The Innovator Trust, an enterprise development organisation, and the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), Africa’s oldest incubator, are calling on Cape Town-based growth-stage ICT entrepreneurs to join the intensive 2-year enterprise development programme.

The ICT sector has gone from strength to strength and is one of the fastest-growing industries on the African continent. Yet African entrepreneurs are still finding it a difficult business landscape to navigate. That is why The Innovator Trust and CiTi, through exposure, training and mentorship, now aim to equip entrepreneurs and businesses in the sector with tools that will keep them on track, assist them to achieve their goals and create tech leaders of the future.

ICT entrepreneurs in need of mentorship, skills development and business support who have been operating for more than 2 years and are fiercely committed to growing their business, can now apply to the prestigious 2-year Innovator Trust programme, co-developed and run by CiTi at the Woodstock Bandwidth Barn and remotely in Cape Town.

Applications close on 22 February and the selected candidates will be announced on 4 March. 

The Innovator Trust programme aims to support the: increase annual turnover, equip businesses with the necessary accreditation to remove red tape, as well as increase profitability and number of employees.

Get ready to move the dial on your business.

Celebrating its 20th year of supporting entrepreneurs, CiTi currently runs a number of incubation programmes from idea to growth stage. After a very successful first cohort of the programme, completed in 2018, CiTi confirmed a second collaboration with the Innovator Trust to support further Cape Town businesses over the next two years. Applicants need to be in “ICT”, but this has included a broad range of focusses in the past, from IT recruitment, network security to cabling service provider and software solutions. The programme, designed by CiTi and Innovator Trust, is not to be taken lightly. Monthly training, mentorship sessions with industry experts, and a strong focus on technical improvements means a substantial time and focus commitment by the entrepreneur. But this intensive design enables significant business progression over the two years. 

“Once the entrepreneurs who take part in our Enterprise Development programmes become more established, they turn their focus to growth. This accelerator is especially for entrepreneurs who’ve created businesses with high-growth potential and provides them with the skills to scale at speed and responsibly,” says Tashline Jooste, CEO of the Innovator Trust.

Cape Town was recently confirmed as the Tech Hub of Africa, by an Endeavor Insight Report commissioned by CiTi and partners, presenting growing opportunities for those businesses serious about growth, and with the right support.

“I believe strongly that ICT entrepreneurs are going to be critical to South Africa’s economic growth, which is why we need to focus on equipping these businesses with the skills they need to grow, create jobs and stimulate our economy,” adds Jooste.

In order to be considered for the programme, prospective applicants must meet the following criteria:

A company defined in South Africa as an SMME, QSE or EME;

Must be operational and trading for two or more years;

The business should be at least 51% black-owned;

A minimum Level 1 – 4 BBBEE status according to the DTI or ICT Codes;

The business must be a registered company with key focus in ICT and be based in Cape Town and surrounding areas.

In addition, applicants will need to supply copies of their company registration, company profile, and annual financial statements along with their BEE certificate and IDs with their applications.

“We had a fantastic experience on the Innovator Trust programme, perhaps most beneficial was the advice and mentorship on our financial management, up-skilling of our team, and establishing a 3-year budget and growth plan for the business. Our advice to entrepreneurs considering the course is “JUST DO IT!!!” The skills and knowledge you gain are invaluable and put us on a serious growth trajectory.” states Jennifer Classen, Founder of Ngaphaya Y2K10, and Participant in the 2015 – 2018 Innovator Trust programme.

Ready to grow your business? Learn more about the programme and submit your application HERE.

Make 2019 count. Hire interns for your team and give SA’s youth a boost into the tech sector.

Register your company’s interest by visiting www.citi.org.za or emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On 11 December 2018, in Cape Town at the CapaCiTi campus in Salt River, 340 young South Africans completed the technical training and received their certificates. They are now ready to be placed in tech internships in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

CapaCiTi, the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi)’s Tech Career Accelerator, has been preparing young people for the tech sector for 8 years, in 2018 scaling up to support youth and business in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Now, they’re inviting SA business to interview these ambitious young future tech professionals for an internship starting in January.

Addressing a rising youth unemployment in South Africa, yet leveraging growing opportunities in the tech sector and for those with technology skills, CapaCiTi’s programmes are accelerated career pathways for previously unemployed youth. Key to this, is the commitment by SA businesses to create internship opportunities for youth to apply and grow their technical skills and confidence in the workplace. In turn, organizations are able to access temporary tech support for their teams and projects, particularly valuable at the start of a year.

