Please note applications will only be considered by submitting this online application form with a 30-second video pitch.

INFO & ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Did you know that who we are today as adults was determined by the quality of the experiences we had during our first 6 years of life?

Do you have an innovative business idea that supports positive early life experiences for children in Khayelitsha between the ages of 0 (conception) to 6?

Your idea can fit into any one of the following categories:
 
1. Turning unexpected spaces into engaging places
Regular, positive interactions between caregiver and child lay the foundation in the child’s developing brain for lifelong literacy, numeracy and self-control.

What if spaces, particularly where parents and other caregivers have to wait for/spend long periods of time with their children, could be transformed into places that sparked engagement?

Do YOU have an idea of how unexpected spaces could be sustainably transformed or created to be engaging places?
(these spaces could include, but are not limited to: clinics; day hospitals; public transport; shopping centres; hairdressers)
 
2. Creating products or services that support young mothers right from conception
All mothers, no matter where they’re from or what their age, need support  to help them build their childs’ developing brain and body during the earliest years (conception to 6.)
Here are some idea sparks around the kinds of support mothers might need:
parenting encouragement & advice (healthcare; mental health); access to goods and services (babysitting; affordable educational materials; innovative part-employment opportunities; remote free support from a therapist/psychologist)
 
3. Wild Card - let your imagination run wild - How could YOU create a product or service that support positive early life experiences for children (o - 6 years old) in Khayelitsha? Please think of ideas other than opening an ECD centre.

Applicants must have an innovative business idea or an existing business operational for less than 12 months. The idea or business will need to be different from the norm and have the potential to move beyond Khayelitsha during its scaling phase.

Applicants must submit the online application form below, which will then be reviewed. Successful applicants will be notified in writing and required to attend the Pivot & Pitch event in Khayelitsha on 25 August 2018.

For more information email: info@thestartuphatchery.co.za