Select Page

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CfERI)

  1. Home
  2.  » 
  3. Explore SMU
  4.  » 
  5. Departments
  6.  » 
  7. Institutional Advancement
  8.  » 
  9. SMU Fundraising Priorities
  10.  » The Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CfERI)

PURPOSE

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CfERI) at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) aims to activate pragmatic entrepreneurial ideas, protect and nurture them to invigorate socio-economic standing of the students, university and surrounding communities.

 

BACKGROUND

The Student Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP) was established in 2018 at SMU. The School of Science and Technology (SST) has been coordinating Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme. The programme is an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and is coordinated by Universities South Africa (USAf).

Of recent years, there has been a growing interest among students here at the SMU that saw students taking the initiative and forming an association on entrepreneurship, Student Entrepreneurship & Innovations Hub (SEIH), which champions the ideals of students entrepreneurs and act as the body, which liaises with the academics.

To achieve entrepreneurial aims, objectives and aspirations, SMU responded to The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) through its implementation agency, The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) call for the establishment of a CfERI in the 2019/20 financial year. Subsequently approval was granted.

 

In line with the conditions of approval from Seda, SMU has established a Steering Committee to run the CfERI. SMU strives to provide creative, innovative, supportive and playful entrepreneurial learning experiences for our students, academia and community at large.

The CfERI at SMU envisions being a leading centre and platform for health sciences students and associated communities to embrace outstanding entrepreneurs’ innovative initiatives. The CfERI envisages incubating, training and assisting in the establishment of students, youths and upcoming struggling entrepreneurs from surrounding communities.

Given the levels of enthusiasm among our students, through their own initiative, they formed an association on entrepreneurship that champions the ideals of the students and act as the body, which liaises with the academics.

OBJECTIVES, AMONG OTHERS INCLUDE

  1. Providing an engagement platform for leaders of entrepreneurship in Higher Education;
  2. Providing a learning platform and voice for student entrepreneurs (AKA studentpreneurs);
  3. Showcasing student businesses in a bespoke, locally-focused marketplace;
  4. Showcasing support businesses and organisations for entrepreneurship in Higher Education.
  5. Carry out research on entrepreneurship in Higher Education (HE).
  6. Enhance students’ entrepreneurial skills and the surrounding community.
  7. Offer advice and guidance to SMU students and surrounding community on developing their own business ideas and businesses.

PROJECT CONTACT PERSON

Project Leader: Mr Taurai Hungwe
+27 12 521 3994 (Tel)
+27 64 902 7964 (Cell)
Taurai.hungwe@smu.ac.za

PROJECT OUTLINE

Scope

The project will be based on three key pillars of ideation/business idea creation and development, entrepreneurial business skills training and start-up businesses funding with financial controls. One of the ideas which has been formulated with an intended international partner, Mashauri organisation (see attached document) on this proposition starts from pre-incubation, to incubation and post incubation phases.

The project will involve undergraduates and postgraduates students at SMU and community members in Ga-Rankuwa and should initially run for three (3) years. The key performs areas (KPA) will include:

  • Students and community entrepreneurship skills development
  • Provide incubation space and resources to start-up businesses
  • New businesses registration assistance
  • Business start-up seed funding and already existing small business.

 

Partners

The centre has partnered with The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) which is an agency of the Department of Small Business Development. SEDA is already involved in the establishment of the SMU CfERI. SEDA has already provided part of the funding to establish the CfERI and it also plays a mentoring and monitoring role on the project.