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Knott-Craig Jnr backs postgrad fellowship

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 03 Nov 2015
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University fellowship is underwritten by Alan Knott-Craig Jnr.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University fellowship is underwritten by Alan Knott-Craig Jnr.

Masters and PhD graduates from the Department of Computing Sciences (DCS) and the School of ICT at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) looking to become entrepreneurs received a boost with the launch of a fellowship at the tertiary institution.

Underwritten by serial entrepreneur and founder of Project Isizwe, Alan Knott-Craig Jnr, the Mandela Bay Entrepreneurship Fellowship aims to promote entrepreneurship in ICT.

According to the terms of the fellowship, the winner will receive a minimum of R100 000 to be used for their start-up initiative.

Knott-Craig Jnr says the fellowship aims to encourage students to complete their postgraduate studies, while also giving them a boost in terms of a new venture.

"Most entrepreneurs just need 12 months breathing room so they can get on their feet and pay the bills. Hopefully the fellowship helps with this."

Entrepreneurship lifeline

On Friday, NMMU and Happimo NPC announced the Mandela Bay Entrepreneurship Fellowship will be available to students at the university, and the money can be used either to invest in the start-up or to pay off study debt.

The terms of the fellowship state neither Happimo NPC, a non-profit company that focuses on software that solves government problems, nor NMMU will have any financial stake in the venture at a later stage, irrespective of its success.

Happimo CEO Craig Rivett says: "We are proud to be able to support NMMU, the Department of Higher Education and youngsters looking to start businesses, create jobs and grow the South African economy."

Why NMMU fellowship?

Knott-Craig Jnr says as an alumnus of NMMU, he has an emotional attachment to the DCS at the university, but another deciding factor is the university's diverse postgrad student programme.

"It's my alma mater, but more importantly it has the most diverse postgrad student body of any computer science department in the country. The Eastern Cape has a great chance of producing the Mark Zuckerberg of Africa," he notes.

The primary aim is to incentivise students to complete postgrads, he says.

"I believe we need more postgrads in computer science, and that these individuals should start businesses rather than get jobs. The fellowship is an incentive for students to finish their Masters or PhD and then to become an entrepreneur," he explains.

"There are too many temptations to drop out and take big salaries in corporate. The only place to learn truly deep domain expertise in sciences is university. The secondary aim is for postgrads to start their own businesses rather than join corporates," notes Knott-Craig Jnr.

More black entrepreneurs

"The future of technology entrepreneurship in Africa can't be white and male. We need more black and female tech entrepreneurs. I believe NMMU can produce them," he says.

"The entire world needs more black and/or female tech entrepreneurs. Our country is ideally placed to provide opportunity for these demographics."

According to Knott-Craig Jnr, South Africa's entrepreneurial culture is generally excellent, but the biggest barrier to more entrepreneurs is access to funding. "You can't start a business if you can't pay the bills."

Branching out

Knott-Craig Jnr says NMMU will be the only tertiary institution he will support, but there is nothing stopping other institutions copying NMMU.

"In my opinion, this is the ideal template for simultaneously promoting postgraduate studies and entrepreneurship."

According to a statement, other individuals and organisations interested in supporting the fellowship can make contributions.

The seed grant of R1 million over 10 years is the minimum. Other businessmen or organisations interested in supporting postgraduate studies and entrepreneurship are welcome to contribute to the annual grant, the statement reads.

Interested applicants have to meet the following criteria:

* He/she must have completed a Masters or PHD degree in Computer Science at the School of ICT at NMMU.

* He/she must either join or launch a start-up by no later than August 2016.

* He/she must commit to remain in the start-up for a minimum of 12 months.

* In the event of starting their own start-up, applicants must have a co-founder.

Details of the application process will be announced in early 2016.

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