[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533709557978{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1533709571177{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]If you want to see what exciting prospects tomorrow holds, take a closer look at today’s bright young minds.
16,000 participants, 400 submissions, 28 learners in 10 finalist teams, 3 day bootcamp, 1 winning team.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533709627472{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1533709714818{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]PrimeStars Marketing used 15 Ster Kinekor cinemas as “Educational Theatres of Learning” to put 90,000 under-privileged learners through Career Guidance, Financial Literacy, Matric Math & Science Revision, Leadership Development and Entrepreneurship courses nationwide last year.
Sixteen thousand learners also received the Step Up 2 A Start Up entrepreneurship toolkit as part of their programme.
Using this toolkit and with support from their educators, four hundred of the learners conceptualised innovative solutions to pressing social or environmental issues and then developed business model canvasses to realise their solutions.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1958″ img_size=”795×646″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1533709724445{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”1961″ img_size=”938×706″ css=”.vc_custom_1486404971819{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]What was astounding was that 16 to 18 year olds clearly understood the magnitude of problems that face the world today and were imaginative yet realistic enough to be able to develop solutions that work.
They had solutions for converting discarded metal containers into hi-tech audio equipment, schoolgirls’ recyclable sanitary pads made from organic material, crime preventing personal home alarm system, repurposing waste plastic as eco-friendly clothing, noise-pollution-cancelling headphones, customised irrigation system from discarded plastic bottles, water-saving electronic water meter, controlled irrigation system, solar-charging and storing peak cap, backpack with built-in navigating and tracking system.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1533709766799{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1533709740339{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]I had the privilege of being the bootcamp facilitator, overseeing the 28 amazing high school learners whose proposals were selected for the intensive Step Up 2 A Start Up bootcamp at Gold Reef City.
The learners fine-tuned their model canvasses and perfected their presentations under the guidance of experts* who volunteered their time and expertise.
The adjudicators representing the sponsors were tough in applying the criteria: learners had to demonstrate that their solution would be both viable and profitable.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1959″ img_size=”754×528″ css=”.vc_custom_1486405470735{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1533709752293{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”1963″ img_size=”815×711″ css=”.vc_custom_1486404962021{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text]The initiative and effort demonstrated by the 28 finalists was recognised and rewarded at the awards gala evening at Crown Reef Convention Centre where prizes worth over R 1.6 mil in value reflected the commitment of the sponsors* to developing young South African entrepreneurs.
At the ceremony celebrating their achievement, PrimeStars’ Martin Sweet encouraged the finalists to stay hungry, to take risks and to do good.
Have you considered helping a young aspiring entrepreneur by offering your services as a business mentor?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
2017/02/06
Click here if you want to find out more about mentoring young people.
Forty sponsors helped to make Step Up 2 A Start Up a reality. The key sponsors were Sasol, NYDA, MTN Foundation and Sizwe IT Group
The industry experts who gave of the time and expertise were Phumlani Nkontwana, Justin Cohen, Jabu Stone, Precious Mvulane, Cerebra, Ignitor and Regenesys.
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