E-Track Programme – Cohort 5

Run in partnership with Ayoba, the E-Track Programme is a three-phase early stage venture acceleration and a capacity building programme for high impact entrepreneurs in South Africa and beyond.

Taking a high-touch scale-up approach, the programme is designed to support teams build scalable businesses with international potential. Individual participants can either explore their own business idea or join an existing venture. The programme also serves as a platform for corporate partners to engage and collaborate on specific research and development agendas.

E-Track is a three-phase venture acceleration programme, tackling the various stages of venture building and development.

• Phase one is the 5-week Venture Launch course which focuses on validating the venture concept.
• Phase two is the 12-week Venture Exploitation course which is aimed at accelerating the development of the validated venture.
• Phase three is the 12-week Venture Scaling course where ventures are supported by ecosystem partners and investors to expand and thrive within their markets.

Who should apply?

• HIGH IMPACT INDIVIDUALS & SCALE-UPS: We are looking for innovation-driven and high impact scale-ups with solutions that are relevant to the African market and with global potential.
• INDIVIDUALS & TEAMS: We are looking for both high impact individuals and teams. Individual participants can either explore their own business idea or join an existing venture.
• PROTOTYPE / MVP: Most of our scale-ups enter with some sort of business case, early version of a product and a couple of team members. They have a working prototype with a minimum feature set ready to conduct early-market testing to further establish product and market fit.
• OPPORTUNITY & TRACTION: The initial concept development demonstrates deep and intimate understanding of the problem and market need or opportunity. The idea must have progressed beyond concept and should demonstrate evidence of early market testing, customers, revenues, patents or intellectual property filings.

How it works

• Online application: Individuals & scale-ups submit applications online, before the initial start date of each E-Track Programme.
• Pre- selection: 5 week venture launch programme: The UCT GSB Solution Space team reviews the applications and the top scale-ups and individuals complete the Venture Launch Programme. The 5-week training and preparation programme aims to validate the venture opportunity and the team.
• 12 week venture exploitation programme: The top 10 scale-ups are selected to participate in the 12-week Venture Exploitation Programme to accelerate the development of their venture. This is done through a high touch scale-up process that aims to concretize the product and secure customer buy-in.
• Venture scaling programme: The last part of the programme aims to scale the venture throughout the partner markets and beyond. The process is facilitated by investors, the partner and subject experts, such as a legal team, tech team and business development team. Entrepreneurs meet with investors, partners and market experts throughout partner markets/opcos.

Benefits

1. AYOBA industry partnership: Ayoba is a free messaging app & more, designed by Africans for Africans. Startups selected to move forward to the Venture Exploitation phase will gain access to technical support and mentorship from field experts to get the guidance needed to accelerate their venture.
2. Capacity building: We apply a learning-by-doing approach. At workshops and clinics, scale-ups learn founder fundamentals and core skills focused on moving the business forward. Scale-ups apply what they learn through practical outcomes from each session.
3. Advisory services: Access to pro-bono partners and a network of consultants to support with specialist expertise e.g. legal, HR, digital user experience, venture capital.
4. Feedback & guidance: Scale-ups receive valuable feedback and guidance from our team and a network of experienced mentors and industry partners. Teams also have access to the UCT GSB Solution Space’s network of GSB alumni and corporate partners.
5. Co-working & community: We focus on building a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and offer a calendar of regular events designed to increase a team’s knowledge and expand their network. We prioritize peer learning and mentoring through access to our co-working space and regular office-hours.