Tenants; Chemin, ECITI and the Cortex Hub have well established reputations for offering start-ups the assistance they need to become fully fledged businesses. Should your business not fall within the services offered by these incubators, the ELIDZSTP will endeavor to find the right incubation support for your start-up.

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The Eastern Cape NGO Coalition

The Eastern Cape Non-Governmental Coalition (ECNGOC) is a representative structure of Civil Society organisations which works to support and promote the work of its Members throughout the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa through a socio-economic transformation agenda serving marginalized and poor communities. It aims to strengthen the capacity of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) to implement development activities that assist people to exercise their rights, and take greater control over and responsibility for their own livelihood improvement. Critical to this process is to influence the way that Civil Society and Local Government work and relate to each other and local communities.

Services offered by the NGO:

• NGO Legislation & Compliance
• Influencing the development approach – A shift from needs based to an assets orientation to development. Asset Based Community Driven Development (ABCD) as an innovative tool for planning processes including Municipal Planning

Sustainability of the NGO Sector – citizen oriented leadership development on accountability and engagement. www.ecngoc.co.za

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The Cortex Hub is a technology incubator and accelerator that aims to do two things:

• Help young entrepreneurs build something that people want;
• Help those entrepreneurs build great teams and great businesses that can help those technologies scale.

Their main aim as the Cortex Hub is to expose young and ambitious entrepreneurs to a tech-space that allows them to generate ideas and create value.

How it Works
The Cortex Hub provides early stage funding for startups building out their idea. This funding helps entrepreneurs pay their expenses and keep a roof over their heads while they’re getting started. Depending on the stage of the business, entrepreneurs are put either into the Incubation or Acceleration programme. www.thecortexhub.com

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BUSINESS INCUBATOR SSPECIALISING IN INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) AND FILM SECTOR

ECITI, formed to facilitate the rapid introduction, support and business sustainability of (SMMEs) in the information communications Technology (ICT) and film sector in the Eastern Cape, moved into the STP on July 20, 2012.

ECITI incubation programme is designed to assist early stage development of ICT and film entrepreneurs through the use of various support services, such as infrastructure, mentorship and training, linkages to industry and academic networks and information resources within the ICT and film industry.

Established as a non-profit organisation by the ECDC in 2004, ECITI hopes that by offering start-ups and emerging enterprises a platform to launch their businesses, their risk of failure will be substantially reduced.  www.eciti.co.za

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BUSINESS INCUBATOR SPECIALISING IN DOWNSTREAM CHEMICALS INDUSTRY

Chemin provides clients with an exceptional entrepreneurial business environment that promotes collaboration, innovation and encourages ingenuity as well as the creation of wealth. The South African Chemical Technology Incubator is a not-for-profit business incubator, under the Small Enterprise Development Agency’s incubation program, that is dedicated to supporting the growth of very early stage technology-based businesses in the South African Chemical sector.

Chemin’s incubation program has assisted many entrepreneurs with developing ideas to profitable businesses. Their program provides an array of resources and services such as lab space, testing facilities, manufacturing equipment, office space, access to seed finance and collaboration with universities, industrial experts, financing agencies and other government departments. www.chemin.co.za

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