The FUTURE 100 Programme

FUTURE 100 is an inspirational programme that seeks to recognize, acknowledge and promote promising young entrepreneurs in South Africa through a process that will identify, select and award the Top 100 young entrepreneurs who have met the criteria of being promising entrepreneurs by a selected panel of judges.

Theme

The programme theme is “Discovering South Africa’s 100 most inspiring young entrepreneurs”.

Programme Rationale

The South African Youth Chamber of Commerce (SAYCC) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) identified a need to launch a programme that will encourage young entrepreneurs to engage in entrepreneurial activities, in the form of a recognition programme for the most promising young entrepreneurs entitled “FUTURE100”, whereby the public will be able to nominate young persons according to certain criteria specified by SAYCC and NYDA.

The top 100 of those nominated will go through two selection committees, two internal adjudication sessions and the final judgement by the independent panel of judges identified by the SAYCC and NYDA.

Concept Idea

The FUTURE 100 has been designed with a mandate of increasing entrepreneurial appetite amongst young people to claim the centre stage of economic development of the country.

Target group

The primary target of the programme is young entrepreneurs whose stories and achievements will serve as inspiring to start-ups and aspirant young entrepreneurs.

The secondary target of the programme is young entrepreneurs that will be profiled in the special supplement as well as the future100 publication that will be distributed to opportunity providers in both the private and public sector.

Geographical Reach

FUTURE100 is a national programme and as such, young entrepreneurs from all over South Africa, between the ages of 18 – 35 years of age can be nominated or nominate themselves to participate.

Media Partnerships

The programme has secured a media partnership with AVUSA for purposes of carrying the nomination form through Sowetan and Sunday world every week for three months. This partnership ensures a wider reach for the programme to all the nine provinces.  

Entry Criteria

The entry requirements for the programme are based on the following criteria;

• The business should be operational.
• FUTURE 100 is open to South African citizens between the ages 18 -35 years.
• Young entrepreneurs who are nominated should have ownership in the business.
• The programme is open to any industry sector.
• The nominators should send a motivation justifying why their nominated young entrepreneurs should be profiled as one of the FUTURE100.
• Nominees should submit a one page motivation of how their business idea was realised, what sector, how their business has  been performing since it started, what challenges they have faced, how they dealt or planning to deal with them, what future plans do they have for their business.
• Entrants must be prepared to submit financial statements on requests.
• Entrants must submit copies of their business registration documents, if the company is registered, if not registered must provide references that can be checked and verified.
• Only owners of the nominated businesses are eligible to be announced as the FUTURE100 and profiled.

Programme Implementation

The programme is implemented in a phased-approach over 5 stages.

• The Launch Event – this event will introduce the programme to the South African public and unveil the concept of FUTURE100 and officially open up the nomination process to the public by the SAYCC, NYDA and AVUSA representing Sowetan and Sunday World newspapers.
• The Nomination Process – this phase will include nominations of young entrepreneurs for the period of three months and the capturing of the nominators as well as nominees for two weeks.
• The Selection Process – this phase will include the two selection processes, two internal adjudication sessions, the appointment of judges, and the final adjudication by the independent panel of judges identified by the SAYCC and NYDA, and the finalisation of the winners list of the FUTURE100.
• Announcement and Profiling – this phase will include FUTURE100 Award ceremony, special supplement in the Sowetan and Sunday World, the production of the FUTURE100 publication and the profiling on SABC 1 selected programmes. 
• Empowerment of start-up and aspirant young entrepreneurs – The FUTURE100 winners are catalysts for increased total entrepreneurship activity. They will be encouraged to mentor, provide information, and lobby for increased business development for start-up and aspirant young entrepreneurs as Ambassadors of Youth Entrepreneurship in South Africa.         

10. The Award

The top 100 winners will receive an award certificate confirming their achievement as the FUTURE100, the FUTURE100 prize basket, their stories and businesses will be profiled in a special supplement featured in the Sowetan, Sunday World Newspapers, the FUTURE100 publication and the SABC1 selected programmes.