Startup Grind Cape Town

Think your startup has what it takes to rise above the rest? This September, Startup Grind Cape Town is giving bold founders the chance to compete for the title of Cape Town Startup of the Year and a coveted place on the Global Startup Grind All-Star Pitch Battle stage in Silicon Valley (February 2026).

This is your opportunity to:

Be crowned Cape Town Startup of the Year
Earn global exposure and pitch in front of international VCs at the All-Star Pitch Battle
Have your pitch featured for 12 months on our YouTube channel (83k+ subscribers)
Unlock R350,000 worth of venture studio support through Akha Ventures, plus additional benefits from Cloud Plexo and AWS
Gain access to mentorship, investor networks, exclusive events, and tailored growth support

Who Should Apply?

We’re looking for tech-driven startups with scalable business models and a working MVP or live product. Revenue traction is preferred but not required.

Event Details

📅 Date: Thursday, 18 September 2025

⏰ Time: 18:00 – 19:30

📍 Location: Virtual(meeting link to be shared)

📌 [Application Form – Click here to Apply]

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, email: startcpt@startupgrind.com

Proudly brought to by:

This is a hybrid event. Join the event virtually at https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-cape-town-presents-cape-town-startup-of-the-year-2025-edition/
or in person at

TBC - 1 Cape Town, 8001

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Agenda

5:50 PM: Welcoming

6:15 PM: Picth Battle

7:15 PM: Winner Announcement

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Hosted By

Brian Mlambo, CEO & Founder

Introducing Brian Mlambo - an esteemed entrepreneur, dynamic leader, and visionary ecosystem builder. As the CEO & Founder of Akha Ventures and Director for Startup Grind Johannesburg, Brian stands at the pinnacle of business ecosystem creation in South Africa. With a database boasting over 35,000 entrepreneurs, Brian has been the cornerstone for many startups, bringing their aspirations to fruition.

Brian's achievements are vast and noteworthy. In under six months, he amassed a database of over 10,000 SMEs and has graced many media platforms like Jozi FM, Kaya FM, Morning Live, Kasie FM, CliffCentral, and Radio 2000.

A lifelong learner, Brian continually pursues knowledge and innovation. He's organized over 100 entrepreneurship events in recent years, sharing a stage with industry giants such as Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Allon Raiz, Founder of Raizcorp, Vusi Thembekwayo, Group CEO of MyGrowthFund and Lebo Gunguluza, CEO & Founder of The New Gem Group.

Since the tender age of 14, when he clinched the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Step Up 2 A Startup Programme by Primestars, Brian has been a trailblazer in entrepreneurship. He's embarked on ventures that resonate with empowerment, inspiration, and nurturing South Africans toward entrepreneurship. Esteemed mentors like Allon Raiz, Sanjay Soni, and Lindile Xoko have guided him, solidifying his reputation.

Having organized over 100 entrepreneurial events, Brian has touched the lives of 50,000+ South African entrepreneurs over the past 5 years, solidifying his role as an ecosystem pioneer.

Brian's insightful speaking engagements reflect his profound expertise in various domains. Drawing from his rich entrepreneurial experience, he addresses topics that include ecosystem building in Africa, preparing entrepreneurs for investors, the art of effective communication, and digital transformation. His mastery over marketing and sales strategies enriches his perspective, making him a sought-after voice in the business community.

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Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-cape-town-presents-cape-town-startup-of-the-year-2025-edition/.

Join us on 25 September 2025 for an evening of insight, innovation and connection under the theme From Idea to Impact.

We’ll start the evening with a showcase of Cape Town’s most promising startups. These are bold founders tackling real problems with solutions that can grow and make a real difference.

To close the night, we’ll gather for the main highlight: a community-led From Idea to Impact fireside chat with Will Green. Will has spent more than 26 years helping founders, investors and visionary leaders turn big ideas into thriving ventures that create lasting value. He has worked with venture capital firms, private equity, family offices, accelerators and hundreds of entrepreneurs, guiding them through challenges like scaling, securing funding and building businesses that truly last.

The exact topic for the fireside chat will be chosen by our community, making sure the conversation speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities we all care about.

