Stellenbosch 360 launched the world class Centre for Entrepreneurship at a network function on Tuesday 25th March, at the Tourism Information Centre in Market Street. Facilities include a craft incubator, a retail shop (which sells beautiful handmade Stellenbosch souvenirs and memorabilia), training facilities and a cafeteria. The Centre for Entrepreneurship will be used to improve skills, assist emerging and existing entrepreneurs with various phases of growth and promote hand-and homemade cultural and culinary experiences.
The official launch of the Centre was done by Cllr Nyaniso Jindela, member of the Stellenbosch Executive Mayoral Committee. Members of the Stellenbosch 360 network, as well as strategic role-players in the town were present. Annemarie Ferns, CEO of Stellenbosch 360, said in her introduction, that the entire town was shifting in the right direction, positioning Stellenbosch as the most inspiring and innovative town in Africa. According to her, the mayor and his council were ‘town shifters’; Prof Andreas van Wyk (chairperson: Stellenbosch 360) a ‘visionary shifter’ and Ann Heyns (manager: Development, Stellenbosch 360) a ‘community shifter.’ She lauded the various sectors in town who were distancing themselves from working in silo’s, shifting towards collaboration and inclusivity.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Talent 360, two of Stellenbosch 360’s flagship community projects, have been awarded World Design Capital: Cape Town 2014 status, due to the transformative and innovative approach to job creation through the promotion of culture tourism.
Cape Town’s executive mayor, Patricia de Lille, expressed the wish that all of the World Design Capital projects, including the Centre of Entrepreneurship and Talent 360, united by their use of design and design-led thinking, will help drive the social and economic change that the country needs, and Stellenbosch 360 shares the wish.
