The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) initiated the Incubation Support Programme (ISP) to develop incubators and create successful enterprises with the potential to revitalise communities and strengthen local and national economies.
In continuing to strengthen economic development through broadening participation in the economy, the ISP aims to ensure that small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) graduate into the mainstream economy through the support provided by the incubators. The ISP is one of the support measures to encourage partnerships in which big business assists SMMEs with skills transfer, enterprise development, supplier development and marketing opportunities.
Programme Description
- The objective of the ISP is to encourage private sector partnerships with Government to support incubators in order to develop SMMEs and nurture them into sustainable enterprises that can provide employment and contribute to economic growth.
- The intention of the programme is to provide funding for incubators that over time can generate revenue through the provision of services and initiatives that can be self-sustainable.
- The incubation support will be available on a cost-sharing basis between the Government and private sector partner(s). It is available for infrastructure and business development services necessary to mentor and grow enterprises to ensure that within 2 to 3 years the enterprises will graduate to a level of self-sustainability by providing products and services to the market.
Qualifying Costs
The following costs are eligible for support:
- Business development services (e.g. business advisory services, coaching and mentoring, training, facilitation of funding, production efficiency and improvement, quality and standards acquisition)
- Market access
- Machinery, equipment and tools
- Infrastructure linked to incubator (buildings, furniture)
- Feasibility studies for establishing and expanding incubators
- Product or service development
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- Operational costs
The Adjudication Panel may consider for support, any other costs related to the activities of the incubator.
Grant Support
- The grant approval will be based on projections for the first year at application stage whereas the approval for subsequent year(s) will be dependent on the review of actual performance of the preceding year against agreed milestones.
- All payments will be made directly to the incubator’s primary account.
- The grant approval is capped at a maximum of R10 million (VAT inclusive) per financial year over a three (3) year period and is subject to the availability of funds.
- The ISP offers a cost-sharing support of 50:50 for large businesses and a cost-sharing of 40:60 for SMMEs.
- After the three year period, applicants may apply for assistance for an additional three years and must comply with the guidelines of the ISP.
Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant must either be:
- A registered legal entity in South Africa in terms of the Companies Act, 1973 (as amended) or the Companies Act, 2008 (as amended); the Close Corporations Act, 1984 (as amended) or the Co-operatives Act, 2005 (as amended); or
- Be a registered higher or further education institution; or
- Be a licensed and/or registered science council.
- The programme is available to applicants that want to establish new incubators or wish to grow and expand existing ones.
- The supported incubator may either offer physical and/or virtual incubation support services.
- The incubator to be supported may be a corporate incubator; a private investor’s incubator; an academic or research institution incubator in partnership with industry, and must be focused on establishing and/or growing enterprises that will graduate to sustainable enterprises.
I have a very small business and need support and some finance for expantion whereby I will be able to employ more people
I am an Incubation we are based in Dube Soweto Gauteng Province we need help and Funding or GRANT
i have a small maintanace company i need fund to expand and evolve my company
we registered cc and have our own new product classified under vehicle accessories. we need fund/grant to first develop prototype which we would like to test the market. we were with bowman gilfilan and adams & adams as pro Bono and they vanished. we needed them to protect our business and product against infringements, trademarks and searches. the sad part of it is that we’ve already provided information to them. our business needs: legal,product development, marketing (if successful:) incubation with manufacturing enabled, small office for administration and others. I’m not registered in any tertiary education, but – intend to register in future. is that gonna prevent us to access funding?
I have just been accredited by m seta to operate a training facility
I need funds to buy equipment and to the value of +- 3.5 million
the government wants to provide employment and I want to provide skills to the unemployed and school kids
please help
I want to start my own toilet paper business, my aim is to help up grade the community and to reduce unemployment under the youth i have also other projects in mind for the community i need funding or grant i will appreciate the help.
I have a small business (Automotive Spare Parts) which i want grow it up and employ more workers.
HI
I have registered a Private Company called Madlopha Holdings which is a logistics business, there are a lot of mines where i live in mpumalanga and many opportunities for this kind of business to succeed. can i send you my business plan and can i can get a Grant. my Email is nvkhumalo397@gmail.com
Kindly Rregards
Nkosinathi
The business name is Wildlife Exotics and Interiors.I need some funding to expand my business so that it can reach the export market.Wildlife Exotics and Interiors offer a variety of processed African animal products and grown to specialise in very high quality furniture ,decor ,arts and accessories.I sell every wild animal skin and also products made of different skins and leather on the Africa continent. For example exotic couches,belts,nguni and springbuck waist coats,nguni and zebra handbags ,cushions etc.I need the money for marketing and some raw material as well as a machine. I will so thankfull if you can help my componay because then I can also employ more people. Thanks and regards Elizabeth
Hello Elizabeth,
We would need to know a little more about your business and the investments you wish to carry out before being able to give you a definitive and precise answer (regarding the extent of grant money you could claim), but chances are you can apply for an MCEP grant to help develop your production capacities and boost your export sales.
Give us a call (021.671.44.00) or send us an email (quentin@incentivesa.co.za) for more information.
Hello
I’d like to start a food market in soweto that will be operated on weekends only. how can your company assist me in that.
Hi
I have a registered Pty Ltd (Private Company). I would like to start a energy healing centre. I need finance to put up the buildings, I need a minimum of 8 rooms each with a shower, toilet and hand basin. I need 6 healing rooms and a kitchen and dining area. This will be located on the South Coast on a farm and will supply work for many locals.
