A pitch where your investors very willingly cut the red tape and roll out the red carpet for you is a pitch that gets you what you need. Telling the story of your business and its purpose is an art but not something that you can’t learn and master. Successfully getting your investor to be interested in you, your team and your journey is what a red-hot pitch is all about. Join Milisa Mabinza, the UKSA Tech Hub Director, on this exciting part of the journey of getting funded. Milisa brings her...

It can feel counterintuitive to think about the investor exit whilst you build your investable business. Once you get over this, you’ll realise that it only makes sense to have the investor exit strategy top of mind as you articulate your pitch. An investor wants to know that they will be able to make a return on their investment and so being able to show the assumptions you have made, including some calculations and realistic plans will serve you well. Meet Sihle Gumede, who is a Principal...

It is easy to assume that scaling a business simply refers to getting more revenue. What investors are truly looking for is for a business that shows the ability to yes, grow its revenue, by gaining more customers and moving into new markets. That being said, it is equally important to understand that a business that is scaling is a business that is looking to be at the optimal size relative to its product, its competitors and unique selling points. Join El-Shebah as she discusses the ins...

Investors are really interested to see if your business is one that is set up to be on a path to profitability. Do the founders understand the brilliant basics that they need to obsess about every day? Do the founders have a process that allows them to adjust how they test their assumptions at different points of the life cycle of the business? These are some of the questions that an investor has in mind. Meet Victoria Harris, an enabler of founders who currently serves as the COO at WomHub....

Founders are filled with extraordinary ideas and have the most ambitious goals for the growth of their businesses. Investors are curious to find out if you show an understanding of who you know will part with their money to buy from you. The aim of the game isn’t necessarily to dominate industries but to understand who is realistically available to you as a potential customer.  We are thrilled to have Naadiya Moosajee, the co-founder of WomHub, in this episode of Let’s Get Funded. Naadiya is...

As a founder, you are likely to fall in hopelessly in love with what you have created as a solution. This is a good thing. What is even better is when you are able to demonstrate to investors that the solution you have on offer is something that will delight your customers. Investors are thrilled when you are able to show them that you have developed early and basic versions of your product that have allowed for you to collect critical feedback that helps you improve your product.  Sarah...

The true test of a business is if there is a group of people who are willing to pay for the product or the service that is on offer. In other words, people are willing to pay money for the solution you provide because you are solving a real problem. Demonstrating the value proposition of your business will set you up for success as you seek funding and grow your business. In this episode, we spend time with Barai Mahloele, who is the Venture Capital Fund Director at Tiger Brands. Barati...

Everybody is inspired when the meet someone who dreams big and reimagines a brighter future today.  The same goes for an investor who is interested in making a contribution to the success of your business. It is important that you, as a founder, are able to show investors that you have a clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and that your vision will what guides you along your journey.  Lee Zuk is the COO at JAG Method and a co-founder of Dazzle Angels. She brings her...

Founders cannot build investable companies by themselves; they need to be surrounded by a reliable team that understands the purpose of the company. Investors want to know that their involvement in a company is supported by the presence of a relevant and hardworking team.  Meet Ayanda Mzondeki, the founder and MD of the Liyema Group. Ayanda joins us on Let’s Get Funded to help founders understand the importance of building teams that drive rapidly growing and scaling companies. Ayanda delves...

About Let’s Get Funded Branson Centre has partnered with the UK SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government, to create our on-demand series ‘Let’s Get Funded’, for founders looking to get funded. We connected with South Africa's most experienced and inspiring female finance professionals to discuss investor readiness. Let's Get Funded challenges traditional financial and investment content norms with a conversational 9-part series of on-demand content. Ayanda Talks Team Lee Talks...

Isn’t it cool that we live in a world where humanity is being inspired to get together around highly ambitious goals that are universal? A set of goals whose existence is to enable people, planet and prosperity - these are the Sustainable Development Goals. Ahunna Eziakonwa from the United Nations Development Programme, joins Nwabisa In Conversation with the Branson Centre to discuss how opportunities to accelerate against the SDGs in Africa ignite her purpose. Ahunna leads the UNDP’s work...

It is not everyday that you get to sit down with a Big Wave World Champion surfer. Cass Collier is a father, professional surfer and surfing coach. His surfing adventures - inspired by his father, Ahmed Collier - have taken him around the world. Cass brings his wisdom into this storyteller series for our Ocean Innovation Challenge. In this wide-ranging conversation, Cass inadvertently captures the spirit of the Branson Centre’s approach of ensuring entrepreneurs are always part of a...

