Celebrating 2020 by introducing 20 SMMEs @ 20th edition
Calling all energy sector technology disruptors and start-ups to
African Utility Week’s Initiate! forum
Celebrating 2020 by
introducing 20 SMMEs @ 20th edition
“Initiate! has proven to be a powerful platform for new talent and innovation in the power and energy sector and this year’s edition in Cape Town in May during African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, will once again not disappoint. Watch this space: we’ll celebrate the new decade of 2020 by introducing 20 exciting SMMEs during the 20th edition of the event!” This is according to Nazlee Fredericks, head of the Initiate! programme, which will take place as part of this year’s African Utility Week & POWERGEN Africa at the CTICC in Cape Town from 12-14 May.
”Initiate! is the
beating heart of innovation and the very essence of African Utility Week and
POWERGEN Africa” an energetic Nazlee explains, adding: it’s part of a global
movement that breeds talent, empowers next-gen energy entrepreneurs and creates
impactful programmes to move our industry forward. Founded in 2014, it brings
together startups, graduate students, corporate executives, public sector
innovators and investors from around the world.”
“We are dedicated to accelerating change and growth within the global power and
energy industry” she enthuses, “and high-potential students and SMMEs have the
opportunity to play a part in this inevitable change. Initiate! assists
in bridging the gap in the industry by creating a platform allowing the
industry’s future leaders, innovators and stakeholders to connect and be part
of creating a sustainable power and energy ecosystem.”
Initiate! Impact Challenge
Last year, four university teams also participated in the first Initiate! Young
Talent Challenge to take place in Africa. The team of students from Strathmore
University in Nairobi, Kenya won the ZAR20,000 in prize money for an innovative
concept to provide equitable energy access to remote villages based on, among
others, ‘Uber(ising)’ solar energy.
This
year the challenge will be back again with the objective to engage and inspire
the next generation of engineers and power professionals, showcase young talent
from Africa’s leading universities and tailor an experience for students to
learn and network at Africa’s largest energy and water event.
Nazlee adds: “the SMME programme on the Initiate! Hub will also be back with
a few of last year’s participants and additional free exhibition space. We will
also have a few dedicated Initiate! conference tracks in the Hub. This is
certainly the year of plenty!”
Enel Foundation as Global
Knowledge Partner
The Enel Foundation, which earlier this month hosted the initial stage of Open
Africa Power 2020 Programme at the University of Cape Town, is Initiate!’s Global
Knowledge Partner. Says João Duarte, Deputy Director of Enel
Foundation: “Initiate! provides a great platform to bridge the gap between the
energy industry and young generations, both in the academia and research space
as well as the innovation and start-up space. As Global Knowledge Partner of
Clarion Events for their power and energy events series, we are proud to
contribute to Initiate!, sharing our research and connecting with alumni from
our education initiatives.”
Roughly 150 alumni of Enel Foundation’s Open Africa Power Training Programme will have access to the main events at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, and a selection of them will be invited to mentor the university students participating at the Initiate! Young Talent Challenge as part of their commitment to give back.
Application for SMMEs and students
SMMEs and students who believe they have what it takes in the sphere of
innovative tech or service solutions for the energy and power sectors, can
apply online to be part of Initiate! at African Utility Week and POWERGEN
Africa in May.
–
Students for the Initiate! Young Talent can apply here.
– SMMEs wishing to exhibit can apply here.
Industry partners and former participants of Initiate! include:
–
Rachel Aron, Principal Social Development Specialist, African Development Bank:
“I’m committed to ensuring
that Initiate! results in socially inclusive and gender responsive
interventions across Africa and for the actual benefit of Africans. »
–
Nontlanhla Nkosi, Uketshezi (Pty) Ltd:
“Good experience, it helped
me to grow my business and be exposed to the industry. »
–
Banele Manana, Energy Dots (Pty) Ltd:
« I would definitely
recommend Initiate! at African Utility Week. The information gathered and the
relationships formed at the event are not the kind one gets by surfing the net.
That certainly was of great benefit to me and my business. »
To download this year’s programme for Initiate! at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa click here: https://www.african-utility-week.com/whats-on/initiate
About the organisers
Launched as part of Clarion Energy’s European Utility Week, the Initiate! platform
has been bringing together start-ups, students, corporate executives, public
sector innovators and investors from around the world since 2014. The concept
recently went global as part of the Utility Week event series in Asia, the US,
Australia, Africa and potentially India.
African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event
organised by Clarion Events Africa, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based
exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy,
infrastructure and mining sectors. Other well-known events by Clarion Events on
the continent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the
Utility CEO Forums, Nigeria Mining Week, DRC Mining Week and Africa Mining
Forum.
Clarion Events Africa is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African
Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa forms part of Clarion Energy, which runs over
40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of
Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.
Dates for Initiate! @ African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 12-14 May 2020
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website:
https://www.african-utility-week.com/whats-on/initiate
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities
LinkedIN: AfricaInitiate
Facebook: AfricaInitiate
