Call for Participation The Barn|Telkom: InnoTech Innovation Incubation & Acceleration Programme
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Call for Participation
The Barn|Telkom: InnoTech Innovation Incubation
& Acceleration Programme
2015/06/22
Enterprise & Skills for the Digital Economy
LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE
Author: CHRIS VERMEULEN
Date: 22/06/2015
A Cape IT Initiative &
Bandwidth Barn Enterprise
Development Project
66-68 Albert Road
Block B, 3rd Floor,
Woodstock Exchange
Woodstock, Cape Town
Tel +27 21 409 7000
Fax +27 21 409 7050
1CONFIDENTIALITY
Except as otherwise provided in this clause, all data, reports, records and other information of any
kind whatsoever developed or acquired by any party in connection with this proposal ("the
confidential information") shall be treated by the parties as confidential. Neither party shall reveal or
otherwise disclose such confidential information to any third party without the prior written consent
of the other party and shall take all reasonable steps and precautions to ensure that such
information remains strictly confidential and that any third party does not obtain access thereto or
knowledge thereof. The foregoing restrictions shall not apply to the disclosure of necessary
confidential information to employees, agents or contractors of the parties. Any third party that may
become privy to such information shall first undertake in writing to protect the confidential nature
thereof.
2CALL FOR PARTICIPATION 2015/16: THE BANDWIDTH BARN | TELKOM FUTUREMAKERS
INNOTECH INNOVATION INCUBATION & ACCELERATION PROGRAMME
INTRODUCTION
We live in a global society where the impact of digital developments - new digital devices, new
software, and new areas of applications - can be felt in more and more areas of life and work. Such
technologies now affect everyday life, groups, personal identity, culture, safety, and virtually all
aspects of existence. In fact, in some areas the impact is transformational, changing an area of
society or business to such an extent that it is hardly recognisable from what it was like a decade or
more ago.
The Bandwidth Barn’s Learning from the Future strategy will inform all or most future proposed
Enterprise & Skills Development initiatives and will be underpinned by informed observations and
forecasting of future technology trends, needs and adoption in the digital economy. The premise is
the creation of a “wired motherboard of opportunities” and, through a managed process,
pushing/feeding these opportunities to selected and qualifying Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises
(SMMEs) for exploration, development and commercialisation.
Focus Themes and Areas
Opportunities for the development of ICTs are organised around four themes:
1. Better Living
2. Sustainable Business
3. Smart Cities
4. A Green Planet
The Bandwidth Barn|Telkom FutureMakers Innovation Support Programme
The innovation partnership between The Barn and Telkom FutureMakers seeks to unlock ICT and
technology business growth opportunities through three top-level interventions in areas that would
see the development of new, innovative technology-driven products and services.
1. MediaTech
The MediaTech initiative will see the delivery of market intelligence that will inform and seed the
organisation (The Barn) with business ideas with the potential to be developed and commercialised
either through mobile applications, games or other platforms. Special attention will be paid to future
developments in the digital economy. Focus areas will include, among others social media, mobility,
digital content, big data and the Internet of Things (IoT).
2. InnoTech Innovation Incubation & Acceleration Programme
This initiative incorporates entrepreneurship and enterprise development through an accelerator
programme focusing on web and mobile applications development, software development and
design and gaming. The programme’s focus is on the commercialisation of viable, innovative and
new products and services and stimulating the creation of new businesses and supporting the
expansion and growth of existing companies through the uptake of technology and innovation
capability. The business directly supported by the initiatives and those indirectly impacted may seed
applications to the Telkom Enterprise Development Fund/FutureFund.
33. Acceleration Support Initiative
The initiative will support three high-impact black-owned SMMEs that are in the development,
production and deployment phases of their businesses and will receive infrastructure, capacity
building and mentoring support.
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION 2015/16: PROGRAMME DETAILS
We would like to call on qualifying SMMEs to participate in our 2015/16 cycle (see duration) of the
InnoTech Innovation Incubation & Acceleration Programme. Successful candidates will qualify to
participate in our extensive business development programme.
