The local arm of international research firm Gartner has created a sponsorship programme which gives small black-owned companies access to the group`s research and expertise.
Gartner Africa says the programme is a three-way partnership between itself, its clients and the parent company.
"Gartner Africa has been operating in SA for 12 years now and we have grown up a lot in those years. We have seen how BEE and SME companies fail because of uninformed decisions," says Renee Jacobs, Gartner Africa MD.
Gartner`s South African clients are invited to nominate suitable candidates for sponsorship.
Nominated SMEs will qualify to access core research from the Gartner Web site and will get free admission to its local events, including the annual Gartner symposium. Additionally, Gartner Africa will appoint an account executive to help the nominated companies make the best use of the research.
Gartner clients who have successfully sponsored SMEs include Sanlam, the City of Cape Town, Standard Bank and Metropolitan.
"Talking to both the client and the nominated SME has proved our research can benefit a growing company. There is a growing drive to seek assistance wherever they can find it, be it a financial advisor, a mentor, or in this case, hard facts backed with legitimate predictions," says Jacobs.
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