Bizcommunity.com

Bizcommunity.com, one of Africa's pre-eminent news sources, launched in 2001 and since then has grown in every way—in scope, offerings, range of products, portals, size, and acceptance in the marketplace. Today, it is the B2B site of choice in South Africa and Africa for anyone wanting to know the who, what, where, and why of what's happening in the advertising, marketing, media, retail and related sectors. More than 3.3 million website pages are viewed, and over 350,000 people read Bizcommunity.com each month and its 35 industry portals. Bizcommunity's Africa portal has so far launched into the following countries: Angola, Algeria, Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Bizcommunity.com also has a free daily and weekly email newsletter for each industry it covers. www.bizcommunity.com

DalaWorks

DalaWorks is an early-stage technology startup accelerator launching in Cape Town in 2013. During the four-month program, entrepreneurs, working in a communal space, build their businesses as fast as possible with the help of a global roster of mentors from technology, media, venture capital, and business. The program culminates in a series of Demo Days in which the companies pitch investors for follow-on funding.

DalaWorks is partnered with the top international accelerators for best practices, co-investment, and exchange programs, as well as the local leaders in the South African technology ecosystem. www.dalaworks.com

South African Innovation Network (SAINe)

The South African Innovation Network (SAINe) is a non-profit network providing a neutral platform for activating the multi-helix principle in Southern Africa with the aim of enhancing and promoting the innovation climate in our country.

The main aim of the activities associated with the innovation network is to remedy the current lack of reliable data on innovation-related topics as well as contribute to information on progress made in South Africa on innovation. The network also serves as a national resource providing information on upcoming and on-going innovation activities as well as assisting with local and international benchmarking.

InnovUS Technology Transfer (Pty) Ltd

InnovUS Technology Transfer (Pty) Ltd is Stellenbosch University's wholly-owned technology transfer company, managing the commercialisation of the University's innovation and intellectual property portfolio through patenting, licensing and the formation of spin-out companies. InnovUS was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University in 2009. Our main focus is the management of intellectual property emanating from Stellenbosch University through:

• Identification and sourcing of IP related projects/technology
• Evaluation of IP
• Protection of IP
• Managing administration of trademark, copyright and patent portfolio as well as domain name portfolio of SU
• Maximising return via commercialisation
• Identify possible industrial partners
• Negotiating transaction:
• Assignment
• Licensing
• Equity in commercial vehicles
• Research contracts
• Manage royalty income and distribution according to:
• SU policy

BPI Network

The Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network is dedicated to identifying, exploring and sharing emerging trends and transformational ideas and practices that are reshaping world markets and competitive landscapes. We aim to help senior executives and their multi-national workforces become more inventive, market-centered, operationally efficient, and competitive in a challenged and changing global and local context. www.bpinetwork.org

Brand South Africa

In 2002, Brand South Africa was created to help provide a positive, consistent brand image for South Africa in order to attract tourism, business, and investment. By achieving this goal, the desired effect is to create a brand image that instills pride and promotes job creation. Through the Brand South Africa campaign, the organization aims to raise international awareness of South Africa's promising qualities to investors; promote investment and export industries overseas; mobilize influential South Africans and media personnel abroad; and instill local pride and patriotism through campaigns. www.brandsouthafrica.com

CMO Council

The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level knowledge exchange, thought leadership, and personal relationship building among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council's 6,000 members control more than $300 billion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total, the CMO Council and its strategic interest communities include more than 20,000 global executives in nearly 100 countries covering multiple industries, segments, and markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. The council's strategic interest groups include the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE), LoyaltyLeaders.org, Marketing Supply Chain Institute, Customer Experience Board, Market Sense-Ability Center, Digital Marketing Performance Institute, GeoBranding Center, and the Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME). More information on the CMO Council is available at www.cmocouncil.org

GlobalFluency, Inc.

