UVU Accelerate's purpose is to grow and support entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ventures through tech enablement, mentorship, funding and ecosystem access.
Why?
By growing, supporting and scaling businesses we are fueling job creation, youth employment and stimulating the economy.
How?
We must look at what needs to be done to promote and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and an entrepreneurial culture.” Cyril Ramaphosa. With the right mentorship, support, training, access to networks and funding, entrepreneurs will become the employment generators of tomorrow.
We believe entrepreneurs learn through interaction and activity – we facilitate learning opportunities that are as practical and as relevant as possible to the individual or team served. Entrepreneurs are furthermore supported to take the actions necessary to move to the next growth checkpoints in their entrepreneurial journeys.
Our enterprise development programmes involve a combination of:
- Facilitated peer-to-peer learning, where participants work on each other’s businesses and hold each other accountable for progress.
- Networking, site visits and other events, which reinforce the learning, demystify the ecosystem and help participants grow in confidence.
- One-on-one mentorship sessions, for tackling specific blockages.
- Content delivered by experts, laying the theoretical groundwork – experts must illustrate the theory with case studies (preferably from their own hands-on experience).
- Group mentorship sessions create a learning unit that promotes diversity of thinking, practice, and understanding. Small group settings build the individual confidence of mentees to share ideas, feedback and opinions. Group mentoring improves mentee capacity to receive and apply constructive feedback.
- “Fireside chats” with entrepreneurs – for inspiration and understanding typical challenges.
- Goal-oriented milestones, giving participants a clear trajectory and encouraging healthy competitiveness.
- Space and other services within the Barn (optional).
- Online learning platforms to enable entrepreneurs to access knowledge and support from remote locations.
