The OEM’s South African division is on the lookout for new start-ups via a Facebook contest.
Epson South Africa has launched a new campaign to support the entrepreneurs and start-up companies of the future, IT Online reports.
#EpsonEntrepreneur is asking South Africans to nominate aspiring entrepreneurs and start-up owners by submitting a 300-word ‘elevator pitch’ – or a three-minute video pitch – of their business idea to its Facebook page. Self-nomination is also allowed. Top entries will then be profiled on the Epson South Africa Facebook page, before a winner is revealed.
The lucky victor will win a small-business starter pack, comprising an Epson EcoTank ITS L6190 printer, an Epson EB-X41 business projector, a corporate identity and marketing starter plan, and PR support for their launch announcement.
The latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report for South Africa, in 2016-17, showed that 37.9 percent of South Africans believes they have what it takes to start their own business. It is based on this feeling of potential that Epson has launched the #EpsonEntrepreneur campaign, in order to encourage people to take the plunge.
Timothy Thomas, Epson South Africa’s consumer sales manager, said: “Our economy is sustained by small and medium enterprises (SMEs.) Epson recognises that by encouraging and supporting entrepreneurial South Africans, they can turn their budding ideas into a start-up business. We encourage all aspiring entrepreneurs and start-up business owners to submit their business elevator pitch – no matter how big or small the idea may seem.”
“After all,” Thomas added, “our entrepreneurs are South Africa’s future.” Nominations close on the 22nd of March, with the winner being revealed a day later, on the Facebook page.
Epson has also announced a partnership with entrepreneurial start-up Heavy Chef, which hosts events, workshops, and tours focussing on leadership, creativity, and technology in order to imbue local entrepreneurs with inside insights and skills. The partnership has been set up in order to identify and share the stories of successful local entrepreneurs, and to encourage nominations by Heavy Chef attendees.