“This year, CapaCiTi is proud to have equipped several hundred SA youth with the relevant training and coaching they need to accelerate their careers into the tech sector. We’re calling on South African businesses to support our future talent on the next six months of their journey, helping them to apply and build their skills and confidence and contribute to the digital economy. They’re ambitious, tenacious, and will add huge value to your teams as you kick off 2019. These young people are the future of South Africa’s tech sector, let’s all join together to help them start their journey towards a successful career that will be life changing,” states Fiona Tabraham, Acting Head of Skills Development, CiTi.

Since 2010, CapaCiTi has partnered with close to 150 leading organisations to hire interns and graduates. Corporates such as Media24, BCX, Absa have been strong supporters of interns and grads from the Accelerator, as well as a growing list of SAAS businesses, digital agencies. 

“(Absa) has had tremendous success with the talented young people from CapaCiTi’s programmes. Since 2016, we’ve taken on 55 talented interns, and 16 going on to full-time employment with Absa, which we are looking to scale up significantly with CapaCiTi over the next few years. Their aptitude, attitude and aspiration has blown us away! They are hard-working, passionate about technology and creative, with the maturity to negotiate the trickiness of working in teams, as well as rise to the challenge when we put them in leadership positions,” states Alwyn van Wyk, Head of Cape Town Dev Shop, Absa.

The Interns:

CapaCiTi has a large group of youth completing programmes in December, ready to join business teams in January. These young people were all unemployed or under-employed when entering the programmes, and have now completed an intensive programme in a technical discipline relevant to skills in-demand in the tech sector. Importantly, they received coaching and skills training to prepare them for the 2019 workplace – critical and creative thinking, collaboration, presentation.

These ambitious young people are now ready to apply and amplify their knowledge during a 6-month internship, to gain the experience they need to land a tech job.

What they’ve learnt:

CapaCiTi’s programmes run from 9 to 12 months and are designed for matrics and graduates looking to start a career in IT.

The interns available to start in January 2019 in Cape Town and Johannesburg have completed an intensive training programme in the following:

Software Engineering – Trained in Java, Python [CPT & JHB]

Full-Stack Development – Trained in Full Stack Mobile Dev, Net, JavaScript, PHP, Android [CPT]

Java Development – Trained in Java, JavaScript [CPT & JHB]

Software Development (postgrad) – Trained Post Graduates with Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, PHP and MY SQL Databases [CPT]

CISCO Security –Trained and certified as a Cisco Network Security Associate [JHB]

ICT Infrastructure – Trained in IT Essentials, Routing and Switching, Linux Fundamentals, CCNA [CPT]

Company Hosts:

As a host, you will help cement the youth of South Africa’s futures in the business world.

Hosts will accommodate the trainees in their respective offices with access to a computer and involve them in work that allows them to grow their technical experience.

Hosts are required to pay a stipend to support their interns with transport and living costs.

Company Benefit:

Interns can support your teams with existing or new projects with data capture, database management, analysis, software testing, software development to administration, help-desk management. What’s important is that they are exposed to technical projects, team-work and ways of working that build their confidence and knowledge.

Join CiTi in supporting young South Africans to positively shape their future:

As a company partner to CiTi, allow these ambitious, motivated interns to contribute to your teams, and projects, where you need it most.

Help support South Africa’s youth to change their future by hiring talented tech interns for your team.To register your company’s interest in interviewing CapaCiTi interns or grads, please visit www.citi.org.za or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and indicate whether you are in Johannesburg or Cape Town, and the focus of your business.

Or contact directly:

Ilze King for Cape Town interns or grads: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

Estelle Langa for Johannesburg, PE or Durban interns or grads: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative and the Royal Academy of Engineering once again work together on the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2018. Two South African companies are amongst the final 16 shortlisted candidates.

Monday 3 December 2018, Cape Town – Pelebox Smart Lockers and the Hybrid Five-Axis Machine Tool are the two South African innovations that are on the shortlist for the Royal Academy for Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, accelerated by the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi).

CiTi is Africa’s oldest tech incubator, in its 20th year in 2019, and the Royal Academy of Engineering is the United Kingdom’s prestigious national academy for engineering and technology since 1976. Since 2017, the Royal Academy of Engineering has worked with CiTi to support engineering and tech entrepreneurs from across the continent in developing their unique scalable solutions to local challenges. After a highly successful first cohort together, the Royal Academy of Engineering once again selected CiTi as the primary programme incubation partner to support the 16 businesses from the following 6 African countries in 2018/19: Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso and South Africa.

The programme, designed by CiTi specifically for the Royal Academy of Engineering, uses a remote incubation model, delivering entrepreneurial training, coaching and mentorship over the 7-month programme period; coupled with three residency weeks which include workshops, networking events and local entrepreneurial engagement sessions. The first residency week took place in Cape Town at the Bandwidth Barn in early November, and the following two will take place in London and Kampala. The entrepreneurs also stand a chance to receive £25,000 (R450,000) at the end of the programme, and all will have direct access to both the Academy and CiTi’s vast network of engineers, tech professionals, businesses and industry leaders.

