Bandwidth Barn extends reach

Business incubator Bandwidth Barn has been accredited as a Cisco Entrepreneur Institute training centre.

As part of the mandate, Bandwidth Barn will create an additional 10 local institutes over an 18-month period.

Bandwidth Barn GM Chris Vermeulen says the local institutes will be built in areas faced with low employment.

“We have seen how new businesses have flourished with the support of the Bandwidth Barn, and we feel compelled to extend this to areas that need entrepreneurs, both from a services and employment point of view,” explains Vermeulen.

Global network

Vermeulen notes that the training centres will give entrepreneurs access to a broad network of other business owners, mentors, partners, and distribution channels. “Through this powerful network, we will be more able to develop best practice, while offering our local entrepreneurs a global stage for learning, and potentially their products and services.”

According to Cisco, the entrepreneur institute targets predominantly emerging market countries. It offers a series of workshops made up of business-relevant content from Stanford University, Cornell University, and non-profit development organisation, My Own Business.

Participants discuss strategic ideas ranging from information delivery to the use of Internet technologies to drive business growth. Cisco points to the lack of business skills and poor access to technology as being the primary reasons for business failure.

Bessie Manchu, Cisco Entrepreneur Institute territory manager for SA, says: “With the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, core business skills and knowledge on how to use technology to their advantage is taught to help equip entrepreneurs and create a positive economic and social impact in South African communities.”

Related stories:

• ICT skills shortage to cost SA
• Tech centres boost township skills
• Open source gets govt nod

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