GlobalFluency is a new breed of marketing service company offering clients fully integrated, multi-level, multi-channel programs for shaping market perceptions, developing and growing customer relationships, and building valued brands. From perception management (PR), online research, and competitive intelligence to highly effective lead generation, business development, and creative services, GlobalFluency designs and executes digital marketing programs that drive measurable results for clients worldwide. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the GlobalFluency Network integrates global agency resources under one brand to deliver seamless cross-border programs that drive customer interaction, market advocacy, and media prominence. The company is a leader and innovator in web-driven Intelligent Market Engagement™ and has over 70 offices in 40 countries. GlobalFluency also operates influential membership groups that enable peer-to-peer networking and knowledge exchange among thousands of key decision makers and influencers. These include the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network, Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE), Marketing Supply Chain Institute, GeoBranding Center, Digital Marketing Performance Institute, Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME), Global Renewable Energy and Environmental Network (GREEN), Competitive Strategy Roundtable, Software Economics Council, and DecisionROI Institute. www.globalfluency.com

Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa

Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa Fund 1 (www.hp-ventures.co.za) was founded in February 2008 and is located just outside of Cape Town, South Africa. The fund is the largest technology-focused private venture capital fund in Africa. The majority of the R400m capital has been committed by SAP co-founder and Chairman, Prof. Dr. Hasso Plattner. The fund demonstrates Dr. Plattner's ongoing commitment to South Africa and its potential to produce successful technology businesses. Following its tagline, "Turning local technologies into global assets," Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa invests in promising, innovative technology companies, assisting local entrepreneurs to broaden their perspectives by entering a global arena.

Since its inception, the fund, which is led by Marc Balkin and managed by a team of experienced local technology venture capital specialists, has invested in eight companies, making Hasso Plattner also one of the most active venture capital funds in South Africa. The current portfolio companies operate in the software, telecommunications, and Internet industries, although but mandate of the fund is defined broader to also be able to accommodate investments into others fields, such as Clean Energy.

Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa is cognizant of the emerging market environment in which it operates and the bridging role technology can play in such emerging markets.

One of the most exciting market segments in which the fund invests is the burgeoning emerging markets mobile telco sector. An example of this is HPVA portfolio company Inala Technologies, which operates in 26 African countries and recently won its first significant order for its network monitoring systems from a Global Network Operator in India and in Indonesia.

Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa offers more than financing. With South Africa being geographically distant from the larger, more developed technology markets, accelerated access to key people and resources internationally is a key element of the fund's offer to its portfolio companies. In addition, entrepreneurs in whom the fund invests can expect all the benefits of its established global reputation and high-level relationships with industry, the sciences, and education.

Hasso Plattner Ventures Africa is associated with Hasso Plattner Ventures Europe—Dr. Plattner's fund based in Berlin—which focuses on investing and building businesses in Europe and Israel. www.hp-ventures.co.za

NetLine

NetLine is an online B2B multi-channel advertising network providing targeted branding and high-quality lead generation to companies, including seven of the top eight on the B2B Top Advertiser List.

As proven experts in B2B online demand generation, we help our clients increase their number of sales opportunities and accelerate the sales pipeline. We connect B2B companies with new potential customers across a network of over 15,000 website properties reaching over 75 million monthly unique visitors. NetLine syndicates their branded content and distributes it through the network via email, blogs, social media, and mobile. Leveraging innovative technology, we provide marketers with greater targeting capabilities and unmatched reach. NetLine's services have attracted clients such as Google, Hewlett Packard, HubSpot, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, VeriSign, SAP, SuccessFactors, and Symantec.

