The outcome of the ANCs long-awaited KwaZulu-Natal conference was a win for the Thuma Mina crowd. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
Endeavor is the leading supporter of high-impact entrepreneurs around the world. By high-impact we mean individuals with the biggest dreams, the greatest potential to create innovative companies that matter and grow, and the highest likelihood to inspire others. We are the only organisation to focus on the scale-up, not the start-up, because that is where we know the highest job and wealth creation happens.
Endeavor Entrepreneurs are innovative business leaders who have crazy dreams about disrupting the industries and markets within which they operate, both locally and globally. They join Endeavor because it gives them access to world-class services and programmes, including introductions to best-in-class local and international mentors and volunteers who will assist them in realising their dreams.
Endeavor has selected 1 082 high-impact entrepreneurs from 684 companies across the 23 markets in which it operates. Only 2% of candidates assessed are selected to join the prestigious Endeavor programme, as we rigorously search for and select entrepreneurs who will become role models for the next generation of innovative entrepreneurs.
Working with FNB to select the winner of the FNB Business Innovation Awards 2015 has provided Endeavor with the perfect opportunity to further identify and celebrate a new generation of inventive South African entrepreneurs. As the most innovative bank in the world, FNB is fostering the growth and development of this new generation of innovative entrepreneurs, and it is ensuring that they will continue to transform the economy and create high-value jobs.
These are the entrepreneurs who will emulate the business founders who have already built extraordinarily creative, high-growth entities operating in the South African and global markets.
“Our mission is to ensure that our entrepreneurs’ crazy dreams result in tremendous success, both for them and for their communities,” says Catherine Townshend, managing director of Endeavor South Africa. “We take their dreams and help them to think bigger, and help them develop the roadmaps that will allow them to succeed. We back this up by giving them, among others, access to the best mentors and talent; the university courses designed specifically for us by Harvard and Stanford; and global networking events where they meet some of the most exciting entrepreneurs from around the world.”
Endeavor South Africa at a glance: 2014
• 4 947+ jobs created by 22 companies run by Endeavor Entrepreneurs
• 74% of those jobs were employment equity jobs
• 54% were for youth (18-35 years)
• R1.24-billion in revenue generated by these companies
• R2.54-million Enterprise Development credits earned.