Raising young entrepreneurs

Step Up 2A Start Up fosters an entrepreneurial culture and mindset among South Africa's youth, empowering the next generation to broaden their idea of work and view themselves not merely as job seekers, but as job creators equipped with the necessary skills to develop a growth mindset in their career development.

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Raising young entrepreneurs

Step Up 2 A Start Up fosters an entrepreneurial culture and mindset among South Africa's youth, empowering the next generation to broaden their idea of work and view themselves not merely as job seekers, but as job creators equipped with the necessary skills to develop a growth mindset in their career development.

Get Involved

Step Up 2A Start Up

What is the programme about?

Step Up 2A Start Up was created to address a critical gap in the South African small business development ecosystem. We recognized that there was no supply of entrepreneurial youth entering the economy, and there was no growth mindset development at the school level.

Our programme aims to help a new generation to broaden their idea of work and think of themselves not merely as job seekers, but rather as job creators equipped with the skills necessary to be enterprising in the development of their careers.

The programme focuses on making youth aware of climate change and encouraging them to accept environmental responsibility. We teach learners how to identify entrepreneurial opportunities in the green economy, empowering them to create positive change and impact.

Join us on this journey to inspire and prepare the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Together, let’s create a brighter, more sustainable future for South Africa.

How does Step Up 2A Start Up work?

Edutainment Film

Learners are transported to cinemas nationwide to watch an engaging edutainment film. In remote areas without access to cinemas, we provide the necessary equipment to expand the programme’s reach.

The film inspires a culture of entrepreneurship, introduces key lessons, and showcases role models, while engaging the audience and creating excitement around being green and socially aware.

Ecopreneurs Toolkit

Students work with their teachers in unpacking lessons through the entrepreneurs toolkit, which is a practical step-by-step guide on how to foster entrepreneurial solutions in their communities, based on the Lean Start-Up methodology.

National Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

Beneficiaries enter the National Youth Entrepreneurship competition, which provides a practical vehicle through which learners can apply their skills and bring their entrepreneurial solutions to life. An average of 500+ entries are received annually, and ultimately the Top 10 national teams are shortlisted.

National Youth Entrepreneurship Bootcamp & Awards

The young innovators (Top 10 teams) attend an exciting and informative bootcamp with workshops led by industry professionals.

The programme culminates with the National Youth Entrepreneurship Awards where learners are rewarded with funding, bursaries, incubation, mentorship, internships and digital gadgets for continued support.

Step Up 2A Start Up Programme Goals

Step Up 2A Start Up aims to help South African youth identify opportunities in the green economy through the power of technology and entrepreneurship. Our program is driven by the following objectives:

  • Empower young people to shift from a fixed mindset (job seeker) to a growth mindset (job creator).
  • Encourage young people to see environmental challenges as new business opportunities.
  • Inspire the shift from making disposable products to producing reusable goods.
  • Utilize technology to enable the development of green businesses.
  • Foster critical and creative thinking, communication, and innovative problem-solving skills.
  • Develop resilience to face difficulties, allowing young people to fail, learn, and try again.
  • Encourage collaborative co-creation within teams.
  • Prioritize people and the planet over profit alone.
  • Encourage doing more and better with less while delivering value to customers and communities.

Targeted at high-school learners

In grade 9 - 12 from rural, township, peri-urban and urban communities across South Africa

Collaboration with public and private sector

To develop an SME pipeline at early stage, contributing to the NDP’s ambitions to have 90% of new jobs created by SMEs by 2030

Theoretical with strong hands-on elements

Through an edutainment film and toolkit with a practical competition, bootcamp and awards ceremony.

National Reach & Digitally Accessible

Footprint in all 9 provinces, with a digital platform zero-rated by Cell C

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