Riversands Incubation Hub seeks green-fingered entrepreneurs

The recently-launched incubator has a unique garden and office space available for 14 small businesses in the broad gardening or landscaping space.

The call for applications applies to:

•  Anyone who has a business providing services or products relating to landscaping or gardens – for either commercial or residential markets
•  Small-scale specialist agriculture, especially if linked to agro-processing
•  Specialists in garden furniture and decor
•  Horticulturalists – particularly those specialising in innovative offerings for commercial and residential developments such as vertical gardens, organic ‘garden in a box’ or permaculture, to name a few.

Jenny Retief, CEO of Riversands Incubation Hub said, “Riversands Incubation Hub is located in the fast-growing Fourways/Midrand corridor with high local potential for landscaping, horticulture and garden decor businesses. There’s definitely a pocket of high-income customers for businesses in the green space.”

The hub is the first phase in a massive commercial development, the Riversands Commercial Park, which is surrounded by luxury residential estates such as Steyn City, Helderfontein and Dainfern.

To be eligible for the on-campus acceleration programme, businesses need to:

•  Be 51 percent black-owned
•  Be viable and operate with a potential for growth
•  Have entrepreneurial characteristics
•  Satisfy the hub’s ratio of cost and risk to benefit
•  Be able to create economic opportunities for the surrounding area.

“We believe the new commercial developments, luxury residential estates, as well as our support and world-class facilities, provide an excellent opportunity for green-fingered entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and achieve independently sustainable success,” said Retief.

The 14 entrepreneurs who qualify for the on-campus acceleration programme will receive regular support over three years. They will benefit from a professional address, an office with favourable rental terms as well as an outdoor growing area for demonstration or tunnels. They will join the black-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) selected for incubation at the hub last year.

At full capacity, the hub, launched in March last year, will be home to 150 small majority black-owned businesses with an additional 300 businesses in its off-campus programme. It is set to become the largest black business incubator on the continent. In addition to seeking ‘green-fingered entrepreneurs’, Riversands Incubation Hub is also interested in partnering with organisations in the horticultural or landscaping space.

Those who wish to apply for the on-campus acceleration programme can download the form from www.riversandsihub.co.za. Completed forms may be e-mailed to info@riversandsihub.co.za or dropped off at reception at the Riversands Incubation Hub.

Details: 011 012 4602; www.riversandsihub.co.za