Startup Knight is a competition for software based tech startups that are getting ready to start a viable business in South Africa. Byte Orbit, the company behind Startup Knight, will be hosting the event. As an established company, this is a chance for them to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs.
A series of established organisations such as Microsoft, Nokia, Bandwidth Barn and 8ta have also come on board with sponsorship for the winning startup. Microsoft will be providing software packages for the winning team that will allow them to run their business for 3 years as well as $60 000 worth of Azure Services. Bandwidth Barn will be providing office space for the duration of 6 months and Nokia has come on board as a product sponsor. In addition 8ta will be providing a 3G data modem loaded with their 60Gig + 60Gig offering. The grand prize will be sponsored by Byte Orbit and will consist of software development to the value of R100 000 and ongoing mentorship. Byte Orbit will take a small equity stake in the winning business and subsequently support them on an ongoing basis leveraging 9 years of industry experience to increase their ability to succeed.
Byte Orbit prides themselves on being the first software development company in South Africa to offer such a great opportunity in the form of an event to young and innovative tech entrepreneurs. Amit Ramdath, CEO of Byte Orbit announced, “We would like to extend a challenge to other established technology based companies to identify and incubate innovative entrepreneurs in South Africa.”
Participants can enter online at ByteOrbit. Entries close on 25 October. Fifteen finalists will be announced by October 26th and they will be required to pitch to a judging panel at Byte Orbit Offices in Durbanville, Cape Town on November 3rd. The results of the winner will be announced on the evening of 3 November at a venue in Cape Town. The main requirement is that the entry must be focused on a software product.
It’s great to see successful entrepreneurs and established firms coming together to support South Africa’s young startup scene. If anything, we hope to see similar efforts spring up across the continent. Indeed, entrepreneurs have to take care of their own. See details for the competition and apply here.