Here’s what you can expect:

An inspiring From Idea to Impact fireside chat with Will Green
A showcase of Cape Town’s top startups
Real connections with investors, partners and fellow founders

This event is designed for:

Investors looking to discover emerging talent.
Founders seeking inspiration and collaboration.
Ecosystem partners who want to connect with Cape Town’s startup community.

Date: 25 September 2025Location: UVU Africa - Brickfield Canvas

For sponsorship or partnership inquiries, email: startcpt@startupgrind.com

Proudly brought to by:

Agenda

5:30 PM: Networking and Food

6:00 PM: Welcoming

6:15 PM: Showcase

6:45 PM: Fireside Chat

7:30 PM: Winner Announcement

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Speaker

Will Green - Co.lab (CEO)

Host

Kyle Telfer - Spark Eighteen (Co-founder (Africa))

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Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-cape-town-presents-from-idea-to-impact-with-will-green/.

In just 3 online sessions, walk away with a fully functional, professional website you built yourself – no coding required!

Matogen Digital’s intensive, hands-on workshop is designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and anyone ready to take control of their online presence. With expert guidance, you’ll build your site from start to finish and take it live by the end of the program.

What You’ll Get

✅ A complete, live website you built yourself

✅ 1-year domain & hosting included

✅ Free Elementor Pro licence (12 months)

✅ Expert, step-by-step guidance in small groups (max 8 participants)

✅ Training on SEO, security, analytics, content, and design

✅ Total value over R15,000

Workshop Dates

Session 1: October 9th, 3–5pm
Session 2: October 16th, 3–5pm
Session 3: October 23rd, 3–5pm
(Optional support session: October 30th)

Pricing

🎟️ Early Bird (First 4 seats): R5,999 (Save R2,000!)
🎟️ Regular Price: R7,999

Why Join?

This is more than a course it’s your website launch day. You’ll leave with a complete, secure, and professional website ready to grow your business.

⚡ Seats are extremely limited (only 8 spots total). Don’t miss your chance to secure early bird pricing!

👉 Join the Waitlist Now and be the first to grab your spot when bookings open.

Agenda

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Hosted By

Brian Mlambo, CEO & Founder

Introducing Brian Mlambo - an esteemed entrepreneur, dynamic leader, and visionary ecosystem builder. As the CEO & Founder of Akha Ventures and Director for Startup Grind Johannesburg, Brian stands at the pinnacle of business ecosystem creation in South Africa. With a database boasting over 35,000 entrepreneurs, Brian has been the cornerstone for many startups, bringing their aspirations to fruition.

Brian's achievements are vast and noteworthy. In under six months, he amassed a database of over 10,000 SMEs and has graced many media platforms like Jozi FM, Kaya FM, Morning Live, Kasie FM, CliffCentral, and Radio 2000.

A lifelong learner, Brian continually pursues knowledge and innovation. He's organized over 100 entrepreneurship events in recent years, sharing a stage with industry giants such as Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Allon Raiz, Founder of Raizcorp, Vusi Thembekwayo, Group CEO of MyGrowthFund and Lebo Gunguluza, CEO & Founder of The New Gem Group.

Since the tender age of 14, when he clinched the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Step Up 2 A Startup Programme by Primestars, Brian has been a trailblazer in entrepreneurship. He's embarked on ventures that resonate with empowerment, inspiration, and nurturing South Africans toward entrepreneurship. Esteemed mentors like Allon Raiz, Sanjay Soni, and Lindile Xoko have guided him, solidifying his reputation.

Having organized over 100 entrepreneurial events, Brian has touched the lives of 50,000+ South African entrepreneurs over the past 5 years, solidifying his role as an ecosystem pioneer.

Brian's insightful speaking engagements reflect his profound expertise in various domains. Drawing from his rich entrepreneurial experience, he addresses topics that include ecosystem building in Africa, preparing entrepreneurs for investors, the art of effective communication, and digital transformation. His mastery over marketing and sales strategies enriches his perspective, making him a sought-after voice in the business community.

---

Global Partner

Google Cloud (https://cloud.google.com/resources/content/future-of-ai-report?utm_source=events-with-google&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=FY25-Q1-NORTHAM-SMB31054-website-dl-AIThoughtLeader-52420&utm_content=startup-grind&utm_term=-&hl=en)

Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind.

Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-cape-town-presents-build-your-complete-website-with-matogen-digital/.