“We have found a dynamic synergy with the Royal Academy of Engineering, especially around our shared impact values,” states Ian Merrington, CEO of the Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi), “Making a difference and improving lives through technology by accelerating African innovation and African entrepreneurs is an objective shared by both organisations. CiTi has relished the opportunity to design a pan-African incubation programme. We now find ourselves strongly positioned as an African partner to international organisations who want to deliver high-impact support for entrepreneurship on the continent through hybrid models of training and mentorship.”

On why the Royal Academy of Engineering selected Cape Town-based CiTi as its incubation partner, Meredith Ettridge, Senior Manager for International Development at RAE, states: “Earlier this year we undertook a competitive tender process with a number of strong applications, following careful review we were very pleased to appoint CiTi as the training provider for the 2019 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, building on the success of the previous year. We were particularly pleased to award the contract to a training provider based in sub-Saharan Africa, and with such a strong history of support for entrepreneurs nationally and regionally.”

With Cape Town recently being named the leading Tech Hub of Africa, it should come as no surprise that two of the companies hail from SA.

“CiTi has a strong network of trainers and mentors in Cape Town so it was an easy decision to hold the first training session here. Cape Town also has a thriving technology ecosystem which was evident during the myriad of events happening as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week which allowed our shortlist to make excellent new connections,” adds Meredith Ettridge.

The Hybrid Five-Axis Machine Tool is the first of the South African innovations on the shortlist, developed by Dr Lukas du Plessis. Du Plessis’s hybrid machine tool works on five axes to allow users to shape, cut, grind, shear and otherwise form metals and hard materials with more precision.

“There’s so much manufacturing in South Africa that could be greatly improved if small and medium-sized businesses could afford machining tools like this – and my hope is to change that,” states Dr Lukas du Plessis, founder of the Hybrid Five-Axis Machine Tool.

He continues: “What I hope to gain from this experience is twofold: (i) A fundamental understanding of entrepreneurial business so that I can support entrepreneurs in South Africa to establish compact manufacturing firms that are competitive internationally. (ii) I also hope to find a partner who shares my manufacturing vision and passion for machine tools.”

The second South African innovation is the Pelebox Smart Locker system developed by Neo Hutiri.

Pelebox is a smart locker system designed for public healthcare facilities to dispense chronic medicine to regular patients, cutting down on long queues and easing pressure on clinic resources.

Developed by Hutiri and his team for the South African healthcare system, the Pelebox is a simple wall of lockers, controlled by a digital system in the centre. Healthcare workers stock the lockers with chronic prescription refills, log the medicine on the system, and secure each locker. Pelebox then sends patients a one-time PIN, which they simply enter into the system to unlock their medicine.

“The public healthcare system is so often under strain, and Pelebox can take a lot of pressure off clinics who fill repeat prescriptions for regular patients,” comments Neo Hutiri, founder of Pelebox Smart Lockers.

He adds: “To be considered amongst thousands of innovators and entrepreneurs that would have applied for this prize is a testament to the work that we are doing on the ground in leveraging technology to serve people. Our vision is to create and promote inclusive technologies solving challenging issues in health. We feel that we are well positioned to solve the issue of long queues in clinics through technology that is patient-centric and easy to use.”

Java Launch: The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) recently launched the latest of their Tech Skills and Job-Readiness Programmes for previously disadvantaged South African youth interested in a future coding or software development career.

24 August 2018 – Young, unemployed South Africans that are passionate about a career in digital are invited to apply before 10 September 2018 to the Java Launch CapaCiTi training and placement programme set to kick off in Johannesburg and Cape Town late September.

CapaCiTi, a full-time tech career accelerator for ambitious youth, earlier this year significantly scaled up its programme delivery to support even more talented young tech enthusiasts. For those who are crazy about technology and ready to work hard – these programmes are a powerful platform to secure your digital career.

The CapaCiTi programmes are to be run at its brand-new tech student campus in Salt River, Cape Town, and at the CapaCiTi training hub at Resolution Circle in Milpark, Johannesburg. CapaCiTi students have direct access to CiTi’s vibrant technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem to access further opportunities and form valuable connections with other tech professionals and leaders through events and mentorship opportunities.

The goal is to equip 3000 talented young South Africans with industry-demanded technology and business skills, placing graduates into internships and permanent jobs in South Africa's leading companies. The Java Launch programme is the most recent high impact programme available to youth in Cape Town and Joburg. The programme is open to previously disadvantaged, unemployed youth.

