Question NW2796 to the Minister of Small Business Development
27 October 2022 - NW2796
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What number of business incubators are equipped to provide entrepreneurs with skills that are relevant to the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies in each province?
Reply:
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) supported Incubation ecosystem provides a bouquet of interventions in multi-disciplined sectors including relevant technologies and all nine verticals of the Fourth Industrial Revolution through Township based Digital Hubs and ICT focused Incubators. To emphasise, these incubation ecosystem are well equipped to provide entrepreneurs with skills relevant to the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
|
No. |
Incubator |
Province |
|
Digital Hubs |
||
|
1 |
Botshabelo Digital Hub |
Free State |
|
2 |
Galaxcoc Digital Hub |
Gauteng |
|
3 |
Kwamashu Digital Hub |
KwaZulu Natal |
|
4 |
Limpopo Digital Hub |
Limpopo |
|
5 |
Mafikeng Digital Hub |
North West |
|
6 |
Mpumalanga Digital Hub |
Mpumalanaga |
|
Technology Business Incubators |
||
|
7 |
SmartXchange |
KwaZulu Natal |
|
8 |
Softstart Business Technology Incubator (SBTI) |
Gauteng |
|
9 |
IHub Nelson Mandela Bay |
Eastern Cape |
|
10 |
Africa Beyond 4IR (AB4IR) |
Gauteng |
|
11 |
Propella |
Eastern Cape |
|
12 |
Tucsnovation |
Gauteng |
|
13 |
Firi JHB |
Gauteng |
|
14 |
Firi CPT |
Western Cape |
|
15 |
Daily Grind |
Western Cape |
|
No. |
Province |
Number of Incubators |
|
1 |
Eastern Cape |
2 |
|
2 |
Free State |
1 |
|
3 |
Gauteng |
5 |
|
4 |
KwaZulu Natal |
2 |
|
5 |
Limpopo |
1 |
|
6 |
Mpumalanga |
1 |
|
7 |
North West |
1 |
|
8 |
Western Cape |
2 |
|
15 |
Seda is planning to establish a Township and Digital Hub (proposals are currently at adjudication stage) in the Northern Cape (Namakwa region) which will operate within the 4IR space moving forward.
The DSBD is further entering into strategic partnership with NEMISA which would be anchored around the following: (a) physical technology production, (b) transformative tech applications, (c) digital platforms, and (d) digitally traded services. This partnership, together with some that we will explore in the digital space as we expand our incubation footprint, will go a long way in providing needed skills in new technologies driven by the fourth industrial revolution.
STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS
MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT