Organization Overview

Lion’s Den Global initiative exists to provide support to youth entrepreneurial work so that they are able to engage in initiatives and contribute to social transformation.

The project creates a conducive platform for young active citizens between the ages of 18-35, who are leading social impact projects within communities, to pitch their ideas and received feedback from experts and seasoned entrepreneurs.

Lion's Den Global currently covers Gauteng, albeit, gradually extending to other provinces.

The Lion’s Den initiative exists to provide support to youth entrepreneurial work so that they are able to engage in initiatives and contribute to social transformation. The project creates a conducive platform for young active citizens between the ages of 18-35, who are leading social impact projects within communities, to pitch their ideas and received feedback from experts and seasoned entrepreneurs. The project currently covers Gauteng, albeit, gradually extending to other provinces.

BACKGROUND

Lion’s Den Global initiative is the brainchild of Black Stars Programme (BSP); a company established in 2012. Since June, 2013 BSP has offered integrated education solutions aimed at assisting the young entrepreneurs in the greater Johannesburg area to develop basic literacy and numerical skills so that they are able to make rational and informed career choices. BSP has identified and nudged into a market opportunity that provides the following value proposition:

• Creating a space for young entrepreneurs to engage, collaborate and co-create industry that supports emerging businesses.
• Creating a platform for young entrepreneurs who spear-head social impact projects to interact with industry experts (so called “industry wizards”, similar to the British “Dragon’s Den”), find new networks, partners, funders and mentorships.

Many people especially young citizens are unaware of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the challenges that it sets out to address. Due to this lack of knowledge and understanding of the NDP among young citizens, part of the objectives of the Lion’s Den Global is to stimulate understanding of this national document among people and more importantly to provide a space for young citizens to engage, collaborate and co-create their own business initiatives that seek to affect their lives and communities.

BSP has adopted an approach that will attract, retain and sustain projects started by young entrepreneurs within local communities. Innovation is driven by interaction and creation of high impact action projects aligned to the social needs and opportunities. The understanding of challenges facing communities, project planning, problem solving techniques, markets and creation of networks is key to driving such projects.

OUR VISION

A leading global pitching platform to support self-motivated young people who drive change in their communities.

OUR OBJECTIVES

• To create a conducive space for young entrepreneurs involved in small businesses to pitch their initiatives for advice from “industry wizards”;
• To provide an opportunity for industry experts and leaders to provide mentorship and support to small and medium enterprise development;
• To create a network that foster collaboration among beneficiary businesses.

Meet our team

Black Stars Programme (BSP) boasts of a strong management team based on skills, knowledge and experience. Our team has over ten years combined experience in education and skills development. Working together, they have developed cutting-edge strategies to grow BSP to be the leading career research and information company in South Africa. As part of promoting the job creation strategy, BSP will expand its team to include project co-coordinators.

THABANG MABUZA

MALEBOHENG SEKHONA

Tony Mathipa

Newsroom

Provide links to press releases and news about the organization.

Philosophy & Culture

Provide information about the organization's philosophy and culture.

Fundraising

Provide information about fundraising.