Spark* looking to accelerate South Africa's most exciting early stage social entrepreneurs

Too often Africa is portrayed as a dark and hopeless continent. The reality is, while the world may view Africa like this, there are those who are tired of seeing their continent as a subject of world pity and are launching innovative and exciting ventures that empower their communities and have positive social impact. Spark* calls these social entrepreneurs, Changemakers.

Spark* South Africa is a non-profit company that enables early stage startups to become sustainable ventures with scalable and investment ready business models. It is part of the wider Spark* International group with its headquarters in Australia.

SHE by Spark* exists for the sole purpose of accelerating female led ventures that support and benefit women and girls in South Africa. We are launching SHE because women are a safe bet and we believe that they are the best levers for change in South Africa. And we know that female founders need help. Only 8% of small-medium enterprises, and more than 90% of these fail in their first three years. We want to change these numbers. When a woman is tangibly empowered, all of society benefits.

Spark* Cape Town Accelerator is looking for Cape Town's most exciting early stage social entrepreneurs.
15 Changemakers will be chosen for an intense six day accelerator programme where their businesses models will be challenged. The Changemakers that will be be chosen will be on the premise that their ventures address social and environmental concerns in a way that is financially sustainable resulting in a cycle that benefits all involved.

The Changemakers Spark* backs live in and deeply understand their communities and want change far more than any outsider could. Spark*'s powerful and credible model has to date, dramatically improved
46,495 lives of people living in extreme poverty. Spark*'s goal is to help one million people move out of extreme poverty by 2020.
(www.sparkinternational.org)