15 Jul Backing Bold: Inside Thinkroom’s R100K Investment at Digital Divas 2025

In a powerful show of support for women-led innovation, Thinkroom has announced a R100 000 investment prize for the winner of this year’s Diva Pitch at Digital Divas Summit 2025. In addition, the runner-up will receive a bespoke Go-To-Market (GTM) support package to help accelerate their brand, product, or positioning, both offered directly by the Thinkroom team.

As a women-led firm known for building ecosystems and supporting high-growth African entrepreneurs, Thinkroom’s decision reflects their belief that it’s time to move beyond applause and into action.

We caught up with the team to find out more about what inspired this contribution, what they’re looking for in the next generation of women founders, and why they believe Digital Divas is the right platform to back.

Why did Thinkroom choose to invest in the winner of the Digital Divas Pitch this year?

We saw the impact of Digital Divas last year. It wasn’t just another event; it was a powerful platform for women building businesses with ambition. That kind of energy and opportunity is rare, and we wanted to be a part of it.

So this year, we’re showing up with something tangible: an investment. A direct show of support for the kind of innovative women-led business that deserves to be backed, not just applauded.

What about this platform or audience resonated with you?

Take a look at the Thinkroom team; we’re a women-led, women-founded, and women-run organisation. So, when we see a room full of powerhouse women building businesses, telling their bold stories, and putting themselves out there, we see people who resonate with who we are and what we support.

The energy at Digital Divas is different. It’s not surface-level conversations about equality in the ecosystem or impostor syndrome for women (although these are important topics, they have already been discussed, and now we need action); these conversations are about the next steps for women and how we are making it happen, regardless of the obstacles. It’s bright, grounded, and ambitious. These are women showing up to build empires, and that’s exactly the kind of energy we support.

What do you hope this R100K investment will enable for the winner?

Momentum. The winner will already have something strong, and they’ll have earned the win. Our investment is there to help them go further, faster. Whether it’s funding a critical hire, unlocking product development, or fuelling customer acquisition, it’s a boost to get them out of the “almost-there” zone and hopefully into their next chapter of their growth journey.

Are there particular outcomes or signals you’ll be looking for from the winning founder?

Yes and no. We’ll look at the numbers, of course. But we’re not only data-focused; we’re founder-first. There’s a phrase we use often: “founder magic.” It’s a combination of grit, clarity, coachability and charisma that can’t be deduced in a spreadsheet. You can’t fake founder magic. But when it’s there, you feel it.

We also look for founders who can take a knock, learn from it, and come back stronger. The ones who are honest about what didn’t work, but quick to readjust and try again. Being dynamic and being able to pivot when it’s needed, knowing when to double down or when to change direction, is a real strength.

You’ve also offered a GTM support package for the runner-up. Can you tell us more about what that might include?

Thinkroom has been living and breathing startups for over a decade; so we know exactly where they get stuck, and we know how to get them moving again.

Our GTM (go-to-market) packages are built specifically with founders in mind. Most don’t need a full agency. They need targeted and strategic help with the time-consuming, specialised things that make a big difference. Maybe it’s a whole brand refresh. A sharp landing page. Clarity on positioning. A social media content plan. Or someone to sit with them for a quarterly brand review to see what is and isn’t working.

That’s why we’ve designed flexible support packages that meet founders where they are.

But it doesn’t stop there. Founders can also build their own bespoke package; kind of like a “make-your-own” menu. Choose from our full menu of services and tailor your own mix depending on where you’re stuck, what you need, and how you want to prioritise your resources.

If any founders need this kind of support and would like to find out more about how we can help them please feel free to reach out: [email protected]

What advice would you give to the women taking the stage to pitch at Digital Divas 2025?

Get very clear on what your business does. Be able to explain it in a conversation in one sentence. Without any jargon, without any stats, without any examples. That clarity is powerful.

If you can’t zoom out of the detail and explain it simply, your customer won’t get it, and neither will an investor. Take a step back and turn it into something sharp and digestible. The detail will come later.

Most importantly: back yourself. The stage is yours and you’re there for a reason.

If the nerves kick in, here is a trick used by Navy SEALs called box breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four. Repeat. It works to steady your breath and mind.

Any do’s, don’ts, or unexpected tips?

Do: Practise your pitch until it flows naturally. Practise it in conversation when people ask you what you do.
Don’t: Overcomplicate. Simplicity wins.
Unexpected tip: When you’re nervous, shift the focus from yourself to the problem you’re solving. You’re not pitching you, you’re pitching the impact your business can have. That helps settle the nerves and reconnect with purpose.

What’s your vision for the impact Thinkroom wants to have on women in entrepreneurship over the next few years?

We want to shift the standard. That means more women accessing funding, closing deals, building teams, and creating value within the ecosystem. Our vision is to equip women with the tools, capital, and confidence they need to grow.

How does this initiative align with that?

This is exactly what that vision looks like in action. Digital Divas is bringing together women who are already doing the work: building, pitching, and leading. This is not about potential; it’s about momentum.

By investing in the winner, we’re showcasing what it looks like when belief turns into action. This initiative is our way of putting weight behind the words. Not just amplifying women founders but actively accelerating them.

And finally: How can the broader ecosystem support women-led ventures beyond pitch competitions?

Move beyond the stage. Visibility is important, yes, but it’s not enough. We need long-term, meaningful backing that goes beyond the event day.

Accelerators: Tailor your support. One-size-fits-all, ChatGPT-written programmes don’t cut it. Create environments where women can show up fully, be taken seriously, and thrive.
Corporates: Partner with women. Put them in your supply chains, not just on your panels.

And all of us? Let’s stop talking about empowering women like they’re not already powerful. Let’s shift our focus to removing the structural barriers in their way and clear the path to their success.

Want to be in the room where this happens?

Join us at Digital Divas Summit 2025 on 29 August at Innovation City Cape Town, where game-changing conversations meet real capital. Whether you’re pitching, building, investing, or cheering from the front row, this is where momentum finds its match.

 🎟 Book your seat now and be part of a summit where belief turns into action!