20 Nov Here’s to Three Years of Ecosystem Building in Cape Town
Three years ago, Innovation City Cape Town was just an idea; a vision to create a space where startups could thrive, where corporates could connect with innovators, and where bold ideas could turn into groundbreaking solutions. Today, that vision has grown into a vibrant, thriving community. As we celebrate our third anniversary on November 25, and marvel at hitting 10,000 LinkedIn followers, we’re not just looking back on how far we’ve come – we’re gearing up for even bigger and better innovations ahead!
The Studio 54 of Cape Town’s Tech Scene
Inspired by cultural revolutions that transformed entire cities into centres of innovation, the founders set out to create something that wasn’t just a workspace, but a movement.
As co-founder stephan ekbergh reflects:
“In New York, there was Studio 54, where people from all walks of life danced to disco. Not far away, CBGB became the haven where outcasts and rebels celebrated punk. Then, there was Berlin – oh, Berlin! It was a melting pot of creators, troublemakers, and free spirits, a city both cheap and sexy. Here, they danced to Neue Deutsche Welle, and it became a refuge for Bowie, Eno, and Iggy.
These three scenes became ground zero for a cultural revolution that still influences our media, music, and arts today.
Somewhat loosely based on this we created Innovation City where:
- Creating is more important than competing
- It’s safe to be unsafe
- Talent, capital and ideas have sex.
- You have to get used to different!
The big idea? Changing the narrative around South Africa as a tech destination. After all, shouldn’t the whole world want to live and work in Cape Town?!
To help us, we partnered with Epicenter in Stockholm, a team that transformed a once-seedy area into Sweden’s shining tech hub. They replaced shady street corners with start-ups, pimps with VCs, and clients with eager online consumers. Today, that area stands as the true epicentre of Swedish tech.
Together, we’ve envisioned the same transformation for Cape Town. Look how far we’ve come – and it feels like we’re just getting started.”
A Startup Powering Startups
What sets Innovation City apart is that we are more than just a space for others to thrive – we are a startup ourselves! As a 100% privately funded venture, we understand firsthand the challenges and triumphs of building something from scratch. Our independence allows us to stay agile and responsive to the needs of Cape Town’s innovators while fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity.
“Three years in, we’ve built a network of R400 billion in corporates, R4 billion in funding, and top innovators – all to make Cape Town the hub for impactful innovation in Africa. Not bad for a down-to-earth team with no egos that still want to learn new things every day. With great people, smart connections, and sharp execution, we’re turning bold ideas into big results,” says Kieno Kammies, Co-Founder of Innovation City.
Our Impact: A Thriving Tech Ecosystem
We started with a dream to grow Cape Town’s tech ecosystem, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together: “Our measure of success is actually having the members grow too big and have to leave us and then become part of our larger external community,” says Michelle Kleu, CEO of Innovation City.
Here’s how we’ve grown:
- Startups: 58 startup companies turning bold ideas into reality.
- High-Growth Startups: 24 scale ups growing rapidly in competitive markets.
- Venture Capital Firms: 6 funding the next generation of innovation.
- Corporates: 5 collaborating to co-create future-focused solutions.
Our members are reshaping industries from AI and Fintech to Edutech, Greentech, and Healthtech. But this isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating a community where everyone from ambitious startups to global players can thrive together.
Premium Events Shaping Cape Town’s Innovation Story
Innovation isn’t just about the work we do inside our walls; it’s about the conversations we spark, the connections we foster, and the growth we inspire. Over the past three years, our events have become staples of Cape Town’s innovation calendar:
- Startup of the Year: Celebrating the most trailblazing startup transforming bold ideas into game-changing realities.
- Innovation City Awards Night: Honouring excellence in innovation and recognising the visionaries shaping the future.
- Business Speed Dating: Because sometimes all it takes is a five-minute pitch to change everything!
- Digital Divas Summit: Fun and jam-packed celebration of female leaders and innovators.
- Web in Travel Africa: Exploring the intersection of travel and technology, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the future of travel.
- Digital Mastery Summit: Empowering professionals with the latest digital strategies and tools to master the evolving digital landscape.
And these are just the highlights. Every event, big or small, is designed with one goal in mind: to help you scale, connect, and succeed!
Why We Do What We Do
Being part of this ecosystem isn’t just our job, it’s our purpose. We believe in Cape Town’s potential to lead on the global innovation stage. We’re here to make sure the ideas borne in this city grow into solutions that change lives. Whether it’s introducing a startup to its first investor, connecting a corporate with cutting-edge innovation, or simply offering a space where creativity thrives, every step we take is about building the future.
Let’s Keep Building
Three years in, and we’re just getting started. Coming up in 2025 we’ll be launching our Ultimate Theme Week Series as well as working with our Impact Champions on a programme designed to drive meaningful change by supporting tech-based startups. Watch this space!
To everyone who’s been part of this story – our members, partners, and supporters – thank you. This isn’t just our celebration; it’s yours too. Together, we’ve built something extraordinary, and we’re excited for the next chapter!