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Sable Accelerator Signs Agreements With Promising South African Technology Ventures, Funding Sources And Innovation Groups

Network of Global South African Experts Assists SA Entrepreneurs; Outlines New Thought Leadership Campaign to Help SMEs Market Globally

Sandton, South Africa (Dec. 12, 2012) – The SABLE Accelerator, a recently formed mentoring network of Global South African experts living in Silicon Valley and other technology hubs, today announced new partner and portfolio company agreements during a visit to South Africa by two of its co-founders.

Aimed at activating and engaging South Africa’s untapped brains trust and knowledge network of expatriate assets around the world, The SABLE Accelerator (www.sablenetwork.com) was launched in August this year to help the country be more competitive in realizing a better return on innovation and entrepreneurship across both the private and public sectors.

The international partnership group is dedicated to helping South African entrepreneurs, new venture start-ups, academic institutions and companies commercialize technology innovations, promote and protect intellectual property, fund new business concepts, finance growth, as well as expand into global markets.

Organizations, funding sources and university technology transfer offices that have recently affiliated with SABLE (South African Business Link to Experts) in both South Africa and the USA, include:

The South African Innovation Network (SAINe)
Silicon Cape Initiative
Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)
Business Unity South Africa (BUSA)
African Entrepreneur Academy/No Picket Fence
South African Venture Capital Association (SAVCA)
Convergence Partners
Impulsa XL
Corculture.com
Seed Engine
DalaWorks
Nomad Ventures
ICCG Capital
The Homecoming Revolution
University of Cape Town
InnovUS – Stellenbosch University
TechNews

"SABLE partners have spent the last three months reviewing and interacting with dozens of promising South African early stage, emerging growth and middle market ventures that might have potential in global markets,” notes co-founder and managing partner Werner Mansfeld. “We have also been determining where these enterprises can benefit from international coaching, consulting and funding support from trusted expatriate sources and subject matter experts around the world."

SABLE portfolio candidates range from solution providers in marketing automation, business analytics and customer experience solutions to those in human resource management, enterprise collaboration, and interactive entertainment. In addition, SABLE partners have evaluated exciting innovators in the fields of medical technology, mobile applications, digital media, film animation, event virtualization, and renewable energy. Many of these companies are profiled on the SableNetwork.com web site and have also been introduced by SABLE to prospective customers, partners and funding sources abroad.

The SABLE Accelerator was formed by three Global South Africans living in Silicon Valley and London and features a core consulting team of influential South African expatriates holding senior positions at international technology, life science and agri-business companies; consulting and professional service firms; venture capital and private equity funds; as well as research and academic institutions, including the new venture spawning ground of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.

In efforts to help South African small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access foreign markets, The SABLE Accelerator has designed a new thought leadership program which it plans to implement with public and private sector partners. Dubbed “Know More to Grow More, Globally,” the continuity campaign includes a knowledge portal (MarketingGlobally.com); an audit of SME Global Market Mindset; a best practice study of foreign market entry and expansion; ongoing mentoring and coaching; as well as educational workshops, webinars and webcasts.

A big part of the SABLE value proposition is the formation of an elite online community of expert Global South Africans (GSA) who possess knowledge, expertise, influence and access abroad. SABLE is using a customized version of the MentorCloud SaaS platform to enable GSAs to import their LinkedIn profiles, present their credentials, and specify whether they wish to consult, mentor, coach, speak, lecture, invest, or serve on a board. They will also be able to provide pro bono coaching and mentoring services, extend their professional networks, as well as monetize their time and expertise.

South African-based “Innovators” are able to register and post information about their intellectual property or new business models at the SableNetwork.com web site with the aim of furthering links to Experts and sources of funding and business development support worldwide. They are also able to search for compatible and relevant global experts to help them take their intellectual property (IP) or business models to market, as well as provide advice, coaching, mentoring and introductions.

About SABLE

The SABLE Accelerator (South African Business Link to Experts) aims to further South Africa’s economic interests through global knowledge transfer and the growth of a trusted expert network of expatriate South Africans willing to contribute back to their country of birth through coaching mentoring, consulting, advising, teaching, training, funding or donating. SABLE consultants, advisors and academic faculty include a wide range of successful business leaders, international domain experts, educators, venture capitalists, consultants, authors, professional service providers, government representatives, advertising and marketing gurus, trade and commerce experts, as well as non-profit innovators.
More information is available at www.sablenetwork.com.

Media Contact:
Kevin Sugarman
GlobalFluency
(650) 433-4170
ksugarman@globalfluency.com