits of corporate innovation to help drive economic growth, new job opportunities, and community upliftment and to help create an enabling environment for start-ups to grow from collaborations with large corporations. Apply now. TED Fellows Program | Innovation Edge
Deadline: 30 June 2021
Do you have a future-shaping idea? Are you a mover, a shaker, a maker? A doer, innovator, creative, educator, scientist, entrepreneur, activist? Apply to be a TED Fellow today and join a global community of changemakers just like you. Learn more and apply. Innovation Fund for Digital Urban Services (Research and Innovation) | GSMA
Deadline: 2 July 2021
The GSMA is looking for start-ups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises in Africa, South or South East Asia, leveraging digital technology to deliver urban services with socio-economic, commercial, and environmental impact. The Fund will provide 15 to 18-month grants to test digital innovations that improve essential urban services delivery across energy, water, sanitation, plastics, and waste management. Apply now. Support Services for Ireland's Africa AgriFood Development
Programme | Irish Aid
Deadline: 8 July 2021
Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs’ is seeking to engage an external service provider for the purpose of providing management and evaluation support services to the Africa Agri-Food Development Programme. In particular, the provider will: i. Conduct due diligence activities on AADP applicants; ii. Deliver investment advisory support to AADP’s Evaluation Committee; iii. Provide technical assistance to applicants iv. Make recommendations on improving the AADP's internal processes. Learn more and apply. BeChangeMaker Africa 2021 | WorldSkills, HP Foundation, African Union and UNIDO
Deadline: 27 July 2021
Young people who want to tackle the economic and societal challenges of the world are inspiring. Through BeChangeMaker Africa 2021 you can develop a business idea that positively impacts the world. BeChangeMaker Africa is the second edition of a 3-month online entrepreneurship training programme in Africa presented by WorldSkills, HP Foundation, African Union and UNIDO. Join BeChangeMaker Africa today to increase your skills, receive dedicated coaching and mentoring, as well as the opportunity to tap into a diverse global network of potential supporters and investors. Learn more and apply. Call for Concept Proposals to the Table Mountain Fund | World Wildlife Fund- South Africa
Deadline: 27 July 2021
The Table Mountain Fund’s investment direction is informed by its 2019 – 2024 Conservation Strategy which is available on www.thetablemountainfund.org.za. This strategy identifies four priority programmes, namely: The Pride Programme; The Prosperity Programme; The Care Programme and the Fynbos Forever Programme. The Fund is now calling for concept proposals which align to the Prosperity Programme. The total amount of funding available for all projects within this Programme over the full programme period is R4 500 000. Applications should be emailed to the Table Mountain Fund Project Coordinator, Carla Wood, 021 762 8525. Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. Please ensure that you receive acknowledgement of receipt of your
proposal. Survive to Thrive Programme | African Management Institute
Was your business among those affected by the Covid-19 crisis? AMI’s Survive to Thrive Programme has been designed to assist you with tools and strategies to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic, to thrive now and in the future. Survive to Thrive is a practical business growth programme focused on equipping business leaders with the tools to immediately address challenges and seize on opportunities. Learn more and enrol. The Republic of Estonia is offering e-Residency | Republic of
Estonia
E-Residency is a government-issued digital identity offered to foreign nationals. After signing up, e-residents receive a starter kit containing a digital identity card that allows them to: establish an EU company 100% online; access a wide range of e-services such as digital signatures, business banking, and online tax filing; and remotely run a business from anywhere in the world with minimal bureaucracy. Learn more and apply. Innovation Challenge | Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship SA and UNDP Accelerator Labs SA
Have an innovative solution to solve food waste? This Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for businesses solving food waste to join the Ignite programme. By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. South Africa sees some 10 million tonnes of food go to waste every year at a cost of over R61.5 billion annually. Given this enormous cost, the adverse environmental impact and the social implications of millions going hungry, it is clear that we have to find ways to intercept (or better yet prevent) food waste - for people, planet and profit. Apply
now. The Ignite Business Accelerator Programme | Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship SA
Are you an existing entrepreneur changing business for good? Ignite is the Branson Centre’s world-renowned, 6-month pre-acceleration, go-to-market and investor readiness programme for businesses with purpose. Ignite will help you challenge the rules of “business as usual” to change business for good - for people, planet and profit. Follow in the footsteps of a pioneer and a game-changer who continues to transform entire industries.We are looking for companies that have impact and employment creation embedded into their very DNA, with a preference for those with an impact across four broad themes: Zero Waste, Create Local, Food Waste Innovation and Tech4Good. Register your interest.
Data Fairness: A New Social Contract for the 21st Century Economy | MIT Technology Review and Omidyar Network
While there is no silver bullet to addressing an uneven data economy, changes and reforms will be critical to ensure the 21st century economic model can hold as data permeates ever-more aspects of our economic and social lives. Read the new report by MIT Technology Review and Omidyar Network. Enhancing Farmers' Agency in Biodiversity Protection | Solidaridad Network
Development practitioners are often left wondering why farmers continue practices that they know are potentially detrimental to livelihoods and the environment. Yet, when we look at the incentives that are so often promoted by society, the answer is clear. We need a progressive approach to building a farmer's toolbox for providing ecosystem services, while balancing their short-term needs. Mandla Nkomo and Lisa Mbwia explore these themes for enhancing farmers’ agency. Read the article. What is the
Role of Digitalization in a Post-COVID World? | TechnoServe
How has COVID-19 accelerated the pace of digitalization for entrepreneurs and SMEs around the world? Learn about how service organizations including NGOs like TechnoServe can help small business owners in low-income countries leverage technology to grow their businesses. Read the article.
Chris Jurgens on the ideas, rules and power for a resilient 21st century | Omidyar Network
Executive Committee Member and Omidyar Network’s Chris Jurgens on mobilizing policies and power for an economy that works for all. Listen to the podcast. Gray Matter Conversations - Episode 1 | Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
Listen to the first of the Gray Matter Podcasts in the Entrafluence series which aims to highlight how entrepreneurship can be used as a platform to add value to society, featuring Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellow, Lethabo Motsoaledi, the CTO and co-founder of Voyc , which is an AI and machine learning service that helps clients achieve expert insights infinitely fast, with Timothy Maurice Webster. This is Lethabo’s personal journey of what shaped her into the entrepreneur she is today and how the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation acted as a vehicle for her to reach and achieve her purpose. Listen to the episode.
The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction that SGBs create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and produce environmental and social benefits.
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