Boksburg Lake upgrade on schedule
AS THE proud host of the Demo Africa Conference, the City of Ekurhuleni has announced that this event, which is a series of technology-focused conferences to launch new products, will be held from tomorrow until Friday at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg.
Demo Africa isn’t called the largest venturing event for nothing, says Harry Hare, the executive producer of Demo Africa.
As the launch pad for emerging technology and trends on the continent, it attracts people from around the globe.
The Demo conference originated in North America and showcases new products and technologies coming to the market. It has now established a powerful international network of launch events, including China, Singapore, Brazil and Africa.
“Shortlisted companies, or start-ups which launch at Demo Africa, have already gone through a rigorous selection and mentorship process to get them prepped for the market and investment,” says Hare.
This year, the City of Ekurhuleni hosts this premier conference to identify new and exciting technology start-ups.
At least 180 have already been launched and connected to investors, technology buyers and the media since Demo Africa’s inception in 2012 at the World Economic Forum for Africa in Ethiopia.
What can delegates attending the Demo Africa conference expect?
Vanessa Clark from MobiFlock perfectly sums it up as “a whirlwind of inspiration, constructive feedback, endorsement and meeting face-to-face with some of the leading minds on the continent. The format is cleverly worked out to keep even the most attention-deficit entrepreneur gripped, and there is ample time for networking.”
It’s exciting because of its conference format, which means each selected start-up gets six minutes on stage to show how its product will positively impact the world. And the delegates get a live show on how the technology being demonstrated can be used meaningfully, she says.
The Department of Small Business Development – the headline sponsor – as well as the city and Microsoft, have played a vital role in the success of Demo Africa, says city spokesperson Themba Gadebe.
For the start-ups, Demo Africa is also a way for them to network with the right types of people, such as corporate developers and acquirers, trade and mainstream media, venture and angel investors, as well as buyers and entrepreneurs.
The conference is preceded by intense Demo Africa boot camps and investor summits. Apart from the renowned speakers and panellists, there will be 30 innovative products launched to the world for the first time and 15 content-rich sessions.
Demo Africa is one of the flagship initiatives of Lions@frica, a public-private alliance aimed at enhancing and deepening the start-up and innovation ecosystems of targeted fast-growing African economies. In other words, Lions@frica works to connect African start-ups to the global ecosystem.
“To be a delegate at the Demo Africa conference is to witness something meaningful and inspiring. To get the opportunity to watch so much future potential and talent in technology, while connecting with a network of powerful business people, makes this a dynamic experience,” Hare says.
With partners like the Africa Technology Foundation, African eDevelopment Resource Centre, African Development Bank, the World Bank Group (InfoDev), the US State Department, Microsoft, Intel and Google, expect to be exposed to some of the world’s most inspiring technology brands while connecting with some of Africa’s most exciting innovators. THE upgrades at the Boksburg Lake are moving according to the planned schedule, after the City of Ekurhuleni closed the lake for massive renovations in June.
As part of the upgrades, the city is constructing a new amphitheatre, two new ablution blocks, paving of walkways and new parking area. The work is expected to be completed by June 30.
City spokesman, Themba Gadebe, said the council apologised for the inconvenience, and assured residents that they would be kept abreast of the progress of the project, until the lake was reopened.
The conference is preceded by Demo Africa boot camps