The Durban University of Technology (DUT) aims to improve the life chances and aspirations of student entrepreneurs and for them to reach their maximum potential.
Two promising entrepreneurs, Phumelele Khumalo and Nosihle Dlamini have made DUT proud for recently winning the ‘Best Entrepreneur Award’ on a global stage, Vienna Cleantech Week and GCIP Forum 2019.
The duo have a company called Get2Natural which produces an exciting new range of ‘Proudly South African’ haircare and skincare products.
Speaking on their achievement, Khumalo said winning the ‘Best Entrepreneur Award’ on such a global stage is validation for the work that they do. “It makes all the hard work and sacrifices we have made so much more worthwhile. This recognition has also given us the confidence and assurance that when we export our products they will be well-received,” said Dlamini excitedly.
The Vienna Cleantech competition was the final stage of the Business Accelerator Programme competition which ran over four months. The duo initially won second runner-up in the Bioprocessing category in the Cape Town portion of the competition. The final stage that was held in Vienna recently was a global platform that included all previous winners from various countries, including Morocco, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. Of the five awards, South Africa took home three awards.
The GCIP-SA is an annual competition-based business accelerator offering participants extensive training and mentoring to help them get their products investment-ready, and connect them to networks of local and international peers as well as potential partners and funders. The innovative pair recently participated in the GCIP-SA programme, which is part of a global initiative aimed at promoting clean technology innovation and supporting entrepreneurs in growing their SMMEs and start-ups into viable, investment-ready businesses.
Besides winning one of the awards, the duo was also selected as one of the five businesses in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to be groomed for exporting by Transnet Port Terminal in Durban, in partnership with the Durban Chamber of Commerce. They will be groomed over a two-year period in an effort to facilitate the removal of barriers for more SMME’s to participate in the growing of the economy.
Speaking on their win on behalf of DUT, Professor Sibusiso Moyo, DVC Research, Innovation and Engagement, congratulated the DUT alumni entrepreneurs, Get2Natural, threefold, on the opening of their hair salon situated in Pinetown; on being selected as one of the five businesses in KwaZulu-Natal to be groomed for exporting by Transnet Port Terminal in Durban in partnership with the Durban Chamber of Commerce and for winning the Best Entrepreneur Award on a global stage, Vienna Cleantech Week and GCIP Forum 2019.
“Thank you for all the hard work you put in and making the University’s incubation programmes worthwhile. We wish you the best as you both continue to refine your products. The get2natural team has been a beneficiary of DUT funding through its Entrepreneurial and Innovation entities, partially funded through SEDA (Small Enterprise Development Agency) as well as the EDTEA (Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs) Department who are acknowledged for their respective contributions,” said Prof Moyo.
In terms of what the way forward for their business, Dlamini said that their focus is on getting SAB accreditation as this would increase the credibility of both their company and brand, thus allowing them to begin the process of exporting their products, which is a significant part of their vision. In the interim they seek to grow their Pinetown salon and customer audience.
If anyone is keen to buy their products, they can go online through their website: www.get2natura1.co.za.
Pictured: Nosihle Dlamini
Waheeda Peters
