The 2017 Step Up 2 Start-Up Youth Entrepreneurship Awards recognises another group of young innovative thinkers
JOBURG — The programme provides a platform for young people's economic prospects, self-confidence and ability to gain economic traction after completing high school.
Government officials, the media, key private and public stakeholders joined winning young entrepreneurs from across the country for the celebration of the 2017 Step Up 2 a Start-Up Youth Entrepreneurship Awards.
The ceremony served as the finale of a five-month entrepreneurship development programme and competition for secondary schoolchildren. The programme was driven by key players such as Sasol, Standard Bank and the MTN Foundation among others.
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In first place was Fisokuhle Lushaba and Wendy Nkosi, in Grade 11 and both aged 16 of Pace Secondary School in Soweto. Second place was awarded to 16 year olds Destinee Regan and Sumaiya Lagardien all the way from Westering High School in the Eastern Cape. The third-place prize went to Given Mofomme and Shaun Ngobeni of Nellmapius Secondary School in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
Head of the Standard Bank Incubator, Jayshree Naidoo said, “It is imperative we instil the right mindset for growth and provide essential support to develop ideas that will grow into highly successful businesses of the future. At Standard Bank, we are committed to youth entrepreneurship and enabling the youth to achieve their next big dream.”
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For the competition, following a three-stage adjudication process on the top nine teams chosen based on the most innovative environmental or social business model, the teams underwent an intense five-day entrepreneur boot camp in Johannesburg. The awards ceremony was the culmination of the boot camp where the finalists received prizes valued more than R1,5 million. Prominent figures who were in attendance included Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe, Minister of Small Business Lindiwe Zulu and executives of the programme’s sponsors.
Faith Khanyile, CEO of WDB Investment Holdings, chairperson of Seed Engine and the WDB Seed Fund said, “We believe that we need to empower young people who want to start sustainable entrepreneurial businesses by providing entrepreneurial skills and the tools they need to succeed.
“Initiatives such as Step Up 2 Start-Up allow us to do this.”
