GreenCape, in partnership with the City of Cape Town’s Invest Cape Town and The Business Hub, invite innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy innovation business ideas to enter the 2022 GreenPitch Challenge. Entries are open from Monday 14 March 2022, and close at noon on Thursday 31 March 2022. The digital entry form is online on the 2022 GreenPitch Challenge website. Click here.
Enter your green economy innovation business idea to stand a chance of pitching to a panel of esteemed judges at a “shark tank-style” hybrid networking event, hosted in Cape Town in May 2022. Network with potential investors, business incubators, local government decision-makers and green economy experts. Prizes, including a cash prize and in-kind business support, are sponsored by RMB, BioCiti Labs, LaunchLab and SAREBI, with more to be confirmed.
“Through our partnership with GreenCape the City can capitalize on vast opportunities in the Green Economy. Our innovative partnering model has helped to realise more job and growth opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing and most important industries. The green economy has massive potential to attract investment that leads to job creation. Initiatives like these give us a platform to empower businesses and communities to innovate and take action to grow the green economy and thereby, creating jobs,” said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
One of the means of specifically promoting sustainability innovation is through green economy business innovation. The 2022 GreenPitch Challenge speaks to the need for spurring innovation, and providing a testing ground for entrepreneurs to pilot their business venture. Enabling such innovation aligns to the City of Cape Town’s Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy in that it seeks to foster the retention and expansion of businesses in Cape Town.
Entry requirement
Your green economy innovation business idea has to be positioned within at least one of the Green Economy sectors – refer to the investment opportunities highlighted in GreenCape’s 2021 Market Intelligence Reports. Your business can be based anywhere in South Africa, but you need to have a presence in Cape Town (currently or planned).
Who should enter?
Innovators and entrepreneurs with economically viable green economy innovation business ideas. The business idea has to be in the pre-venture (Ideation, Conceptual) or pre-growth (Registered and trading / Break-even) phase. The judging panel will consider these two categories separately, and there will be a top 5 selected from both categories to make up the Top 10 finalists.
Why enter?
Access to the eco-system of green economy support. Prizes, including a cash prize and in-kind business support, are sponsored by RMB, BioCiti Labs, LaunchLab and SAREBI. More details to follow.
How to enter
Fill out the digital entry form available online here. The digital form allows you to submit a 500-word written motivation.
Key dates
GreenPitch Challenge entries open: Monday 14 March 2022
Closing date for entries: Thursday 31 March 2022 @ 12:00
Finalists announced: Tuesday 12 April 2022
Coaching for pitch event: 19 – 29 April 2022
Pitch event: Thursday 5 May 2022
The winner will be selected by a judging panel on the day of the event. Their decision is final. Terms & Conditions apply. (Please note: If you not heard from the team by 12 April 2022, you have unfortunately not been selected as one of the finalists.)