No storyteller series about entrepreneur-led innovation in the ocean economy would be complete without including an entrepreneur. Kim Whitaker started her first business at the age of 23. She has been an entrepreneur in the tourism sector and now enables other tourism entrepreneurs in South Africa. Kim has witnessed the inextricable link between tourism and the ocean. She describes how consumers are driving ocean tourism activities and experiences that enable the well-being of people and the...

Did you know that South Africa is the second largest manufacturer and exporter of luxury catamarans in the world? Did you know that 50% of South Africa’s agricultural exports leave by sea from the Western Cape? Did you know that fish is one of the top 20 exports from South Africa to the world? The ocean economy exists in South Africa. Our latest storyteller is Karen Bosman, Head: Strategy and Advocacy at Wesgro. Wesgro is the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the Western...

Lindani Mchunu’s journey with the ocean began when he was a young boy spending time with his grandmother who is a healer and used seawater as part of her practice. His respect for the ocean was fostered when he was a pilot with a bird’s eye view of its vastness. Lindani’s relationship with the ocean was solidified when he became a qualified skipper through the Royal Cape Yacht Club. Lindani joins our conversation as the Marine Manager at the V&A Waterfront. There, he looks after all of...

Entrepreneur-led innovation must be enabled by access to finance in the form of investors. Innovation for a sustainable ocean economy needs impact investors who are passionate about the ocean. Meet Lynton. Lynton is the Principal at Venture 4th Ocean Ocean Impact Fund - a deal-leading venture capital fund that invests in and supports ocean impact entrepreneurs. Whilst the topic of this episode isn’t focused on finance, it is fascinating to understand why Lynton would be involved in the ocean...

The storyteller in this episode of our Ocean Innovation Challenge series grew up in landlocked Soweto. Yet, Zandile Ndhlovu is South Africa’s first black free diving instructor. Zandile’s passion for the ocean and the conservation of the ocean is palpable and urgent. She is a budding filmmaker who is committed to documenting the magical beauty of the ocean whilst bearing witness to the ways in which humanity cannot keep its own out of the ocean. She is a voice that challenges the...

Simone Smit is no stranger to the Branson Centre’s podcasts (when you are done with this one, watch her break the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals down here). In the first of our series of stories within our Ocean Innovation Challenge, Simone gives us a glimpse into the trends she has seen around existing innovations in the Ocean Economy. She talks about a Blue Awakening and it is thrilling! Stay tuned towards the end of this episode and find out what Simone’s wishlist is for...

Have you ever wondered if you could change the question “what am I selling?” to “how can I make your life better?”? Give a listen to our latest podcast with V&A Waterfront Marketing Executive, Tinyiko Mageza. Tinyiko is a purpose-led marketer who consistently asks herself the question “am I adding value?”. This makes her a red hot and relevant guest to talk about Customer Experience. Whilst listening to Tinyiko, be sure to hear her thoughts on how Customer Experience intersects with...

Have you ever wondered if you could change the question “what am I selling?” to “how can I make your life better?”? Give a listen to our latest podcast with V&A Waterfront Marketing Executive, Tinyiko Mageza. Tinyiko is a purpose-led marketer who consistently asks herself the question “am I adding value?”. This makes her a red hot and relevant guest to talk about Customer Experience. Whilst listening to Tinyiko, be sure to hear her thoughts on how Customer Experience intersects with...

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to understand your customers better? Give our latest podcast with Kgaiso Mokgethi, head of marketing at ClearScore SA, a listen. We welcome Kgaiso Mokgethi to our podcast to talk about customer segmentation- a valuable marketing tool that can help a business better understand its customers. She describes herself as an innovative and culturally aware marketing strategist, and she is currently the Head Of Marketing at ClearScore SA. ClearScore is on a...

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to understand your customers better? Give our latest podcast with Kgaiso Mokgethi, head of marketing at ClearScore SA, a listen. We welcome Kgaiso Mokgethi to our podcast to talk about customer segmentation- a valuable marketing tool that can help a business better understand its customers. She describes herself as an innovative and culturally aware marketing strategist, and she is currently the Head Of Marketing at ClearScore SA. ClearScore is on a...

Anyone interested in developing partnerships or improving existing partnerships should listen to this podcast. The latest episode of our podcast features Antonette Benting, the Business Development Manager at Workshop 17, one of South Africa’s most recognisable co-working spaces. She has spent many years in the co-working industry and brings years of experience in improving and building value-added relationships to Workshop 17. Antonette's job is to build successful partnerships, and she...

Anyone interested in developing partnerships or improving existing partnerships should listen to this podcast. The latest episode of our podcast features Antonette Benting, the Business Development Manager at Workshop 17, one of South Africa’s most recognisable co-working spaces. She has spent many years in the co-working industry and brings years of experience in improving and building value-added relationships to Workshop 17. Antonette's job is to build successful partnerships, and she...