SAtion's Upcoming Events
11 November 2022
Creating greater impact by enhancing the digital capabilities of our tech township SMMEs
SAtion has partnered with Tarsus On Demand and Microsoft to assist tech township* SMMEs to gain access to the right resources and skills. The SMME Tech Workshop is a one-day interactive workshop that will assist tech township SMMEs to streamline their workflows, communicate more effectively with their customers, and gain better insights into their businesses.
Township SMMEs are poised to grow and create jobs in our economy but they often face challenges accessing the data that they need to make informed business decisions and reach the right customers. Therefore, we are aiming to assist tech Township SMMEs by providing them with insights into critical business information; making it easier for them to enhance and grow their SMME businesses.
* This event is open to tech township SMME with businesses located in the following Townships: Tembisa, Soweto or Alexandra. Terms and conditions apply.
Workshop details
Date:
Time:
Venue:
11 November 2022
8h30 to 15h30
Tarsus Technology Group Offices (Woodmead)
Waterfall Commercial District
1 Ruacana street
Buccleuch, Sandton
Workshop details
Date: 11 November 2022
Time: 8h30 to 15h30
Venue: Tarsus Technology Group Offices (Woodmead)
Waterfall Commercial District
1 Ruacana street
Buccleuch, Sandton
What to expect from the workshop
The workshop will be hosted at Tarsus On Demand offices in Woodmead. The workshop will be held between 8h30 to 15h30 on 11 November 2022. Participants will receive tips and tricks on:
- Business Strategy
- Go to Market Strategy
- Value Proposition and Differentiating your Business
- Finance
- Digital Marketing / Social Media
- Discovery Session (where is the SMME in their digital transformation journey)
Please note that all successful applicants (based in Tembisa, Soweto or Alexandra) will be provided with return transport from a specified collection place in the township to the event, transport will leave at least 1.5 hours before the event start (exact time TBC). A delicious lunch will be provided, and a useful attendance appreciation gift to the value of R300 will be given to all attendees as our way of saying thank you for their participation in this event.
Kindly note that applications for this event have closed as the event is full. Please apply here should you like to be added to our database to be contacted should future events be arranged in your area.
SAtion's Previous Events
Township SMME Development Hackathon (June 2022)
SAtion is proud to once again have worked with Microsoft and the Empire Partner Foundation in hosting our June 2022 Hackathon. The theme of this Hackathon was “How can we, through tech solutions, solve for Township SMMEs’ business information and data challenges to improve their business efficiencies”.
SMMEs are an integral part of the backbone of local communities in South Africa. SMME businesses provide vital job opportunities, and they have the potential to make significant contributions to economic growth. It was thus essential to develop tangible solutions for the challenges faced by SMMEs. During the SAtion Township SMME Workshop, which took place on 27 May 2022, we identified crucial business information/data challenges being faced by SMMEs within the Tembisa Township. Participants in the Township SMME Development Hackathon thus went on to solve for these real-life challenges raised by SMMEs.
The winning teams won prizes amounting to R30 000; and the winning team, Kasi Army was awarded the opportunity to join the Empire Partner Foundation’s Incubation Hub.
Hackathon Details
Date: 24-26 June
Physical Venue: 35 Ferguson Rd, Illovo, Sandton, 2196
Virtual Venue: Discord (Digital Platform)
Welcome to the Township SMME Workshop (May 2022)
During the SAtion Township SMME workshop, in partnership with the Sustainable Livelihoods, we unpacked and understood the business information (data) challenges that township SMMEs experience.
We focussed on understanding issues relating to the ease of access, use, processing and storage of business information experienced by township SMMEs who run businesses in Tembisa.
These SMMEs utilise digital technology like smart phones, computers or tablets in their businesses. Some of their customers pay with technology like mobile-money, QR codes, cards or through online banking apps.
During the workshop we understood:
- How well Tembisa SMMEs are connected to the information (about their products, stock, customers, pricing, delivery information etc.) they need to run successful and sustainable businesses.
- What information sources are they using currently.
- Where/how the information or data the SMME businesses produce is stored.
- What other information is needed to better enable more successful and sustainable businesses.
- How to create mechanisms that generate and store information which is useful and easily understood by the SMME.
- How access to the right information will better enable business development support.
This understanding of the Township SMME information (data) challenges, will feed in to the SAtion Hackathon event taking place 24-26 June. During the Hackathon, participants will work to solve for the challenges identified during the workshop.
SAtion’s 1st Hackathon (November 2021)
SAtion is proud to have worked with Microsoft and Empire Partner Foundation in hosting our first Hackathon in November 2021. SAtion worked with partners to not only empower those participating to create their own businesses, but also the Youth of South Africa through the innovative digital solutions developed. The Hackathon is just another avenue through which SAtion is trying to realise its goal of a globally competitive and digitalised SA Economy.
What the Hackathon solved?
This Hackathon’s theme was “Development of Skills for the Youth of South Africa, with a focus on Empowerment and Employability”. Microsoft offer a wealth of digital skills and learning opportunities targeted at the Youth, which aim to increase Youth employability. However, in SA’s context, hardware accessibility remains a challenge and thus limits access to these learning opportunities. Therefore, the goal of the Hackathon was for teams to design a solution that enables the rural and township Youth of South Africa to easily be able to complete Microsoft learning paths, thereby increasing their employability. The winning team won prizes amounting to R30 000; as well as the opportunity for the winning team to build their own business around the solutions developed!