Written by Stuart Thomas | From Venture Burn

South Africa’s Small Business Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, today launched the Startup Nations South Africa initiative, a collaborative effort by founding partners, The Innovation Hub, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Wits Business School, aimed at contributing towards building a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem and vibrant sustainable entrepreneurship culture.

With the launch of the initiative, South Africa joins a global network of Startup Nations such as Startup Britain, Startup Chile, Startup Malaysia, Startup China, Startup Norway, Startup Australia and more recently Startup Brazil, Startup Vietnam and Startup Korea.

The aim of the global network is to advance the national agenda for entrepreneurship and the creation of a sustainable environment where start-ups and small businesses can meaningfully contribute to the economic and social development of South Africa. As a full member of Startup Nations and Global Entrepreneurship Week, supported by the Kauffman Foundation, this initiative will enable local startup businesses to share best practices and collaborate with other like-minded peers in the global entrepreneurship movement.

Speaking at the launch event, Minister Zulu said, “The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2012 annual survey reminds us that entrepreneurship levels in our country are the lowest they have been in three years. The call to action is for all of us to work hard to inculcate a culture of entrepreneurship in the country. We must consciously strive to build a nation of entrepreneurs and not a nation of job-seekers.”

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