What We Have Done

Positively impacted the lives of youth through entrepreneurship.
Developed entrepreneurial ecosystems through collaborative and innovative solutions.
Disrupted and redefined value chains that have been closed off to certain groups.
Commercialised disruptive and innovative concepts that are sustainable and profitable businesses.
Leveraged technology in solution development.
Social Impact.

beneficiaries To-date

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Total

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Youth

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Female

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Male

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Commercialized Business

Our Partners and Clients

HOLA HARVEST Is the vegetable retail brand formed by the number of Urban Agriculture Initiative stakeholders which are JICP, WIBC,SEDA and SAB. This brand supports Urban Agriculture Initiative Entrepreneurs by sourcing their produce and supply to various number of retail stores such as Foodlovers and other restaurants within the Johannesburg City. Hola Harvest co-branded with Foodlovers as the is an offtake agreement,Hola Harvest packhouse is situated in Johannesburg CBD where the packhouse is monitored by WOULDN’T IT BE COOL (WIBC) team.

WIBC and The Johannesburg Inner-city Partnership conceptualized the Urban Agriculture Initiative. A project aimed to establish an urban agricultural value chain in the inner-city. The project is underpinned on implementation of hydroponic farms on rooftops. WIBC piloted the concept with a young entrepreneur from Kagiso and implemented and first commercial farm in the project in 2017. WIBC further secured R5m funding for the implementation of 100 farms through a grant funding from SEDA. The WIBC team has provided mentorship development services to entrepreneurs on the project and secured over 50 tonnes per month market access for the project through the WIBC Open Innovation Programme. The project has been widely successful with farmers securing their own markets and not depending on the programme secured market access routes.

SITA engaged WIBC through a marketing agency to recruit entrepreneurs and SMME’s to exhibit at the SITA GovTech pavilion. SITA further engaged the WIBC team to boost entries of innovative solutions into the GovTech awards. WIBC working with key partners was able to achieve an 85% subscription of the GovTech SMME/Start-up pavilion stands and full subscription of the ICT Awards for the SMME/start-up category. SITA engaged WIBC to apply an open innovation approach to the development of the GovTech conference programme and improve access to opportunities for entrepreneurs, innovations and SMME’s in ICT industry. The programme was executed successfully for GovTech 2017 and current programme implementation activities have created opportunities for new IP development by designated SMME’s.

WIBC and The Innovation Hub jointly developed an innovative open innovation model aimed at assisting first time entrepreneurs gain access to new opportunity in established value chains. The Innovation hub subsequently appointed WIBC to execute several Open Innovation projects which required providing potential entrepreneurs with ideation to commercialization mentorship services for innovative new concepts. WIBC has successfully mentored over 400 entrepreneurs on this programme. Notable successes have been entrepreneurs with concepts commercially accepted by Builders warehouse, Prime Media and Primestars, City of Johannesburg, Joburg City Parks and Zoo among other challenge owners. The project is currently executing with a current project for City of Tshwane.

WIBC and The Johannesburg Inner-city Partnership conceptualized the Urban Agriculture Initiative. A project aimed to establish an urban agricultural value chain in the inner-city. The project is underpinned on implementation of hydroponic farms on rooftops. WIBC piloted the concept with a young entrepreneur from Kagiso and implemented and first commercial farm in the project in 2017. WIBC further secured R5m funding for the implementation of 100 farms through a grant funding from SEDA. The WIBC team has provided mentorship development services to entrepreneurs on the project and secured over 50 tonnes per month market access for the project through the WIBC Open Innovation Programme. The project has been widely successful with farmers securing their own markets and not depending on the programme secured market access routes.

WIBC was engaged by The Innovation Hub to assist with enhancing submissions for GAP Medical 2015. The project was executed on extremely short timelines and the project successfully engaged in excess of 200 entrepreneurs and these approximately 7 entrepreneurs submitted applications for pre-review for GAP. WIBC is pleased to announce one of these 7 entrepreneurs was awarded 3rd place for the GAP Medical category.

CHALLENGES
City Of Tshwane
City Of Joburg
Johannesburg Inner City Partnership
Prime Stars
SAP

SAB Kickstart and Resolution Circle appointed WIBC to provide mentorship development services for entrepreneurs that were funded by the SAB Kickstart Programme. The programme was aimed at developing product-based business concepts from ideation to commercialization with Resolution Circle providing the product development process. All entrepreneurs on the programme were successfully mentored to graduation with successful prototype development.

WIBC and The Johannesburg Inner-city Partnership conceptualized the Urban Agriculture Initiative. A project aimed to establish an urban agricultural value chain in the inner-city. The project is underpinned on implementation of hydroponic farms on rooftops. WIBC piloted the concept with a young entrepreneur from Kagiso and implemented and first commercial farm in the project in 2017. WIBC further secured R5m funding for the implementation of 100 farms through a grant funding from SEDA. The WIBC team has provided mentorship development services to entrepreneurs on the project and secured over 50 tonnes per month market access for the project through the WIBC Open Innovation Programme. The project has been widely successful with farmers securing their own markets and not depending on the programme secured market access routes.

Bluefields and Resolution Circle appointed WIBC to provide mentorship development services for entrepreneurs that were funded by Bluefields. The programme was aimed at developing product-based business concepts from ideation to commercialization with Resolution Circle providing the product development process. All entrepreneurs on the programme were successfully mentored to graduation with successful prototype development.

Sophiatown Green Incubator appointed WIBC to conduct a year coaching and mentorship programme using our open innovation ideation methodology. The project entails the development of innovative green concepts for final pitching to several potential corporate partners and investors. WIBC role in the project is to develop and deliver the coaching and mentorship programme and secure participation of corporate partners and investors. The workshops will run to December 2016.

University of Johannesburg Center for Entrepreneurship appointed WIBC to provide mentorship services for entrepreneurs that were selected on their Finance Expenditure Supplier Development programme. A cohort of 40 entrepreneurs were supported for mentorship and business acceleration. The programme has successfully met the outcomes required by the client and for the last 2 years WIBC has been allocated a cohort of no less than 30 entrepreneurs for development. WIBC managed to secure an additional R5m grant funding to further support the development of the entrepreneurs’ businesses. funded by the SAB Kickstart Programme.University of Johannesburg Center for Entrepreneurship and The Raymond Ackerman Foundation appointed WIBC to provide mentorship services for entrepreneurs that had completed the Entrepreneurship Development Programme. The programme was aimed at increasing the commercialization rate of entrepreneur business concepts. In 2016 an assessment of the outcomes of a cohort of 20 entrepreneurs demonstrated in excess of R8m turn over generated by new start-up business on the WIBC programme with over 60 jobs reported. The survival rate of business on this programme was surveyed to be approximately 75%, 18 months post-graduation.

Think South Africa, a local subsidiary of a UK ideation consultancy was appointed by the Sophiatown Green Incubator as incubation management support for the incubator. Think SA contracted WIBC to assist the facilitation of a series of 3-day business concept ideation workshops with entrepreneurs in the incubation programme. The workshops include concept ideations, problem statement understanding, business model formulation and invest pitching preparation for entrepreneurs. The workshops commenced in October 2015 until June 2016.