How Africa
Good news for the entrepreneurial ecosystem of South Africa . The South African Business Angel Network (Saban), the first network exclusively bringing together South African business angels, was born in the business district of Johannesburg, in Sandton, August 24, the eve of the launch of DEMO Africa conference – the big event annual African startups.
A non-profit organization designed primarily to train , federate and professionalize “those inAfrica South have savings and wish to diversify their portfolio by gradually tilting rentier sectors such as real estate to risk taking and the entrepreneurship “ , explains Tomi Davies, President of the Pan African network African Business Angel network (ABAN) – already active in twenty countries in Africa – and his deputy director, David van Dijk, both came to Sandton to celebratethe birth of the small south African sister of ABAN.
At least 10 000 per year
“The mission of Saban is enhancing investment opportunities in South Africa, and educate future investors in the business of business angel through workshops for training “ , adds the two investors. If it is first and foremost a professional network of mutual assistance and training to venture capital, Saban is not as such an investment vehicle. Indeed, any equity investment shall be made directly by the Saban says David van Dijk: “We did not come launch . Not a venture capital fund What we want to do with the Saban is uniting individuals want to investtogether in start-ups and SMEs in priming “ . To join the network, the conditions are not too strict: “if you agree to invest at least 10 000 per year to support a South African company, youcan reach the Saban” .
Business angels, angel new actors in the fight against unemployment which flies in South Africa? In any case the conviction of the South African entrepreneur Christopher Campbell takes the reins of Saban as co-founder: “the unemployment rate in South Africa reached high levels (26%) and at the same time economic growth slows. so we need entrepreneurs. And where we need entrepreneurs, investors must “ . If the network currently has about twenty members, Chris Campbell hopes to raise fast new vocations in crossing the country: “Imagine for a moment what would be our impact on entrepreneurs and on the South African economy if we succeed in making emerge 500 active business angels in this country? “ .
Samir Abdelkrim , entrepreneur and consultant, writes a blog, StartupBRICS. com , on innovation in emerging countries. Since 2014, it decrypts the startup ecosystem with African#TECHAfrique and will soon publish a book that collects his encounters with many entrepreneurs of the continent.
