20 SMEs selected for Knife Capital-backed Grindstone Accelerator programme
South African business accelerator Grindstone has announced the 20 successful candidates for its 2020 programme.
Grindstone is a structured entrepreneurship development programme that is jointly owned by venture capital fund manager Knife Capital and market access specialist Thinkroom Consulting. It takes South African SMEs with proven traction through an intensive year-long review of their strategies and provides them with the necessary support to build a foundation for growth in becoming more investable, sustainable, marketable and exit-ready. Grindstone also recently launched a new venture capital fund, Grindstone Ventures, dedicated to providing early-stage equity funding to its cohorts of companies and alumni.
The 20 successful candidates for the 2020 Grindstone Accelerator programme are:
– On The Bench brings e-commerce closer to professional services companies – enabling them to sell their services online.
– Neural Sense is Africa’s leading neuromarketing company. It elevates customer experiences by conducting cutting edge market research through neuroscience, including user experience; advertising and shopper marketing research.
– Skywalk Innovations focuses on helping organisations navigate the digital modernisation journey through its unique discover, engineer, grow approach. A predictable and measurable approach to assist companies along their modernisation journey.
– Matter Industries is a fully integrated IoT business developing smart sensor networks for real-time remote monitoring of infrastructure assets providing efficiency, safety and sustainability.
– Zaio curates customised learning journeys to build a pipeline of talent for companies. Learners use a gamified platform to upskill and land a tech job in web and mobile development, data science and other emerging technologies.
– GWork.io is a performance and culture management tool for remote teams.
– Locumbase connects medical professionals and practices to simplify the locum booking process.
– Continuon is an AI powered platform that helps brands understand their social media communities and content, identify nano-influencers, and build data-driven campaigns that increase ROI.
– SME Snapshot is a real-time financial analytics dashboard that allows founders and funders to mitigate the daily risks they encounter in the SME ecosystem.
– Luxity is South Africa’s largest source of pre-owned luxury goods. It provides a safe and secure method for buying and selling authentic luxury items online and in-store.
– Franc is a digital wealth platform helping more people invest more.
– Shelfline is a digital ’learn to earn’ solution, turning the last mile distribution solution into an SME, driven by adding young community entrepreneurs to its network of distribution programmes, which focuses on delivering products to market in a reliable and cost-effective manner.
– Mint AI uses advanced AI technology to improve people’s lives. With a strong focus on computer vision in the healthcare and education spaces, it believes that the correct technology, correctly applied, can dramatically improve all lives and livelihoods.
– Syked is an online wellness company with a wide database of practitioners that focus on counselling support to clients in the comfort of their own home over a secure video platform.
– InfoByte Technologies is a software development company, that focuses on building payments, e-commerce and artificial intelligence products.
– Sorted simplifies vehicle compliance, by automating licence renewals, fines management and other road-related admin.
– Oyi Medical Card helps people to save for their family’s healthcare needs with discipline and peace of mind knowing that their savings are protected from other commitments in the household.
– TradeBRICS is an online sourcing marketplace that uses big data to connect buyers and procurement professionals with quality products and services from trusted local suppliers and manufacturers.
– cARscan is an augmented reality app with an embedded visual recognition AI to track the visual condition of every motor vehicle during its life-stage.
– Surion uses state-of-the-art computer vision, AI, IoT and IP cameras to create a seamless security ecosystem for businesses and homes.
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