The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Network for Social Entrepreneurs (NSE) together with the British Council, Barloworld and SAB Foundation, will be hosting the 3rd annual Social Entrepreneurship Festival of Ideas Competition at the GIBS campus on 15 November 2016.
The Festival of Ideas is a dynamic search for sound business ideas that drive social change. The event is a platform that gives opportunity to mavericks and disruptors to pitch their unique ideas to a panel of experts for a chance to bring them to life.
“Social enterprises bring together the opposite worlds of business and civil society, delivering services that specifically develop and add value to our society while making profit. Our social enterprises work in all sorts of fields from health, education to food security – but unlike charities, the income that they earn mean that their work can be sustained and scaled,” said Itumeleng Dhlamini of the GIBS NSE. “It is this merging of two normally contrasting worlds that makes social enterprises and the social entrepreneurs who create them so innovative and disruptive.”
“The British Council is committed to promoting the development of social enterprise and social investment to help foster a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future for us all. Our programmes draw on expertise from across the globe, striving to share best practice and create opportunities between the UK and other countries. Through our Entrepreneurial Africa programme, we look forward to being able to provide a global platform to encourage entrepreneurial skills, creativity and innovation among young African social entrepreneurs,” said Yani Horn, Head of Business Development, British Council South Africa.
The Festival rewards high impact ideas, with R200,000 available in a pool of prize money to simply get the idea going. South Africa’s entrepreneurial failure rates are well documented with the gap in available financing leading to a lack of confidence amongst people to just ‘give their idea a go’. Winners will receive cash awards of up to R25,000 and the top four will travel with the British Council on an all-expenses-paid learning experience to the UK and Ghana to participate in the participate in the British Council’s Entrepreneurial Africa Social Entrepreneurship Experiential Learning Programme.
How to enter:
- Send a two-minute voice note of your idea on WhatsApp to 076 462 7377, include your full name and email address.
- Or email it to dhlaminii@gibs.co.za with your name and contact number.
Entries close on 26 October 2016.
Terms and Conditions apply.
Ends.
For more information, please contact:
Itumeleng Dhlamini
Tel: 011 771 4000
Email: dhlaminii@gibs.co.za
Yani Horn
Cel: 0792342209
Email: Yani.Horn@britishcouncil.org