HE President Cyril Ramaphosa present on the grand occasion
Team South Africa celebrated its overall success by hosting the National Day at the World Expo 2020 Dubai. The South Africa National Day allowed Team SA a final opportunity to showcase to the world what the country has to offer.
The South Africa Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), together with MultiChoice as the official broadcast partner, set out to introduce the diverse economic value that South Africa has to offer.
The six-month participation, 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, closed with a national ceremony hosted by the Honourable President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, followed by a high-level panel discussion on the successes of Team SA’s participation, most notably the MultiChoice Accelerator Programme.
Promising South Africa start-ups
In partnership with the DTIC, social enterprise agency, C3 (Companies Creating Change), and financial advisory firm, Galelo Africa, the MultiChoice Accelerator Programme initially identified 20 promising South African start-ups for participation in a business incubator. Six finalist companies then had the opportunity to participate in an intense virtual bootcamp and pitch to venture capitalists in the UAE.
“The most tangible success can be seen through our Accelerator Programme where our finalists have gone on to secure more than US$ 10mn in investment from the UAE,” remarked Imtiaz Patel, MultiChoice Non-Executive Chairman.
“What is most energising about this programme is that you are showing the world that South Africa has a vibrant start-up culture, as well as advanced innovation ecosystems,” affirmed the President addressing the assembled entrepreneurs. Team South Africa participated in the Expo under the theme: ‘Think South Africa, Think Opportunity’.
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