The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business has doled out a total of R660,000 (US$50,000) to ten start-ups.
The winners of the grant, Ispani; a Sales management and data collection tool, decentralised residential recycling business, Regenize; and community-based home monitoring system Jonga each secured R100,000 (US$7,500). While urban farming business; Little Green Things took home R50,000 (US$3,750) and Feminine hygiene product; FemWash banked R10,000 (US$750).
Bertha Centre has integrated social innovation into the GSB curriculum, established a wide community of practitioners and awarded over R7m (US$556,000) in scholarships to students from across Africa.
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“Successful enterprises are those that reflect high potential for commercial viability and sustainability, whilst creating positive social impact at scale through innovation,” the Bertha Centre said.
Earlier, the centre also disbursed R300,000 (US$22,500) in grant money via its partnership with the Pathways to Funding initiative,.This grant was powered by donor investment management organisation Community Chest. Six start-ups were recipients of the funding, each receiving R50,000 (US$3,750).