New French- SA tech incubator praised

‘We need to find things that are practical and tangible’

A NEW partnership between the South African and French governments saw the launch of a new technology incubator at Century City, focusing on black entrepreneurs.

This is the second French Tech Lab – as it has been dubbed – on the African continent, and the first in South Africa. It will also be made available for the use of French start-ups in South Africa.

Attending yesterday’s launch was French ambassador Christophe Farnaud and South Africa’s Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu, along with invited business people.

The French South African Tech Labs are a partnered initiative between The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) of the South African government and French innovation company Methys. This latest tech incubator is the sixth to be unveiled in the Western Cape, and the 55th to be established by Seda in South Africa.

Methys chief executive Christophe Viarnaud announced at the launch that the labs would open a computer coding school in Johannesburg next month.

Zulu emphasised the need to unlock South Africa’s potential through bilateral projects such as the French South African Tech Labs. “We need to find things that are practical and tangible; we need to make bilateral agreements (come) alive.”

She was echoed by Farnaud, who spoke of “a strategic view that we (France) must find key partners with whom we can go further. Go further in other countries and in France, and among these is South Africa”.