This initiative incorporates entrepreneurial and enterprise development through an accelerator
programme focusing on web and mobile applications development, software development and
design and gaming. It has as focus the commercialisation of viable, innovative and new products and
services and stimulating the creation of new businesses and supporting the expansion and growth of
existing companies through the uptake of technology and innovation capability. The business
directly supported by the initiatives and those indirectly impacted may seed applications to the
Telkom Enterprise Development Fund.
The InnoTech programme comprises three phases, namely:
1. InnoTech Phase 1: Request for proposals (RFP) will be sent out to the relevant communities
and qualifying entrepreneurs and businesses will be invited to attend a bridging workshop to
further scope out their proposals. A pre-selection venture assessment will be carried out on
applicant to determine the current status of the business (or readiness of the entrepreneur
in the case of a new venture).
Workshop structure:
Discussion and refining the opportunity.
Conversion of the opportunity into a concept framework. Companies will present their
concepts to a panel of experts and the top 10 businesses selected for participation in
InnoTech.
Practical planning session and development of an action plan.
The conclusion of the workshop is considered as the starting phase of the InnoTech
Incubation and Acceleration initiative.
2. InnoTech Phases 2-3: Concept Investigation & Feasibility Assessment (Duration - 3 months).
The 10 companies selected will participate in phases 2-3 of InnoTech that will focus on
refining the concept and doing various feasibility studies.
During these phases businesses will receive intense support in the areas of business
fundamentals; specialised mentorship and operational infrastructure (desk space,
connectivity, etc. at either The Barn Woodstock or The Barn Khayelitsha)
At the end of this three month period, the 10 companies/groups will present their concepts
to a panel of experts and the top five concepts selected to proceed to InnoTech Phases 4-5.
If showing good commercial potential, the five non-qualifying companies will be absorbed
into The Barn’s Integrated Enterprise Development Programme (IEDP) for further
4development.
3. InnoTech Phases 4-5: Development and Production & Deployment (Duration - 3 months).
The five companies selected will participate in phases 4-5 of InnoTech that will focus on the
development of a minimum viable product (MVP) used for fast market testing and then
move from prototype (MVP) to production and deployment to customers.
During these phases businesses will receive intense support in the areas of business
fundamentals; specialised mentorship and operational infrastructure (desk space,
connectivity, etc.)
Target Audience
The target audience is start-up, existing and aspiring black entrepreneurs and black-owned SMMEs
(with shareholding of >51%). These would be BBBEE companies with the technical skills and capacity
or entrepreneurs without the technical skills but with the capability to develop the ideas and
concepts into products and services.
In the absence of existing qualifying businesses in the ecosystem to exploit opportunities under this
initiative, consideration will be given to applicants (teams of entrepreneurs or exisiting businesses)
who are willing to form joint ventures or partnerships in view of creating new solutions companies
to be formalised into structured business entities.
Geographical Location
Western Cape (preferably Cape Town and surrounding areas, including Stellenbosch)
Criteria for acceptance
Only technology-driven products or services with the potential of high market acceptance
will be eligible for consideration.
Preference would be given to entrepreneurs and small businesses with products and/or
services in the development, production and deployment phases.
Products and/or services should have a focus aligned to our four strategic themes – Better
Living; Sustainable Business; Smart Cities and A Green Planet.
Product and/or service solutions should demonstrate a high level of innovation.
Successful candidates should have the ability and capacity to succesfully take the product to
market (subject to the provisions noted under the heading Target Audience).
Succesful applicants should preferably have a strong team/network with the relevant
experience (subject to the provisions noted under the heading Target Audience).
Application and selection process
1. Submit online application (link: http://www.citi.org.za/innotech/)
2. Eligibility screening of each application
3. Potential candidates short listed
4. Interviews with potential candidates
5. Final selection by panel
Applicants may be required to do a presentation to a panel of industry experts.
Duration
1 June 2015 – 31 March 2016
Closing Date for Applications: 31 July 2015
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