Cape Town, South Africa: Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) exists for one reason that truly matters: when entrepreneurs thrive, economies expand. Founders are not a nice-to-have in the growth equation; they are the engines that convert ideas into jobs, innovation into productivity, and ambition into measurable GDP impact. This year, Thinkroom leaned fully into that mandate, delivering high-impact engagements that went beyond inspiration and into the territory of tangible founder capability, commercial readiness, and scalable growth.
Across Southern Africa, Thinkroom’s GEW programme focused on strengthening the fundamentals that drive real economic contribution: sharper go-to-market strategies, clearer value propositions, improved investor readiness, and the confidence to scale responsibly. The result was not just energetic participation, but practical progress for founders positioned to grow teams, expand operations, and contribute meaningfully to national and regional economies.
Our headline initiative, the Rising to the Top Elevator Pitch Competition, returned for its second year with a level of polish and ambition that reflected a maturing founder landscape. Five finalists pitched live to a distinguished panel of judges: Anthony William Catt of Ventures 54, Craig Ivy of Knife Capital, Cydney Chambers of Oracle Group Eswatini, and Obakeng Maema of E Squared Investments. Hosted by Ropah Musvaire, programme coordinator at Grindstone, the session demonstrated the critical importance of access to credible investor feedback, a privilege still far too rare for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Beyond the competitive element, the true value lay in the process. Founders were challenged to refine their commercial narrative, clarify their funding ask, stress-test their assumptions and articulate their growth logic with precision. These are not cosmetic skills; they are the building blocks of scalable enterprises capable of hiring, exporting, and strengthening economic resilience.
Luna Hair + Body from Eswatini claimed first place and the $1,000 prize with a pitch that balanced purpose-driven positioning and commercial viability. Their win reflected not only individual excellence but the broader potential rising across the continent when founders are given structured platforms to sharpen their edge. Congratulations also to the other exceptional finalists: Wishy Washy Laundry, Crystal Nature, Pure Vawter and UNIskill, each demonstrating the tenacity and ambition required to move markets forward.
Thinkroom’s GEW engagement extended beyond virtual platforms with an in-person session in Windhoek as part of GEW Namibia. Led by Catherine Young, Founder of Thinkroom, and Lucie Fink, CEO, the workshop convened twelve high-potential founders focused on advancing their go-tomarket strategies, preparing for funding, and building defensible business models. The session reinforced a critical truth: sustainable businesses are not built in the funding room, but in the discipline of strategy, execution and customer clarity long before capital enters the picture. Namibia’s entrepreneurial momentum continues to strengthen, positioning the country as an important contributor to regional growth and innovation.
Entrepreneurs play a decisive role in shaping modern economies. Through job creation, innovation, productivity gains and market competition, they stimulate structural change and unlock new value chains. Small and medium enterprises are consistently recognised as the backbone of GDP growth globally, and in emerging markets, their role is even more pronounced. Supporting entrepreneurs, therefore, is not philanthropy; it is a strategic investment in employment, competitiveness and inclusive economic development.
Global Entrepreneurship Week shines a necessary spotlight on this reality. As Catherine Young notes, “Founders are carrying far more than their business plans. They are carrying the future of jobs,
industries and communities. When we strengthen them, we strengthen the economic fabric of entire countries.”
Thinkroom remains committed to creating spaces where founders can build real capability, access meaningful opportunity and scale with confidence. Because when entrepreneurs grow, economies do too – and that is growth worth betting on.
Find out more here: https://thinkroom.co
