Grindstone 8 & 9

The Grindstone Accelerator is a structured entrepreneurship development program that assists high-growth innovation-driven companies to get the fundamental building blocks in place to scale quickly, become sustainable and/or fundable.

Currently in its eighth and ninth Cohort, Grindstone will select a total of 20 companies annually and provides them with knowledge, networks and funding readiness through growth measurement, gap analysis and deep interventions designed to build a foundation for growth, transfer skills, create relevant business networks and enable these companies to take advantage of market access opportunities.

This June, Grindstone 8 is launching in Cape Town for 10 companies. Simultaneously Grindstone 9 is launching in Johannesburg for another 10 companies!

Grindstone has joined forces with the SA SME Fund, Deloitte, Webber Wentzel, Thinkroom and Google for Startups.

The program

The program is aimed at entrepreneurs who are ready to take their businesses to the next level.
Business support resources and services will include elements of training, corporate advisory, coaching, mentorship and funding. Specific interventions for each company include a structured gap analysis, understanding of the company value system, building a digital go-to-market strategy, financial modeling, intellectual property assessment, strategic and financial valuation as well as populating a data room.

Favourable funding support will also be provided to the 20 Grindstone Companies to enable them to de-risk and close the initial growth gaps identified.

Scope

In addition to Knife Capital’s Funding Readiness Course: Find-Make-Grow-Realise, there will be 6 x 1-day workshops over the year…

1. Culture & Strategy
2. Sales & Marketing
3. Market Positioning & Messaging
4. Technical
5. Finance, Valuation and Exit
6. Legal compliance & IP

Through Grindstone, Knife Capital forms long-term partnerships with scale-up entrepreneurs for a shared upside. Grindstone would not be possible if it wasn’t for our Programme partners who generously contribute their knowledge, services, time and funding.

Eligibility

To be eligible to join Grindstone, your company needs to be:

• A South African registered company
• Post-revenue with some customer traction
• A dynamic team of awesome people
• Innovative business offering with a clear competitive differentiator
• Scalable business model