Founded in 1994, NetLine Corporation is privately held and headquartered in Los Gatos, California, with operations across the globe. www.netline.com

Nomad Ventures

Nomad Ventures is an industry pioneer that provides highly effective custom corporate and business development services to improve deal-making outcomes. Founded in 2001, our vision of bringing together vertical industry, consulting, investment banking, and operations management expertise has proven to be a strategically successful formula. Today we are comprised of approximately 30 professionals operating in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa. All Nomad professionals are established industry thought leaders with an average of 15 years of relevant business experience. We believe small, highly focused, senior multi- disciplinary professional teams are the key to successful execution for corporate and business development programs. Our business model is based on strong partnering principles. Your goals and objectives are aligned with Nomad strategies and implemented under a custom program. To this end we offer cost effective services on a success fee basis. Nomad program professionals' compensation is equally aligned to successful program outcomes. Nomad's strategy is to expand selectively, entering markets only where we have particular proven skills, deep industry expertise, and existing relationships to create real value. This approach provides us with the strategic flexibility to enter new sectors and regions as opportunities are developed while simultaneously being able to respond to the special requirements of individual markets. Our business portfolio development approach is thematically driven, meaning through our collective industry experiences we identify major trends that support potential opportunities in well known targeted sectors. For each active theme we create proprietary industry frameworks that shape our strategies and related solutions for corporate and business development opportunities. The majority of our program strategies target niche and middle-market business opportunities and objectives. This middle market orientation typically links our programs with:

• Large public and private companies and their middle market divisions and subsidiaries
• Small and mid-cap public companies
• Privately held entrepreneurial businesses
• Private equity groups and their portfolio companies

Silicon Valley Bank

For nearly three decades, SVB Financial Group and its subsidiaries, including Silicon Valley Bank, have been dedicated to helping entrepreneurs succeed. SVB Financial Group is a financial holding company that serves companies in the technology, life science, venture capital, and premium wine industries. Offering diversified financial services through Silicon Valley Bank, SVB Analytics, SVB Capital, SVB Global, and SVB Private Bank, SVB Financial Group provides clients with commercial, investment, international, and private banking services. The company also offers funds management, broker-dealer transactions, and asset management, as well as the added value of its knowledge and networks worldwide. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) operates through 27 offices in the U.S. and international operations in China, India, Israel, and the United Kingdom. More information on the company can be found at www.svb.com

South Africa: The Good News

South Africa: The Good News is a news website that highlights the positive developments in South Africa. It is an independent organisation, apolitical and with no agenda other than to source and publish good news about our beloved country. We like to stimulate dialogue and debate. We like to offer a fresh perspective. Our goal is to address the reality/perception gap that is often more negative than positive as well as "sell" South Africa as a country of positive development, excitement, opportunity, interest, and as a potential travel and investment destination. The www.sagoodnews.co.za website, which Steuart Pennington founded in 2004 and updates everyday, is read in 185 countries around the world by some 50,000 visitors. Pennington has 12,000 followers on Twitter and 10,000 on Facebook. An expanded regional website, www.africathegoodnews.com, started in March 2009 and is growing exponentially. Pennington is heard weekly on SAfm radio by some 800 000 listeners. www.sagoodnews.co.za

WESGRO

Wesgro is the official Destination Marketing, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency for the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is the first point of contact for foreign importers, local exporters, and investors wishing to take advantage of the unlimited opportunities in the growing Cape. Wesgro's vision is "to grow the Western Cape economy to benefit the people of the province." Wesgro's charter is to:

• Attract and facilitate foreign and domestic direct investment into the Western Cape
• Grow exports of products and services of the Western Cape through the development of exporter capability, demand, and market access
• Market the Western Cape as a competitive business destination within national and international arenas

www.wesgro.co.za

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosatti

For more than 50 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With long-standing roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Brussels; Georgetown, DE; Hong Kong; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com

Seed Engine

Seed Engine is a business accelerator developed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs who understand what is necessary to make a start-up successful. As early stage entrepreneurs are generally ignored in South Africa, Seed Engine seeks these entrepreneurs to put them through 3x13 week accelerator bootcamps per year where they are each given start up capital to convert their ideas into practical business plans ready for launch. They are offered coaching, mentorship, work space and support and an opportunity to grow their concept into a business. On completion of the programme they are introduced to potential investors so that they can attract further funding at Presentation Day.

