The 'Win The Right Way' competition provides aspiring social entrepreneurs with a share of $1 million in financial assistance, international exposure for their company or idea, and mentorship from world-renowned business moguls.
Lumkani is a social enterprise that seeks to address the challenge of shack fires and to minimise the displacement of families in urban informal settlements in South Africa and across the globe.
"We are thrilled to be announced as Chivas Regal's The Venture winner for South Africa and incredibly proud and excited to go represent our country in Silicon Valley," said Lumkani's Managing Director, David Gluckman.
This brings the luxury whisky brand's local search for an aspiring social enterprise to an exciting conclusion. Gluckman will head to San Francisco for the grand international finale to compete for the pot of $1Million USD.
The competition was tight as Lumkani was competing with highly impressive enterprises; Fraud Cracker, Subz Punts and Pads, Inspiracion and Carbon Disclosure South Africa.
Paul Scanlon, managing director of Pernod Ricard for South Africa and Namibia, "Social entrepreneurship's primary foundation of using business as a force for good appealed to Chivas Regal in a meaningful, powerful way. Chivas Regal prides itself on being a brand that inspires nobility, and positive change.
We believe social change is the next step for our consumers who've been with us on the Live with Chivalry journey. Chivas Regal wants to inspire and support the future generation of social entrepreneurs across the globe. We are not just talking social entrepreneurship but offering our momentous resources to the social entrepreneurship movement worldwide. We walk the talk."
The Chivas Regal judging panel consisted of a revered panel of business personalities - MD of Design Indaba, Ravi Naidoo; Innovator and breakthrough entrepreneur, Lebo Gunguluza; Executive Creative Director at Joe Public, Xolisa Dyeshana; CEO and President of Ditshego media, Tebogo Ditshego and Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Wits Business School, Chimene Chetty. The judging panel had the help of Stellenbosch based business consultancy firm, Consilium Consulting, to select the top 5 and ultimately the winner.
Social issues that were presented to the judging team included bullying, city clean-ups and solutions for unemployment. Before the top 5 were selected, Consilium Consulting helped them refine their business plans and prepared them for presentations to the judging panel - where Lumkani was chosen.
"We were inspired by Lumkani's innovative creation that solves a real South African problem which finds many communities affected by fires yearly. Their offering is in line with our vision to see scalable sustainable businesses succeed", said Paul Scanlon, managing director of Pernod Ricard for South Africa and Namibia.
Lumkani will join other social entrepreneurs' from around the world in Silicon Valley, California for a mentorship programme. The mentorship programme will include mentoring sessions by various business moguls, with visits to leading tech companies, and pitching for ultimate prize to take their business to the next level.
Chivas Regal SA will prepare Lumkani for their final pitch, "It would be a great achievement to have a South African win at the most fertile start-up zone in the world - Silicone Valley".
"There is a general view that, rather than leaving social problems to government and business, social entrepreneurs find what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system, spreading the solution, and persuading entire communities to move in different directions.
"At the heart of Chivas' history is a combination of entrepreneurial thinking and generosity. Our founding brothers were entrepreneurs with a social conscience who helped their local community as their business grew. They had much in common with the social entrepreneurs of today," concludes Scanlon.
For more, go to lumkani.com and www.theventure.com.
