Belgian and SA students in entrepreneurial ‘Pitch Off'
Students from the University of Cape Town (UCT), a visiting student group from Belgium and fledgling entrepreneurs from the Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development (at UCT) are competing in a ‘Pitch Off' on Thursday 8 June 2017. Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB) in Parow Industria is hosting and supporting the event.
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The UCT Development Unit for New Enterprise (DUNE) Pitch-Off competition, supported by CCPB, aims to provide a safe but competitive space for student entrepreneurs to take the first step towards starting their own business as they pitch their innovative ideas to a panel of judges.
The Belgian students will be in Cape Town for the International Week of Entrepreneurial Management, which is a collaboration between UCT’s DUNE, the H-Web, the CVO Hooger Insituut Der Kempen and Thomas More University in Belgium.
The participants from the Raymond Ackerman Academy (RAA) are graduates of the six-month entrepreneurship programme and are currently part of the RAA’s year-long Graduate Entrepreneur Support Service where their businesses are incubated.
Business and personal development
“The course is for young people who are passionate about business and personal development, who have limited opportunities for accessing tertiary education, finding or creating employment,” explains Elli Yiannakaris, director of the RAA.
“There is great value in developing an entrepreneurial spirit amongst young people. They possess great energy and potential to contribute to economic prosperity, job creation and ultimately to improve the community in which they operate. We are thrilled to partner with the Raymond Ackerman Academy and the Development Unit for New Enterprise on this exciting journey,” says Priscilla Urquhart, public affairs and communications manager at CCPB.
Stuart Hendry, director of DUNE says, “Enhanced entrepreneurship is crucial for economic development. UCT has a unique opportunity to play an important leadership role in building critical mass for the development of entrepreneurs in South Africa.”
Pol Hauspie, serial entrepreneur and founder of Belgium’s H-Web Foundation will be one of the judges on the panel reviewing the creative ideas presented by the students as well as Letitia De Wet, CEO of Enactus South Africa and Rob Hersov, serial entrepreneur and angel investor. “It is a great privilege for me to mentor young entrepreneurs from Belgium and South Africa by sharing my experience, knowledge and insights,” concludes Hauspie.
