Applications are open for IBM and YIEDI's Techscale programme in South Africa
Global IT services giant IBM is increasing its involvement in South Africa’s rapidly expanding tech environment, through the launch of its Techscale programme in the country. The six-month training programme will be implemented by the Youth Innovation Entrepreneurship Design Institute (YIEDI).
YIEDI is based in Johannesburg, and has been offering a wide variety of consulting services across South Africa since its establishment in 2014. Its service offerings include e-learning and education development, as well as support with entrepreneurship and innovation development.
The firm is focused on helping new businesses, and offers incubation management, strategy consulting, design thinking and creativity training to this end. YIEDI is also a level 1 B-BBEE contributor, which makes it the ideal firm to administer the Techscale programme designed by IBM.
The programme is killing two birds with one stone by offering support to tech firms working in a number of specified domains, under the condition that the firms are black owned. The candidate firms must have significant operations in the tech space, defined by a turnover in excess of R500, 000.
If the above turnover is not matched, then candidates must have secured contracts worth the same amount. Firms must also have been in existence for more than a year. In addition, the firms must specifically operate in the financial services, healthcare and telecom sectors to get support.
IBM’s support will come in the form of access to its vast network of global leaders in the tech industry, who will be in the position to advise budding firms in South Africa with navigating the increasingly challenging digital and regulatory environments. Themes explored under the programme will include business development and investor readiness.
The programme is particularly relevant in the current economic environment across South Africa. The country has turned to innovation and growth in the tech space in order to rescue its economy from the turbulence that was brought about by the dip in oil and commodity prices in recent years.
Small and medium enterprises in particular are looking to integrate new technology within their operations in order to accelerate growth and scale in their businesses. Applications to IBM’s Techscale programme are now open, and will close on the 10th of April before the results are announced at the end of the same month.