The Java Launch Programme

Young South African that are interested in solving problems, curious about how things work, are interested in and passionate about mathematics and science, and excited about the applications and growth of tech, will succeed on the Java Launch programme.

The Java Launch CapaCiTi programme teaches students to code with Java, but also the broader technical and business knowledge you’ll need to succeed in today’s workplace. During the programme students will learn the fundamentals of Java, one of the most in-demand and foundational programming languages both within South Africa and internationally.

Participants in the programme will learn:

Java fundamentals (Intro to Java/Variables, Expressions and Statements/Control/Loops)

Java Data Structures and Error Handling (1D arrays, 2D arrays/Types of errors/Exception handling)

Java OOP and Advanced Programming (Classes and Objects/Classes and Methods/OOP principles/Complex topics.

This programme will prepare participants for careers as Junior Software Developers, Software Testers, Software Analysts and Software Engineers; but also as a great foundation for many other digital career avenues.

Application Criteria

All candidates must be 18-35 years old, previously disadvantaged, South African citizens and currently unemployed. The Java Launch programme requires applicants to be in possession of a Matric certificate. Applicants for the Java Launch programme are asked to complete an assessment to qualify for an application interview – this interview tests for problem solving and logic so those with an aptitude for STEM subjects (science, mathematics, engineering, technology) are most likely to succeed.

Pay it forward

While there are no training costs for students on the programmes, graduates will be required to pay forward their training costs only when they are settled into their new permanent job post programme. This pay-back then goes directly towards training of further young South Africans in the programme, thereby contributing to further SA youths’ digital career opportunities.

The pay-it-forward cost for the Java Launch programme is R16 000 for the skills training and coaching and an additional R9 000 travel allowance. Once a participant in the programme is settled in their first job, they will need to pay back the training costs in affordable installments every month, relative to their earnings.

In the years following graduation, CapaCiTi continues to support its alumni to support their career progression.

What to expect?

Individuals are mentored by a network of skilled coaches and receive training in important business skills such as collaboration, critical and creative thinking, presentation and personal branding. Each programme, including the Java Launch, is coupled with a 6-month internship so that candidates have an immediate chance to apply and grow their skills. On completion of the internship, candidate interviews are facilitated by CapaCiTi to ensure graduates are placed in permanent jobs.

Over the past seven years, CapaCiTi has trained over 1000 young South Africans, placing 82% of candidates, 40% being female, in technology positions at 130 partner host companies such as Media24, Woolworths, Shoprite, BCX and Absa.

“I’ve been totally blown away by CapaCiTi. The programme helped me achieve my goal, get my dream job, and start my career in Tech. I had graduated in 2012 with a Diploma in Programming from another institution and struggled to get a job in IT for over 4 years prior to joining CapaCiTi,” states Xavier Mehl who completed the CapaCiTi Software Development Programme in 2016.

CapaCiTi programmes not only provide meaningful opportunity for young South Africans to participate in the digital economy but allow companies to access job-ready young talent to diversify their teams and reduce recruitment and retention challenges. In today's industry, smart and extensive digital technology is no longer an addition but a requisite and data-driven companies who adopt and adapt tech will survive the surge in digital disruption across all sectors.

Are you a young, unemployed South African that fits the criteria and is passionate about a future career in technology?

Then APPLY ONLINE NOW for the Java Launch Programme.

Candidates need to be 18 – 35 years old, previously disadvantaged, a South African citizen and in possession of a Matric certificate.

Start #yourdigitalfuture by applying at: www.citi.org.za/capaciti-apply for the September Java Launch programme.

Connect with CapaCiTi on Facebook (@capacitiza) and Twitter (@capacitiza). 

ENDS 

For media enquiries please contact:

Mika Stanvliet | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 081 534 6237 

ABOUT CAPACITI AND THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI)

CapaCiTi is a programme of the Cape Innovation & Technology Initiative (CiTi), Africa's oldest tech incubator set up to develop initiatives that support and stimulate growth in the South African digital economy. The programme provides unemployed youth with coding and tech skills, psychological and mentoring support, job readiness training, as well as internship and permanent placement in our partner companies. For the past seven years, CapaCiTi has trained young people in the Western Cape, which was then scaled to 4 cities in January 2018, to further scale over the next three years. The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi) as an organisation (NPO) has been instrumental in developing South Africa’s vibrant technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Its highly successful technology business incubation programmes have supported thousands of entrepreneurs in growing their businesses and contributing towards the local economy, alongside supporting key technology innovation clusters – currently Edtech, Fintech, Traveltech and Data Science. CiTi’s Bandwidth Barns are based in Woodstock and Khayelitsha, and are vibrant digital ecosystems for innovation, entrepreneurship and skills delivery.