Entrepreneurial training programme Seed Academy has launched the section edition of its South African startup survey, aimed at obtaining a picture of the country’s startup sector and the challenges it faces.
Startups that take part in the 2016 Startup Survey will stand a chance to win one of three business support packages valued at ZAR30,000 (US$1,900) and other prizes valued at over ZAR25,000 (US$1,600).
The survey is open to businesses that have been going for less than five years, with Seed Academy saying the more startups that respond the more effectively it will be able to approach government and industry with the results to make a real impact.
The business support package startups stand a chance to win includes a one-year SMEasy licence, three months desk rental at Seed Academy’s Johannesburg co-working space, a basic website starter pack, business coaching, legal consultation, financial consultation, and marketing coaching. There are also spots available in Standard Bank’s accelerator and bootcamps.
The first Seed Academy startup survey took place last year, with 70 per cent of South African startups saying they required funding in order to grow their businesses.
In spite of concerns over the availability of funding, the 900 startup entrepreneurs surveyed were generally positive and motivated to develop their businesses. Forty-two per cent of entrepreneurs were very optimistic about their business outlook for the next 12 months, while 29 per cent were “somewhat optimistic”.
