Useful Resource for ICT entrepreneurs

Putting a Value on a New Venture

Read the following article from BusinessWeek of 8 August 2008 before you decide to propose a deal to investors.

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/aug2008/sb2008088_243611.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+small+business+



Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (www.dti.gov.za)
The government agency responsible for the development of business in South Africa. Good general information about starting or expanding a business in SA, export advice and good links to other resources and agencies.

Cape Town IT Initiative (CITI) (www.citi.org.za)
The Cape IT Initiative (CITI) is a not-for-profit organisation focused on developing the ICT cluster in the Western Cape. CITI has assisted local business development through entrepreneurial support programmes and continues to play an important role in enabling ICT in the region, creating necessary linkages both nationally and internationally.

(http://www.citi.org.za/transform/velociti-blog/velocitiblog)

BandWidth Barn (BWB) (www.bandwidthbarn.org)
The objectives of the Barn are to serve as a focus point for IT entrepreneurship in the Western Cape, to provide affordable always-on internet connectivity to small IT start-ups, and a supportive cross-pollinating community to create synergies. The Bandwidth Barn is an incubator that provides a dynamic environment where entrepreneurs are equipped with the necessary tools to overcome the challenges of the Knowledge economy.


South African Venture Capital Association (SAVCA) (www.savca.co.za)
The main objectives of the Association are to promote the venture capital and private equity profession in South Africa. Comprehensive list of members incl description and contact details. Should be the first point of contact when looking for a suitable source of finance.

CVP partner, David Murray is co-convenor for SAVCA in the Western Cape.

Enablis (www.enablis.co.za)
Enablis is a new and innovative global non-profit organisation of entrepreneurs dedicated to help bridge the digital divide by helping other entrepreneurs develop sustainable businesses. The digital divide is the gap between those with access to, and knowledge of, information and communication technology (ICT) and those without. The Enablis team aims to achieve these objectives by supporting small and medium sized enterprises (SME's) that use, or are intending to use, the power of ICT in their businesses. Operating on commercial principles, they provide intensive business guidance and support combined with critical early-stage business financing. Enablis entrepreneurs become part of a close-knit business network with access to wider local and global business expertise, opportunities and funding.

CVP partners participate on Enablis judging panels

Endeavor (www.endeavor.co.za)

Endeavor is a non-profit organization that identifies and supports innovative, high-growth entrepreneurs in emerging markets around the world. It helps visionary entrepreneurs, with daring ideas, who are transforming their communities, their industries, and even their countries. It helps create jobs, propel economies, and cultivate rising leaders and role models. Endeavor is not a fund. They are part talent scouts, part business accelerators, part real-time business school.


Nicci Ferguson Inc. (www.nicciferguson.com)

“Cape Town based law firm who specialize in assisting early stage entrepreneurs, especially those in the technology arena. Their expertise includes Intellectual Property, Telecommunications, E-Commerce and Online Media. Their services are also affordable for early stage businesses.

Spoor & Fisher (www.spoorandfisher.co.za)
Patent, Trade Mark and Copyright attorneys

Design and Patent Protection Toolkits (www.MyPatent.co.za)
How to go about protecting your intellectual property.

Top Technology Award 100 (www.tt100.co.za)
Top Technology 100 (TT100) is South Africa’s foremost business excellence awards programme. TT100 recognises the way in which organisations use technology to achieve, more effectively, their own objectives. TT100 is therefore less about technology itself, than fundamentally about the way technology is used innovatively.