Blue Catalyst, Blue IQ Investment Holding's entrepreneurial and commercial innovation initiative, proudly announces two recent successes in its ongoing effort to assist innovative entrepreneurs to access investment, mentorship and markets.
Blue Catalyst is a network of mentors, advisers and financiers who engage with innovative entrepreneurs and help them take their smart ideas and innovations to market.
Innovative entrepreneurs utilise the network of experts, financiers and potential clients as well as the Web 2.0 video enabled portal to start and advance the commercialisation of their "Smart Idea"-based business ventures.
For many years, Blue Catalyst Network members have been able to connect to one another using the social networking tool. The social networking tool is much like that used on Facebook; however, the Blue Catalyst Network portal has had this tool since inception.
Long before Facebook was made popular by users in the US and around the world, the Blue Catalyst portal allowed users to search profiles and connect to one another based on common interests or specific needs and wants.
In the month of July, one of Blue Catalyst's female entrepreneurs, Cathy Campbell from Simple Solutions, searched through the network seeking investors. After searching the network of 4 500 members using keyword searches, she identified five members who indicated a desire to see financing proposals from businesses in her industry.
Within two weeks, she was engaged in serious talks with more than one investor. After an additional two weeks of negotiating, she had not only signed a financing contract, but had received the first tranche of financing from her angel investor.
"I am amazed to have received financing for my venture so quickly," says Campbell. "We are experiencing such rapid growth since starting up earlier this year. Simple Solutions desperately needed additional capital to continue our expansion and meet the increasing order sizes from our blue chip corporate clientele. Through the Blue Catalyst Network, we not only found money, we found Smart Money - our funder is also advising us on ways to grow the business and is introducing us to customers we would never have been able to reach. Now we can increase our marketing effort and grow even faster. I would recommend the Blue Catalyst Network to any innovative entrepreneur seeking finance, advice or customers."
In addition to the social networking tool, entrepreneurs are now able to create and upload short video clips of their Smart Ideas. The uploaded videos, or "elevator pitches" will bring life to innovative concepts and revolutionise the way Smart Ideas are presented to the Blue Catalyst Network.
Brian Carl Brown, Chief Operating Officer of Blue Catalyst, says: "We will be the 'YouTube' and the 'Facebook' of innovative entrepreneurs and those who wish to assist and fund Smart Ideas to full commercial success. We are looking for innovative, commercially viable, intellectual property-based business concepts in a variety of industries including ICTE, biotechnology, materials science, energy and other industries that seek collaboration, partnerships, investment and markets. Watch this space!"
To view and upload videos on the Smart Stars video section of the Blue Catalyst Portal, register and logon to the Blue Catalyst Portal (www.bluecatalyst.co.za) and choose the top line menu item "Smart Stars". There are some initial videos uploaded and Blue Catalyst invites you to upload your videos for your Smart Idea. More information as well as tips and tricks for the use of videos can be obtained by contacting Blue Catalyst.
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Blue Catalyst is a subsidiary of Blue IQ, the Gauteng provincial government's economic infrastructure development initiative, which is focused on advancing innovative entrepreneurs and furthering commercial opportunities throughout the region. By using an advanced Web 2.0, video-enabled Internet portal, as well as regular events, Blue Catalyst promotes innovation and links Smart Ideas to finance, business expertise and global markets. Further information can be obtained by visiting the initiative's portal at: http://www.bluecatalyst.co.za or contacting the Blue Catalyst Chief Operating Officer, Brian Carl Brown (brian@bcat.co.za) on 011 695 4870.
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