Sw7, the South African incubator, has announced a partnership with UK’s department of Trade & Industry (UKTI), which will see a group of South African tech entrepreneurs participate in the Innovate 2015 conference while on a “Trade Mission” program this November.
According to Disrupt Africa, the Trade Mission is for technology businesses that are ready to expand to the UK and other global markets. The selected group of entrepreneurs will spend a week in the UK which will coincide with the Innovate 2015 conference holding in London.
The South African delegation will participate in the London conference, and also connect with local investors, businesses, innovation hubs, accelerators and incubators for the duration of their stay.
“Whilst this is the first event we have done like this, we are looking to see if we can do some transactions. An ideal outcome for us would be some commercial transactions as well as laying the foundation for a number of businesses to set themselves up in the UK,” said Keith Jones, co-founder of Sw7.”
“If we want to position South Africa as the technology gateway to Africa and the emerging markets, we need to be seen as a strong and viable player in the technology sector. South Africa has the potential to become an emerging markets technology hub, to do this means we have to connect with the global markets, innovators and investors in their markets and not wait for them to come to us,” he said.
The UKTI will grant the delegates access to the Innovate 2015 conference, but they will have to pay for their own travel and expenses.
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