
As we navigate these new and uncertain times, we believe that it is crucial for entrepreneurs to invest their time, effort, and energy into business activities that will ensure sustainability and a move toward their new growth checkpoints in their entrepreneurial journey. A digitally enabled business has the capacity to navigate challenges and opportunities in a streamlined and more efficient manner. As part of the select group of women business owners that form the core of our fully funded Women in Business Programme, female founders are given the opportunity to invest their time and effort in knowledge and skills that will enable both business and personal growth trajectories.
Conceptualised and presented by the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi), the programme aims to create an empowering atmosphere for women who are eager to infuse technology into their businesses. The programme boasts a supportive and creative environment that exposes female entrepreneurs to the latest available technology resources to improve and grow their businesses.
Participants will benefit from access to comprehensive information and experience shared by highly skilled facilitators and mentors. The program provides a forum for entrepreneurs to introduce efficient systems and processes through the implementation of technology products and services that promote growth, sustainability, and scale-up.
The programme is implemented through a series of facilitated interactive sessions. These sessions are designed to clarify, test, and apply business learnings whilst maximizing peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing practices.
Participants are provided with the opportunity to focus on strengthening their personal entrepreneurial abilities while learning critical business skills. The programme allows entrepreneurs the intellectual space to focus in a flexible and accessible way.
Participants are guided through each stage of business development via monthly face-to-face community mentorship sessions during which they are given the opportunity to learn, share information, and collaborate.
In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the programme has been adapted to suit an exclusively online engagement strategy. In addition, participants will have access to additional online learning components.
Lara Rosmarin, Head of Incubation and Entrepreneurial Development at the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi), says, “Despite recent events, the CiTi team is determined to deliver a successful Women in Business programme. We’ve adapted a sizable portion of our programme to an online format to play our part in social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19.”
Recruitment for 2022 is currently open!
To apply for the Women in Business programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Female founders and CEOs with a desire to introduce or improve technology in their businesses (at least 51% female-owned)
- Business must be registered (CIPC) and operational for at least 6-12 months.
- Applicants must reside in Cape Town
- Business must be able to supply a SARS Tax Pin document for their business and be tax compliant and have a valid BBBEE status (certificate/affidavit)
- Applicants must be 25 years or older
- Be available to join one workshop per week (2 hours) for the duration of the 10-week programme (where applicable, we have adapted a sizable portion of the programme to be online)
- On completion of the 10-week modular programme, be available once a month for mentorship sessions over a period of 10 months
- Workshops are held online. Where possible, workshops are held at both our Woodstock and Khayelitsha venues. Successful applicants must be able to travel to one of the specified venues. If face-to-face workshops are not possible; an online format will be utilised to deliver components of the programme
Female entrepreneurs who would like to take part in the Women in Business programme must submit their applications on the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative’s website www.citi.org.za or like and follow the Cape Innovation & Technology Facebook page for news and updates. After your application is received, one of our team members will be in touch to discuss your application.
For more information email wibcommunications@citi.org.za and to apply, click here.