The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has launched the Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme aimed at equipping young entrepreneurs with exporting skills, resources and support that they require to become successful first-time exporters.
Speaking at the virtual launch, the Acting Deputy Director-General of Exports at the dtic, Mr Willem van der Spuy described the programme as a high-impact, 12-month intervention targeting youth-led enterprises with demonstrated export potential and supports them through a structured development journey.
“The programme is specifically tailored for the alumni of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme. At its core, this programme aims to cultivate an export culture among student and youth-owned businesses, enabling them to seize opportunities in global markets and contribute to inclusive economic growth,” said Van der Spuy.
He explained that a few months ago, the dtic and the Universities South Africa (USAf) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme. The objective of MoU is to foster collaboration in promoting entrepreneurship and export development among student and youth-owned businesses.
“The Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme represents a bold step forward in realising our shared vision of building a pipeline of globally competitive, youth-led enterprises. Participants will gain access to expert mentorship and technical advisory; training on export readiness and compliance; support in meeting international standards and certification requirements; and tools to develop market entry and export marketing strategies, amongst others,” added Van der Spuy.
He noted that the programme would also afford the emerging exporters an opportunity to benefit from strategic trade frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Southern African Development Community (SADC), European Union, and cross-border e-commerce. Special emphasis will be placed on digital trade and digital platform solutions to expand global reach.
The Director of Export Development and Support responsible for the delivery of the Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme at the dtic, Mr Kwanele Mkhwanazi encouraged youth-owned business owners to apply for the first intake of the programme. The call for applications for the 2025/26 cohort is open and will close on 31 May 2025. Enquiries about the programme can be directed to learnexport@thedtic.gov.za.
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Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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