The competition celebrates entrepreneurs in the creative industries by connecting them to investors and global markets, and strengthening their innovative capabilities to the benefit of industry and society. Creative companies and individuals battle it out, Dragon’s Den style, to qualify to represent their country in a coveted spot at the global finals each year, in Copenhagen.
It falls under the Global Entrepreneurship Network (Gen) banner and Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in November, where 10 million people from 160 countries participate annually.
This year is focussing on all the design disciplines – for example product, interior, jewellery, digital, graphic design etc.
Eligibility criteria include that applicants must:
On 1-2 September, finalists will spend two days refining their pitches, participating in a business skills boot camp, delivered by experts, and a gruelling workshop to prepare them for pitching to a panel of top judges.
The local winner will be announced on Saturday, 2 September 2017. The winner will represent South Africa at the global finals in Copenhagen on Thursday, 16 November 2017, where more than 60 other national winners will be pitted against one another. The international finalists will have the opportunity to meet with top international creatives and representatives from government and commerce, as well as investors.
Leading the drive to bring the competition to life in South Africa are Mvuyo Ngqulana and Rick Ed, both established creative entrepreneurs with a passion for encouraging the growth of the industry, who have successfully lobbied to secure the rights to the event. “Companies and the public are known for not recognising or appreciating creatives as professional business people. It is harder for creatives than it is for most other entrepreneurs to be taken seriously,” said Ngqulana.
“Many creatives are also guilty of not recognising themselves as business people who make a valuable contribution to the economy and to society and being respected and paid as well as people in other professions. We hope this competition will showcase our local creative talent – but also contribute toward changing people’s view of the creative industries.”
From 2018, the South African scope will be extended to include all the creative arts and the competition will be open nationwide.
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