Welcome and Introductions

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Hello! 😀

Hello! My name is Bruce and I serve as Director of Product for Startup Grind, but my journey started as a volunteer at the then newly launched chapter in Cape Town. Love the new discussions feature, can't wait to see the community engaged in discussions :)

Nice to meet everyone. Looking forward to connecting on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alishams254/

Hello folks!

I'm completely new to the entrepeneurial space, but am looking forward to learning with you all, and seeing what possibilities there are for growth and work!

(Biotech background, academic, but looking outside of the box).

Regards,

J

Hey everyone!

I’m Joshua Mans—nice to meet you all! I’m an Industrial Engineering student diving into the world of entrepreneurship. Right now, I’m working on an exciting project: a tour company that’s all about offering real, immersive experiences in Cape Town using the MyCiTi bus network.

I’m here to connect with like-minded folks, get some awesome advice, and share ideas. If you’re into tourism, project management, or just love a good adventure, let’s chat!

Check out my LinkedIn here: www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamans05.

I’ve got a background in customer support, and I’m pretty clued up on anything to do with adventure (hiking, mountain biking, trail running, rock climbing, surfing, horse riding). Looking forward to building some cool connections and supporting each other’s journeys!

Cheers,
Joshua

Hi Everyone!

I'm Neil, a software developer currently working in the health tech space. For a while now, I've felt a strong conviction that it's time for me to step up, challenge myself, and make a more meaningful impact through entrepreneurship. This is a new and exciting journey for me, and I’m eager to immerse myself in an entrepreneurial environment.

I’m here not only to learn but also to connect with potential startup partners who share a similar drive and vision. Looking forward to engaging with you all and collaborating on exciting ventures!


www.linkedin.com/in/neil-hanekom-64528019

Hi everyone,

I’m Somila Gwala, a final-year entrepreneurship student currently working on several exciting projects. I’m involved in developing HELTH, a nutrition brand that creates affordable, nutrient-rich products from organic microgreens and vegetables to help fight malnutrition in low-income communities, under the Bevisioneers Fellowship funded by Mercedes Benz.

I’m here to connect with like-minded individuals, gain insights, and collaborate on innovative ideas. I’m eager to learn from your experiences and share my journey as well.

Feel free to connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somila-gwala

Looking forward to engaging with everyone.

Hi! My name is Derek Andersen, I'm one of the co-founders of Startup Grind. I have watched the Cape Town chapter grow with admiration for many many years. Excited to see it continue to thrive. If you have a startup, please join the startup program! https://startup.startupgrind.com/

Hi SG Cape Town!!! I’m Guillermo Vizcaíno, or just G, the Global Community Director at Startup Grind. I’m here to help our community thrive and would love to get to know you better.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if you need anything or just want to chat. I’m here for you!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillermovizcaino

Hello everyone! My name is Puseletso Nofemele and Im so honoured to be part of this chapter.

Currently I am in the tech space as a Process Consultant at Quintica. My motivation for joining the Startup Grind is to network and share experiences with like-minded individuals as well as to gain knowledge as I am considering persuing entrepreneurship.

Here is my LinkedIn link : www.linkedin.com/in/puseletso-nofemele-55886167

Cheers!

My name is Fynn and I recently moved to Cape Town to work as a pro-bono consultant for a local non-profit organization. This opportunity is part of a graduate program from ESMT Berlin, where I earned my Master's in Management with a focus on innovation. I have work experience in consulting, startups as well as venture capital and I'm passionate about innovative ideas, financial markets and startups.

In my free time, I'm currently working on a business idea that aims to create a platform for active individuals in Cape Town to access a wide variety of sports and wellness facilities through flexible subscriptions and convenient passes, all without the burden of long-term commitments.

For that idea I'm looking for potential co-founders as well as mentors / business angels.

I'd be happy to connect with like-minded people, so feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn -> https://www.linkedin.com/in/fynn-trompeter-306545157/

Best regards & happy building!

Hello everyone 😃 I'm Jan and I'm working on creating an advanced game that teaches human relations. I'm currently looking to raise R1M to build a prototype. My LinkedIn profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-c-dekker

Hi everyone.

I’m looking for a venue that could fit around 30-40 people for a free event we’re hosting as part of our local Bevisioneers Fellowship hub, a program focused on community impact and innovation.

If anyone has suggestions for affordable venues or knows of spaces that might be willing to support a community-driven initiative like ours, please let me know. Any leads would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your help! 🙏🏽

Hello Everyone!

To introduce myself, my name is Janine, and I founded an Accounting practice called Bentley Crescent, we are now 7 years old and female-led. We are based in Cape Town, and have clients across South Africa.

We truly are different from other Accounting Firms, in that we aim to bridge the gap between Business Owners and their Accountants by going a step further in explaining what their financial reports mean, what the figures say about their business, and how to use these in decision making.

We are also unique in that we specialise in 'Operational Accounting', where we source and implement software to solve operational challenges to ensure that the accounts are processed efficiently and seamlessly, and result in accurate figures. We are Xero specialists.