This will be “a get away from reality” to my customers purely for the healing of mind, body and soul.
Please contact me should you have any ideas where I could apply for support.
Regards
Judy
Hello Judy,
Incentives SA does not engage with applicants at the conception phase of the project or assist startup businesses. Once your business has been established and you can show a solid track record for over 12 and have a turnover of at least R250,000, please get in touch with us, regardless of profitability of your business. Most funding and incentive institutions will not provide support to a company that cannot demonstrate a track record in business and be able to show expertise and competence in the field of business. This is usually analysed based on how long a company has been established, how much of a product or service has been sold, how many people have been employed and what business plan you have in place.
If you feel that you can demonstrate these skills mentioned above and can motivate this, please contact us with a 2-5 page summary of your competencies to date. This will be used to motivate your requirements to various funding agencies. If you cannot demonstrate these business skills please contact the following departments for assistance and guidance:
DTI Website
SEDA Website
We are a micro enterprise in the field of health safety and environment consulting. We are fortunate to not have any debts. We started the company almost a year ago and we are proudly BBBEE compliant.
However, we are sadly lacking in marketing knowledge. If there is anyone out there that would be able to take us under their wing and help us in developing an effective low cost marketing strategy we would be able to build exponentially on the successes we have had thus far.
We are at the point where marketing is vital for further growth and due to the costs involved we have up to now not been able to have an effective marketing campaign. I am certain that there are gurus out there that would be able to advise on a way forward.
We thank you in advance for any and all assistance with regards to this matter.
Hello Melt,
There definitely are options available to help you build a strong marketing startegy. The IDT offers grants precisely aiming at such objectives, like the BBSDP. At Incentive SA we can help you with both the construction of such marketing strategy as well as the application process to access IDT grants with which to finance the strategy.
Feel free to call us directly (021 671.44.00) or send us an email at quentin@incentive.co.za, to see what grant you may qualify for and how we can help you.
I registered a company this year march as a distribution and projects I want to distribute stationery,cleaning materials andand groceries where do I apply for funding owned by black woman 100percent
Hi Julia, thank you for your your question. Unfortunately your company needs to be in business for a minimum of 1 year and meet the requirements on the BBSDP grant. You can read more about it here: http://incentivesa.co.za/bbsdp-black-business-supplier-development-programme/
I am an accredited sewing school and have been operating for about 1 year. I need a grant to grow and be able to teach more students. Can Dti help me?
I need financial assistance to help me expand my clothing shop. It is my long term goal to create job opportunities for my community. The business has helped students to work during holliday but I inted doing better than that.
I have two sewing machines that are helping in designing new fashion for the shop. I need to emply skilled individuals in my community. I feel that If things could change the existing business Idea will create a lot of job opportunities and thus eliviating porverty in our communities.
Dear Mandisa Sipoko, You may look at the BBSDP grant to see if you can qualify on this grant. Click here to find out more: http://incentivesa.co.za/bbsdp-black-business-supplier-development-programme/
Hi
My Company focuses on the development of SMMES through. Boosting their sales through promoting their products , implementing operational processes for greater functionality and going to schools to develop potential entrepreneurs
We are all ready registered company,the aim is to start a manufacturing of the following;
1. Toilet Papers
2. Roller Towels
3. Hospital Wipes
4. Paper Serviettes
5. Facial Tissue
6. Office Papers A4
7. Garage Rolls
8. Kitchen Wipes
The only thing we don’t have is funds. How can we get helped?
Good day,
I have completed my studies in business Management and opened a Business Consultancy alongside my brothers who have A degree in Business Administration and the youngest one is head of IT at a Christian School.
IS there any advice you can give us or information booklets (ebooks) regarding Youth owned enterprises, NYDA, SETA and other suitable funding for SMMEs. If you would like more information regarding our business please mail me directly.
Good day,
I have a small consultancy where i help local traders to break even.
Where can I apply for funding for my business to better assist the entrepreneurs
We are five members looking for help ,to start new aluminium doors ,windows, garage doors and bakery.our king donated us a peace of land which can make 1000 hectors square. We will start by this but the main aim is agriculture.from LUPATOS cop-porative Burgersfort Limpopo
Good day
I need financial support I’m in a process of opening my own landscape company,with the aim of employing black woman. Please assist as in where to apply.
Thanks
I just received an order from department of health but I don’t have funds to pay for the products. I went to the bank and was told I need activity on my account I’m stuck and need advice 0824704621 Jerome
I willing to start my Cleaning Chemicals Company I learn a Chemestry and I have an experiance of 2 Years in a Big company. So I’m already registerd a company everything is inorder but I don’t have funds to Opperate. I’m doing the Industrial and House hold Chemicals. If you can help firstgrade Cleaning Solution Company lot of unemployed person can get job opportinity and skills. My dream is to help the Gorvement to fight with anemployment in South Africa and also to give Skils to others. Thats all I want to state.
Contact Numbers are as ff. 071 777 8286.
Thank you.
Dear Xolile,
In order to qualify for the BBSDP grant your business needs to be Black-owned, in existence for a minimum of one year, and the business needs to be making a minimum of R250.000 per annum in sales.
If you qualify for the grant it could cover 50% of purchasing in tools, machinery and equipment.
Do not hesitate to call us for more information: 021.671.44.00
Kind Regards