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A share of R6-million in grant funding and business development support

SAB’s youth entrepreneurship development programme, SAB KickStart, has opened its 2014/2015 competition entries to entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35.

SAB KickStart, started in May 1995, is one of the longest youth entrepreneurship programmes and has assisted with the start-up of more than 3500 businesses.

Opportunity for development

Entrants selected to participate in the 18 month-long programme stand the chance of winning a share of R6-million worth of business support, including an international business learning trip.

SAB KickStart follows a competition model and provides youth entrepreneurs running small businesses with a comprehensive package of business development support to increase the chances of building sustainable and high impact entities able to contribute towards job creation.

In 2013, SAB KickStart’s 14 national finalists created more than 60 jobs within their respective communities.

The business development support package includes business skills training, a business development strategy, grant funding and personalised mentorship. “Providing this comprehensive business support we believe can make a significant contribution to growing high impact businesses that are sustainable beyond the normal failure period of 3 years, ” says Boipelo Nkadimeng, SAB Head Enterprise Development and Community Partnerships.

Process

The recruitment phase selects 60 entrants who are provided with intensive business skills training over a period of two-weeks. This takes place in Johannesburg between July and August 2014. During this training, participants are shown how to develop an effective business plan. The best of these plans are selected by an independent adjudication panel and entrepreneurs go through to final and national stage of the competition.

An in-depth needs analysis of each finalist business is undertaken and this determines the design of a business development strategy, grant funding and customised mentorship.