Yet another challenge has been getting females on board. Although the Institute’s programmes have reached an astonishing 30 000 learners, only 9 000 of these have been female. Moreover, the Institute’s staff compliment is also dominated by males.
How has he dealt with these potential obstacles? For a start, the programmes hosted by the Institute have been extremely successful in terms of exposing young people to science. Added to this, Ntlathi is always on the lookout for ways to improve the offering. For example, he is currently working to obtain accreditation for the Institute’s courses. He is also reviewing the institute’s strategy, mapping a way forward that will make it less reliant on government funding. His plans include the establishment of a Science and Maths Academy – the only school in Africa to concentrate on these subjects for learners in grades 10, 11 and 12 – which he hopes will be operational by 2015. At the same time, the Institute presents a research service for corporates, offering valuable insights into the youth market. These additional services will go far to ensure that the Institute is able to become fully self-sustaining. Also on the cards is the introduction of the Infinity Park, a hub where South Africans have the space to explore and nurture their scientific knowledge and talents.
As for exploring his own talents: Ntlathi reveals that innovation and creativity are considered critical at the SNSET Institute. A Creative Lab has been set up, functioning as a safe space where team members can brainstorm ideas around improving efficiencies through innovation. A financial incentive is offered to stimulate lateral thinking. Added to this, the open plan office features an ‘Einstein Moment’ noticeboard, where employees are invited to post their brainwaves. Other colleagues are welcome to add their comments, so that the development of ideas becomes a collaborative effort.
Innovation is also highly prized at Infomas, where owner Mbuso Ngcongo has harnessed this quality, allowing him to tweak, adapt and adjust the company’s offering in accordance with client needs. As a result, he has successfully grown the company from a one-man band to five employees through two separate arms: SquareTime and AlphaSoap - not a bad for a company that started off designing brochures and business cards.
Ngcongo acknowledges that the company’s original activities have little in common with the services it offers now. However, this fact points to his ability
to think his way out of ruts: having edited a student newspaper at university, he put his design skills to work to amass the finance required to purchase the high level development software needed for the information systems company that was his vision.
At this point, most entrepreneurs would have sought out alternative forms of financing. While Ngcongo had acquired the capital he needed to progress to the next stage of building the business, he had conducted sufficient research to become familiar with the various funding incentives made available to entrepreneurs by government. He was also cognisant of the fact that few entrepreneurs are aware of these offerings. Furthermore, there is always a chance that applications for funds may be declined because the forms are not properly filled out.
These insights formed the rationale for establishing SquareTime; an online service which provides assistance to small business owners. Entrepreneurs sign up, for free, and are then presented with a set of questions which form the basis of a business plan, covering all facets from ownership to continuity plans, environmental factors and quality issues. The questions are currently presented in English, Isizulu and isiXhosa, with more language options planned. The programme uses this information to ascertain which fundingprogrammes the business might qualify for, then provides the option to download and submit the forms required for application, pre populated with data. Since its launch in 2011, SquareTime has attracted 40 applicants.
AlphaSoap (School of Applied Programming) has proved equally successful. This business offers specialised training in database programming using the Alpha Five software, Ngcongo explains. “I was first exposed to the Alpha Five programming whilst studying advanced programming in Hungary. I was greatly impressed with its robustness, and in 2004 became the only person in KwaZulu-Natal licensed to provide certified Alpha consulting services.” Ngcongo was called upon to develop Alpha solutions for all manner of industries, from training to call centres, including an integrated management systems for the second largest call centre in South Africa. From there, he correctly perceived the need for training in this programme - which is precisely what AlphaSoap provides.
Innovation is also a way of life at Dakot Milling Media (DMM), a family-owned business which specialises in the production of wear-resistant ceramic beads
EDGE | November 2011 39
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