Khoebo Innovation Promotion Programme

Eligibility 

SME Growth Scheme Applicants

• The product, process and/or technology must be economically viable and financially sustainable.
• The project should be a novel or incremental innovation. The product or process should require little or no further development (grassroots innovators may be an exception).
• If applicable, the intellectual property must be owned by the South African entity.
• The Programme will only invest in small to medium entities.
• The business should either have an experienced management team with business and commercial acumen or demonstrate potential to develop such a team (grassroots innovators may be an exception). The innovator(s) should be operationally involved in the business.
• The project or product should have a defined target market and potential for substantial future earnings and market share. The market share should be large enough to yield a significant return on the investment.
• The investee company should demonstrate or possess the ability to develop significant competitive advantage.
• The business should have a scalable, sound business model that shows a clear path to revenues and profitability in the medium to long term.
• The successful commercialisation of the business should lead to the realisation of significant developmental returns (job creation, technology development, export potential, etc.), and lead to the Programme’s portfolio targets being met.
• The company must be a South African registered company.
• Investees should comply with South African legislation with regards to environmental provisions and should be socially responsible.
• It is recognised that the grassroots innovator may require a substantial level of business support, which will need to be agreed to.

Grassroots Innovator Facilitation Scheme

• The product, process and/or technology must be economically viable and financially sustainable.
• The project should be a novel or incremental innovation AND seek to address a local/social challenge. The product or process should require little or no further development (grassroot innovators may be an exception).
• If applicable, the intellectual property must be owned by the South African entity or prepare to lodge a provisional IP registration.
• The Programme will only invest in small companies and micro companies, as per the definition above.
• The business should either have an experienced management team with business and commercial acumen or demonstrate potential to develop such a team (grassroot innovators may be an exception).
• The innovator(s) should be operationally involved in the business.
• The project or product should have a defined target market and potential for substantial future earnings and market share. The market share should be large enough to yield a significant return on the investment.
• The investee company should demonstrate or possess the ability to develop significant competitive advantage.
• The business should have a scalable, sound business model that shows a clear path to revenues and profitability in the medium to long term.
• The successful commercialisation of the business should lead to the realisation of significant developmental returns (job creation, technology development, export potential, etc), and lead to the Programme’s portfolio targets being met.
• The company must be a South African registered company.
• Compliance: Investees should comply with South African legislation with regards to environmental provisions and should be socially responsible.
• It is recognised that the grassroots innovator may not have a comprehensive business plan, and, in that case, a minimum information requirement approach will be adopted using a predetermined checklist.