Angel investors and venture capitalists take a keen interest because Seed Engine offers a pipeline of investable companies, filters top talent and connects them to disruptive opportunities. It is also in the interest of Seed Engine to increase the likelihood that the underlying businesses are successful, as we will hold equity positions in all of the accelerator ventures.

Corculture.com

Corculture.com was founded to help entrepreneurs and businesses seeking new growth by providing a platform to raise investment funds. The company uses an online platform for fundraising while taking a human approach by analyzing and targeting business ideas to a focused group of no more than 30 high-net-worth investors across a variety of business sectors. Applicants submit their business proposals and, if accepted and approved, pay a subscription fee for a six-month posting. They are notified if investors are interested in learning more and pay a success fee upon conclusion of a deal. Ultimately, the goal of Corculture.com is to create partnerships, so investors are expected to be active, and new ones are sought on an as-needed basis. corculture.com

The University of Cape Town (UCT)

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is South Africa's oldest university, and is one of Africa's leading teaching and research institutions (www.uct.ac.za). UCT aspires to become a premier academic meeting point between South Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. Taking advantage of expanding global networks and our distinct vantage point in Africa, we are committed, through innovative research and scholarship, to grapple with the key issues of our natural and social worlds. We aim to produce graduates whose qualifications are internationally recognised and locally applicable, underpinned by values of engaged citizenship and social justice.

Results from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings for 2012/13 placed UCTat 154, the only university in Africa within the top 200 Research Contracts and Intellectual Property Services (RCIPS) supports UCT's research activities by centrally managing, authorising and negotiating research contracts entered into with our wide variety of funders.

Intellectual property in the knowledge economy in which we operate is central to many of these contracts and the group strives to protect UCT's interests from the outset. We also assist with protection of the intellectual property flowing from our world-class research, often via patenting. RCIPS fulfills the role commonly referred to at universities as the "Technology Transfer Office".

RCIPS seeks to stimulate the growth of the South African economy by fostering small business development and/or the creation of jobs through the commercialisation and implementation of UCT's intellectual property, transforming society and leading to social and commercial benefit.

Visit the RCIPS website [www.rcips.uct.ac.za] and find out more about our processes, patenting, IP licensing and management, seminars, as well as information on technology transfer successes and technologies available.

StartMe! (Crowdfunding Creativity in South Africa)

The concept of crowdfunding refers to entrepreneurs who are looking for funding or assistance in getting a business or creative project off the ground—and are willing to provide services in return. StartMe is a crowdfunding portal that requires work and persuasion to acquire support. It enables businesses to build a strong level of support, including investors who will likely act as brand ambassadors. StartMe seeks start-ups that have stories behind them and inspire others to want to be a part of them. startme.co.za

NoPicketFence/African Entrepreneur Academy (BrandSocial)

No Picket Fence is a resource dedicated to providing entrepreneurial insights and education to South African entrepreneurs. Through free online learning that covers all aspects involved in creating a start-up company, No Picket Fence aims to help Africans develop 1 million new businesses—which would result in creating 5 million new jobs—by 2020. Individuals can sponsor the company, contribute content, or serve as a subject matter expert to help this goal become a reality. www.nopicketfence.co.za

Atrium Capital

For 20 years, Atrium has been co-managing strategic venture funds on an outsourced basis for Global 1000 corporations. They also provide a variety of retainer-based services to corporations that want to leverage their expertise and network without committing to a dedicated fund managed by Atrium. www.atriumcapital.com

Convergence Partners

Convergence Partners is an advisory and investment management firm for emerging markets in telecommunications, media, and technology that is primarily focused on Africa and the Middle East. Convergence is an active investor with a history of successful investments made for the strategic development and growth of its partner businesses. The company aims to build a successful investment portfolio and maximize the synergies among investee companies in response to the extensive regulatory changes in Africa. It provides them with meaningful consultancy services to add value to their efforts and help ensure their success. www.convergencepartners.co.za

