This article was written by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
The JSE has announced a collaboration with the United Kingdom (UK) government’s, UK-South Africa Tech Hub, to deliver services for its JSE Enterprise Acceleration Programme.
This collaborative venture aims to support high-potential, tech-focused and tech-enabled medium-sized companies in scaling up their businesses, attracting investment and expanding into new markets.
Now in its fourth year, the Acceleration Programme has, to date, trained and mentored founders in over 50 companies representing multiple sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, services, tech, mining and retail equipping them with critical skills, industry insights and access to strategic networks. Participating companies for the 2025 cohort will benefit from a structured 12-month programme that covers key areas such as business acceleration, funding readiness, and market expansion opportunities, whilst focusing on individual business goals and scalability.
The UK-SA Tech Hub provides services to support and grow the South African tech ecosystem, including entrepreneurial support, funding facilitation, digital skills development, market access initiatives and policy advocacy. The JSE has strategically collaborated with the UK-SA Tech Hub given its proven track record of supporting inclusive digital growth across South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Their extensive experience in driving innovation coupled with their global networks and ecosystem development, positions the organisation as the prime partner for the JSE Enterprise Acceleration Programme, aimed at catalysing the unlocking of global opportunities for local SMEs.
Vuyo Lee, Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at the JSE, said “the collaboration with the SA-UK Tech Hub fortifies our commitment to building a thriving SME sector in South Africa. Through this initiative, we are not only providing businesses with the tools they need to scale but also opening doors for global opportunities by positioning South African SMEs for international visibility, funding and partnerships.”
Director of UK SA Tech Hub Milisa Mabinza, said “this partnership with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on the JSE SME Rise Programme, represents a pivotal step towards accelerating the growth of South Africa’s tech ecosystem. By providing start-ups with access to capital, alternative financial instruments, and comprehensive investor readiness support, this initiative significantly enhances the potential for these emerging businesses to prosper on the global stage. In addition to this, the programme aligns seamlessly with the UK’s objectives for Inclusive Economic Growth and the UK – South Africa Tech Hub’s mission to foster digital development within the tech landscape. Our vision is to cultivate a dynamic and thriving ecosystem where startups can not only secure essential capital but also acquire the necessary tools and insights for sustainable, scalable growth and success. By equipping these businesses with expertise and resources, we amplify their capacity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the broader economic landscape.”
This year’s Acceleration Programme will be further supported by the Mamela Luthuli Foundation NPC, an initiative led by alumni of the JSE Enterprise Acceleration Programme and founder of Take Note IT, Mamela Luthuli. The foundation will expose participating medium enterprises to key tech expert-led workshops and targeted investor engagements. These forums aim to ensure the sustainable growth of these South African businesses.
The JSE SME RISE initiative, also includes Red Tape reduction, International Market expansion, Capital Matching and early-stage development programmes such as Funding Readiness, with a holistic and robust ecosystem to assist entrepreneurs at every phase of their growth journey.