Latest news with #EnterpriseDevelopment


Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: City Lodge Hotels backs small businesses
City Lodge Hotels (CLH), in partnership with Sigma International and the SATSA Tourism Business Incubator, proudly announces the launch of year four of its transformative Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme – a journey marked by deep impact, innovation, and inclusion. This milestone reflects not just the continuation of a programme, but a celebration of its intentional impact on lives, businesses, and communities. To date, the programme has supported 47 tourism-focused SMMEs across South Africa, providing them with hands-on, tailored business development support and facilitating meaningful access to the hospitality sector's procurement value chain. 'As we reflect on this journey, we are not merely ticking compliance boxes – we are acknowledging the journey of transformation. Our commitment to inclusive growth is rooted in action, outcomes, and the belief that entrepreneurship is the heartbeat of a sustainable economy. Being intentional about our commitment has reinforced our success and the positive milestones we have seen our ESD partners achieve,' says Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, chief operating officer of City Lodge Hotels. At the heart of the programme's success lies a blended incubator approach, combining business development support with operational enablement based on the unique needs of each SMME. Delivered through Sigma International's 17 professional staff and a network of over 30 partners (nationally and globally), this support ecosystem has proven to be a winning formula. The programme is ISO 9001:2015 quality-assured, integrating both human-centred and AI-driven tools to help entrepreneurs build resilient, future-ready businesses. From training webinars and management accounts to branding, equipment grants, marketing development, business linkages and digital transformation support, the intervention is as practical as it is powerful. What makes the CLH approach truly distinctive is its integration with hotel operations. General managers from the group's 55 hotels located in South Africa (it also has one property each in Windhoek, Namibia; Gaborone, Botswana; and Maputo Mozambique) nominate beneficiaries and play an active role in mentorship and development, creating a business support experience that is both embedded and empowering. 'We're championing a new kind of supplier development, one that is deeply integrated, practical, and geared towards long-term sustainability. Watching our suppliers grow and diversify is deeply rewarding. It's not just about today's contracts, but about helping build tomorrow's resilient and sustainable businesses. We also want to see the SMMEs that we partner with scaling up and growing into companies that have a national footprint, and are hopefully global entities one day,' adds Sangweni-Siddo. As a B-BBEE Level 1 contributor, City Lodge Hotels management places a lot of importance on the growth of the ESD businesses they work with, as this is included in revenue and employment. The programme continues to encourage digitalisation, the use of AI, diversification, and self-empowerment, preparing entrepreneurs for a future economy. As procurement value continues to grow, CLH and its partners celebrate the economic returns and the human stories and community impact that come from building sustainable businesses that pay it forward in an intentional manner. This fourth year represents more than continuation – it is a reflection point and a call to action for others in the sector. By 'journaling the journey', CLH invites the broader industry and ecosystem stakeholders to walk alongside in creating an inclusive, empowered tourism economy, one entrepreneur at a time.


Web Release
09-05-2025
- Business
- Web Release
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development showcases innovations of projects and local startups at SusHi Tech Tokyo conference
By Editor_wr Last updated May 8, 2025 The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development is participating at the SusHi Tech Tokyo conference, highlighting innovations of five sponsored-projects. As part of Abu Dhabi's economic delegation to Japan from 8-10 May 2025, Khalifa Fund's participating projects in SusHi Tech Tokyo include the Gracia group, which represents a leading model in smart and sustainable agriculture in the UAE, and the Rafiq application, an innovative platform that facilitates maintenance and decoration services, in addition to three projects three startups under the umbrella of Khalifa Fund, that excelled during the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development competition as part of the events of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Business Week in December 2024. These projects include Hyvego, a leader in biotechnology and climate technology, Nutrigenix, which operates in the field of nutrition, and Viai Tech, which focuses on developing sports tools and applications using AI technologies. Also eleven companies will be promoted under the Khalifa Fund Export Support Program. The participation at the event aims to showcase the innovative projects of the participating members and enhance opportunities for business collaboration, knowledge exchange and technology transfer. It provides a platform for Abu Dhabi's prominent figures in technology and entrepreneurship to share their innovations and exchange knowledge and experiences with their global peers, reinforcing the emirate's position as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Mouza Obaid Al Nasri, Acting CEO of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: 'Abu Dhabi's participation in this prestigious conference demonstrates the astute leadership's dedication to utilising the most recent developments in this area and strengthening the UAE's standing as a worldwide centre for digital innovation. A component of Abu Dhabi's vision to develop an economy based on the innovation, is the Khalifa Fund's backing of initiatives that develop and adopt advanced technologies. Additionally, the conference offers a significant opportunity to increase collaborations with international firms that specialise in cutting-edge technologies.' More than 50,000 people from across the world will attend the SusHi Tech Tokyo conference, which includes more than 500 start-ups. Numerous businesses that depend on the newest advancements in AI technologies and breakthroughs from a variety of industries, including architecture, food, health, finance, energy, sports, entertainment, space, web3, and generative AI, are also drawn to the event. Emirati business owners now have the chance to network with influential figures in the sector and exhibit their proposals on a global platform. Comments are closed.


Al Etihad
08-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development showcases agricultural innovations at SusHi Tech Tokyo conference
8 May 2025 15:24 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development participates in the SusHi Tech Tokyo conference, which takes place in Japan from May 8-10, highlighting innovations of five sponsored projects in smart and sustainable part of Abu Dhabi's economic delegation to Japan, Khalifa Fund's participating projects in SusHi Tech Tokyo include the Gracia group, which represents a leading model in smart and sustainable agriculture in the UAE, and the Rafiq application, an innovative platform that facilitates maintenance and decoration services, in addition to three projects three startups under the umbrella of Khalifa Fund, that excelled during the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development competition as part of the events of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Business Week in December 2024. These projects include Hyvego, a leader in biotechnology and climate technology, Nutrigenix, which operates in the field of nutrition, and Viai Tech, which focuses on developing sports tools and applications using AI technologies. Eleven companies will be promoted under the Khalifa Fund Export Support participation at the event aims to showcase the innovative projects of the participating members and enhance opportunities for business collaboration, knowledge exchange and technology transfer. It provides a platform for Abu Dhabi's prominent figures in technology and entrepreneurship to share their innovations and exchange knowledge and experiences with their global peers, reinforcing the emirate's position as a global hub for innovation and Obaid Al Nasri, Acting CEO of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: 'Abu Dhabi's participation in this prestigious conference demonstrates the astute leadership's dedication to utilising the most recent developments in this area and strengthening the UAE's standing as a worldwide centre for digital innovation." She added, "A component of Abu Dhabi's vision to develop an economy based on innovation is the Khalifa Fund's backing of initiatives that develop and adopt advanced technologies. Additionally, the conference offers a significant opportunity to increase collaborations with international firms that specialise in cutting-edge technologies.' More than 50,000 people from worldwide will attend the SusHi Tech Tokyo conference, which includes more than 500 start-ups. Numerous businesses that depend on the newest advancements in AI technologies and breakthroughs from a variety of industries, including architecture, food, health, finance, energy, sports, entertainment, space, web3, and generative AI, are also drawn to the event. Emirati business owners now have the chance to network with influential figures in the sector and exhibit their proposals on a global platform. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi