The learning platform for entrepreneurs, Heavy Chef, has announced the top five South African start-up businesses for 2023.
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Botlhale AI, Everlectric, Jem, MySocialLife and Strove took top honours as South Africa’s top five most exciting startups in the Cape Town-based entrepreneurial learning platform annual awards. The ceremony was held in the District 6 Homecoming Theatre in Cape Town.
Zinhle Novazi, podcaster, competition judge and Heavy Chef Foundation board member, says the winning start-ups were selected from more than 120 other enterprises nominated by their communities. These businesses ‘exemplified passion, a sensitivity to sustainability, social need as well as a wholehearted embrace of current technologies including AI.’
‘The winning criteria were not so much about “the best performing” or “biggest fundraise” but rather as judges we looked for “the most exciting” startup. We asked ourselves, “Does this startup stir my soul? And soul we found in spades.”‘
The awards, Bizcommunity reports, were first introduced in 2017 and are now regarded as South Africa’s premium start-up awards celebration. The event is held in partnership with Heavy Chef, Xero, Xneelo and Workshop17, and is supported by LinkedIn, Backsberg, Happy Culture, Sir Fruit, Global Citizen, Whipping The Cat, Youth Capital and Now Boarding.
Previous winners include established enterprises, including Yoco, Sweepsouth, Easy Equities, Aerobotics and Franc.
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‘This annual celebration showcases amazing small businesses that are driving the economy forward, providing employment opportunities and proving that small business development is one of the most important drivers of growth,’ says Heavy Chef CEO Fred Roed.
‘Entrepreneurs are often too busy to celebrate themselves, so the Top Five Startups awards event affords our nation’s unsung superheroes to let loose their capes for one evening. This is our seventh year and each year our awards celebration is getting bigger and more exciting.’
He adds that artificial intelligence (AI) played a key role in the makeup or offering of the 2023 finalists. ‘AI is clearly becoming increasingly relevant in the role startups play in society. This is very exciting and illustrates that the technology being incorporated in South African businesses is world class.’
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Picture: Heavy Chef / Facebook