We work mostly with Start-Ups and Small Businesses.

Here is our website, and instagram, as well as my Linked In profile.

Or drop us an email to gwen@bencres.com to say hello :)

Hi Startup Grind Cape Town community!

I’m Andre Prins, the founder of CX Matters, a consultancy dedicated to helping businesses of all sizes transform their customer experience strategies. My passion lies in empowering businesses to connect with their customers in meaningful ways, driving growth and loyalty.

Whether you're a startup building your first customer base or a growing enterprise looking to refine your approach, I’m here to add value, share insights, and collaborate to help you achieve exceptional results. I’m thrilled to be part of this inspiring network and look forward to connecting with you all!

Feel free to reach me via my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andremprins/ Hoping there will still be an event in early December so that I can meet face to face.

Hi all!

My name is Gia and I am incredibly excited to be here. I am a marketing specialist for a tech company in the US and am very passionate about the technology sector.

I hope to have my own marketing agency in the future and look forward to learning a lot from the innovative individuals in this community.

Let’s connect on Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gia-labuschagne-a51542202?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Hello everyone,

My name is Stephen Astoni, and I’m thrilled to be part of the Startup Grind Cape Town network! I am the Director of One Call Away Electrical, specializing in domestic, industrial, and commercial electrical installations and maintenance.

I’m here to connect with professionals from various industries, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities to grow my business. Please feel free to reach out and connect with me on different social platforms. Let’s build meaningful collaborations and take our ventures to new heights!

Looking forward to engaging with all of you!

Hi all, my name is Kevin Churchill and Im an independent professional mediator based in London, Cape Town and Nairobi. Excited to be part of this group! Coming to Cape Town in April. Will be at Workshop 17. Looking forward to meeting you.

I help co-founders resolve disagreements and disputes, between themselves, their people, with investors and/or other stakeholders, to keep your growth on track. Everything is private and confidential.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-churchill-independent-mediator-9b26a213/

Regards,

Kevin

Hi Guys,
Anton from Urbian here. We've been designing and developing software and SaaS for clients and ourselves for the last 18 years.

At this stage about 90% of the new briefs or projects that come to us are projects we've seen before in some shape or form, this means we can get to a meaningful 1st draft 5-10x faster than most.

So we decided to package up our services into a design subscription specifically for startups that need help with world-class branding, UX/UI, landing pages, and marketing, etc, but at an affordable monthly fixed cost.

We've recently been working with startups like Meteor, CommonWealth and others and thought more of you could benefit from this model too.

We're excited about the offering: get results fast, no contracts, outputs every 2 days, and cancel anytime.

Check us out here: https://saas.urbian.io/
Book a call for an intro here: https://saas.urbian.io/#Book
Connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonmoulder/

Hi all,

Mandla Mhlophe here, founder of Allen Farm Agri. Working on team restructuring and business model modification of my start-up as we have been faced with challenges in the present putting the business on its knees

Hi everyone,

I am Stefan, currently setting up a renewable energy business in Cape Town named EQ Mzansi. Looking forward to engaging with like-minded individuals and see where the journey goes:-)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-sager-40454415/

Have a great start to the week!

Hi everyone 👋

I'm Darren, co-founder and CEO of MartialQA — a Quality Assurance platform that helps support and sales teams improve performance and compliance using AI. After 10+ years in the customer service space, I set out to build a tool that not only tracks quality but actually helps employees grow through near real-time feedback and coaching.

Right now, we’re heading into our beta phase and would love for anyone curious to give it a try. If you're in support, sales, or just passionate about employee productivity, check us out at www.martialqa.co.za — there's a Sign Up button if you're keen to test and explore the platform.

I joined this community to connect with other founders, share lessons (and mistakes 😅), and get honest feedback as we grow. Would really value your thoughts if you do try the product — feel free to DM me or drop feedback any time.

Looking forward to learning from all of you!

Hi everyone!

I'm a qualified attorney currently pivoting into the startup space, offering accessible and practical legal services tailored to early-stage and growing businesses. I understand the unique challenges startups face—especially when it comes to contracts, compliance, intellectual property, and structuring—and I’m here to help navigate those complexities without the overwhelm.

Right now, I’m focused on connecting with innovative founders who need reliable legal support but may not have in-house counsel. I’m also open to collaborations, partnerships, or even joining a mission-driven team that aligns with my values.

From this community, I hope to build genuine connections, contribute my legal expertise, and learn from others on their entrepreneurial journey.

Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bathandwa-xhallie-b69184a4?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

Looking forward to growing with you all!

Hello, everyone! I'm Bhekisile, a software developer with background in statistics. I'm happy to be part of the community. I want to venture into startup business, so I'm here to learn and collaborate, and I believe I will get support, mentorship, and everything that will sustain me in this journey.

Feel free to connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhekisile-jozi/

I am looking forward to engaging with everyone.

Cheers!