Free course provides opportunity

One of the speakers at a previous investment course pictured above.

Thirty business owners will gain free admission to an investment skills training course worth close to R8 000 later this month.

The training is a two-day introduction course which forms part of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s investment readiness programme. It is facilitated by UCT’s Graduate School of Business and venture capital fund Knife Capital.

Applications for the course opened in July and the first workshops were held between August and last month.

During each workshop 30 business owners will be provided with training and resources on how to seek out and manage financial investments and portfolios as well as better handle basic legal issues affecting investment. Peter-Jon Thebus, the department’s enterprise development strategist, said only those entrepreneurs whose businesses are already operational were welcome to participate in the workshops.

The course usually goes for R7 750, but those who were able to successfully apply via the department’s online registration centre by completing the mandatory questionnaire, have qualified for free enrollment.

“The end product of the investment readiness programme is to take the business and help it find investment,” says Thebus.

He adds that the course will further expose entrepreneurs to business strategies, various styles of pitching to potential investors, while providing them with potential links with other entrepreneurs and academic business professionals.

Next month’s workshops will also illustrate to business owners how to seek their own funding or investment opportunities through the efficient use of up-to-date online planning templates, investment management skills and visual presentation.

To apply for the programme, an applicant has to be based in the Western Cape, should have an up to date business plan, be willing to offer an equity stake in their business to investors should an investment opportunity arise and must be at the point where they are seeking a financial investment.

To register, an applicant can click on the registration link which is available on the department’s website.

See details below. Information such as the name of the applicant’s business, type of industry it operates in, reasons for starting out as well as a one-line business pitch are required.

“The exact training dates and venue are yet to be confirmed, but following the course, a further ten small businesses will be selected and given an opportunity to interact with potential investors,” says Thebus.

This is followed by face to face pitching sessions as well as the chance to further receive free mentoring and coaching by Knife Capital at the UCT Graduate School of Business.

feature, Knife Capital, Peter-Jon Thebus, UCT Graduate School of Business

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