Accelerate Cape Town

Accelerate Cape Town was founded by 30 business leaders in 2006 in response to a growing concern about the pace and direction of business growth in the Cape region. Their goal was to create a common long-term vision for businesses in the area and begin initiatives to help them reach their goals. Accelerate Cape Town works closely with organizations like the Cape Chamber, Cape Town Partnership, and Wesgro to organize activities and initiatives in the region that will help them work toward their vision and achieve their goals. www.acceleratecapetown.co.za

Industrial Development Corporation

Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is owned by the South African government and was established in 1940 to encourage economic and industrial growth. By promoting entrepreneurship, building competitive businesses based on solid business principles, identifying and supporting new opportunities in the market, and providing risk capital, IDC aims to help create sustainable economic growth in South Africa and the African continent. www.idc.co.za

Cape Town Activa

Cape Town Activa was created to provide networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and job seekers, as well as resources to help those looking to start, develop, or grow a business. The company links entrepreneurs with tools, resources, capital, skills, and opportunities to achieve success. By helping South Africans maximize their potential, Cape Town Activa hopes to create a more competitive and attractive business environment, stimulate local business growth, and position Cape Town as an attractive business destination. www.capetownactiva.com

ICCG Capital

ICCG Capital provides an integrated solution to business transactions and planning while facilitating the finance of mortgages, growth capital needs, and other capital transactions. By combining resources across several disciplines to create customized plans, ICCG Capital helps clients to achieve the best possible outcomes through ethical business practices. www.iccgcapital.com

CSIR

The CSIR is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa. Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945 as a science council, the CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research, technological innovation as well as industrial and scientific development to improve the quality of life of the country’s people.

The CSIR is committed to supporting innovation in South Africa to improve national competitiveness in the global economy. Science and technology services and solutions are provided in support of various stakeholders, and opportunities are identified where new technologies can be further developed and exploited in the private and public sectors for commercial and social benefit.

The CSIR’s shareholder is the South African Parliament, held in proxy by the Minister of Science and Technology. www.csir.co.za

Homecoming Revolution

Founded in 2003 by Morrisjones and sponsored by FNB, Homecoming Revolution is a nonprofit organization that encourages and assists South Africans living abroad to return home. By creating a community of like-minded, global citizens with a sincere love for their country—whether they have returned, are thinking about it, or simply are reminiscing—Homecoming Revolution has had an incredibly positive effect on the psyche of the nation. As a very unique campaign with a clear message, it has outstanding brand recognition for many South Africans.

The company has many notable achievements, including creating a tangible solution to tackle "brain drain" through a careers portal and international recruitment events; government and private sector recognition as a primary resource in skills repatriation; building an active database of 20,000 South Africans around the world; face-to-face engagement with more than 15,000 South Africans abroad; effective execution of 30 international events in the U.K., U.S., Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, Dubai, and Australia; and an average of 100,000 unique users on the website annually from more than 75 countries.

Homecoming Revolution has played a pivotal role in shifting negative perceptions of South Africa by sharing the personal stories of those who have returned home. Through its website, blog, events, and media, it has changed the way thousands of South Africans see and engage with their home country. The company has also created a unique space for the Diaspora to engage and receive impartial, independent advice, and it has established a powerful network of positive, realistic, and proactive citizens who are making a significant impact on nation-building, human capital, and social development.

Homecoming Revolution encourages South Africans to return home and create jobs and provides guidance and information to expats about starting businesses in South Africa. Generating more than R30 million in media coverage, the company has attracted top South Africans to speak at international events, including Danny Jordaan, Cheryl Carolus, Gwede Mantashe, Prof. Nick Binedell, Prof Barney Pityana, Ryk Neethling, Francois Pienaar, Paul Harris, Tumi Makgabo, Helen Zille, and others. Learn more about Homecoming Revolution at www.homecomingrevolution.co.za.