The Softstart Business and Technology Incubator (Softstart BTI) recently welcomed Leonie Greyling as its new CEO. Haling from an enterprise development background, Greyling passionately believes that new venture creation has a pivotal role to play in the eradication of poverty and unemployment, and that Softstart BTI, as catalyst for entrepreneurial success, is an important contributor to economic development in South Africa.
Her vision for the incubator is bold and optimistic: she believes that, in time, Softstart BTI will become South Africa's leading ICT incubator.
In a quest to develop sustainable ICT SMEs, she believes it is important for "Softstart BTI to develop an invigorated client focus and for the incubator programme and its activities to be integrated into the fabric of the community and its broader economic development goals and objectives". Thus, Greyling is gearing up to develop a robust client support programme and building an enriched network of collaboration with all role-players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Laurens Cloete, Softstart BTI Board Chair, indicated that he was very pleased with the appointment of Greyling. She was selected from a number of high quality applicants at the conclusion of an exhaustive open recruitment process.
The board has full confidence she will put Softstart BTI on a trajectory of an efficient and effective organisation to provide value-added services to ICT entrepreneurs. Cloete, who is a senior manager at the Meraka Institute, added that he believed "incubators play a critical role in the system of innovation, complementing the roles of universities, science councils and government institutions and contributing to South Africa's competitiveness".
Supported by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Softstart BTI is a Gauteng-based business and technology incubator that stimulates, grows and launches early-stage, technology-rich businesses through world-class technology incubation and the provision of knowledge services.
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