Venture Capitalist Dugout

VC Dugout (Venture Capitalist Dugout) is a Weekly Entrepreneurial Reality Show and YouTube Channel designed to empower Small to Medium and Micro Enterprises under the theme #StopPovertyInSA.

There is 9.5 million unemployed youths in South Africa plus another 7,2 million of other age groups that are also unemployed. In total our unemployment rate is estimated at 29% and this number continues to grow every day.

In addition we are a developing country with a Poverty Datum Line of R1,227.00 (USD68).

While our initiative is NOT solely dependent on donations and sponsorships, we need Philanthropists’ and brands’ goodwill to strengthen our efforts.

On the other hand we call upon the youth of South Africa to use this platform to create employment for themselves and others. Talking and complaining will not create employment for anyone but utilizing our various talents will help #StopPovertyInSA.

The sole purpose of broadcasting the various pitch is to disrupt conversations within South African society at levels where people can emancipate themselves. 

Poverty and unemployment are rife in South Africa. It is unbelievable that more than 15 million South Africans are unemployed and almost 10 million of that number is Youth. Our Poverty Datum Line is appalling at R1 227.00 (USD68) per month.

These are not numbers that can be overcome by the government alone without its citizens standing up to emancipate themselves through innovative ideas that create employment for self and others.

Enterprise Supplier Development is a big tool of creating access to markets for SMMES.

The Elevator Pitch documents and broadcasts the processes organizations go through when selecting their ESD suppliers.

A short list of prospective ESD suppliers is drawn against a set criteria and on a chosen day the short listed SMMEs come through and pitch for a specific service as required by that organization.

Unlike the #StopPovertyInSA Pitch this one is done in front of the procuring brand with just one judge from VC Dugout to guide the proceedings.

After listening to all the pitch(s), the brand is required to choose the successful SMMEs live on the day.

Ultimately, we would like the platform grow to a level where investors can come and invest in some of the SMMEs that come through this platform.

Funding remains a critical challenge in South Africa as all of these citizens that are unemployed do not meet the normal lending criteria of our financial institutions, no matter how brilliant their business idea is. In some cases they have to have collateral, and in most cases a good credit record – things that are difficult to achieve at this level.

Our idea is that investors will look more at the viability of the business concepts and then use their experience to implement systems and controls so as to guarantee the security of their investment.

The Investor Pitch will be run like the #StoPPovertyInSA Pitch with the Investors being the judges.