Organization:Black Umbrellas
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| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Charles Maisel, Mark Frankel |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Focus | Entrepreneurship development and SMME incubation |
| Headquarters | Johannesburg, South Africa |
Parent organization | Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | Shanduka Black Umbrellas |
Black Umbrellas (formerly Shanduka Black Umbrellas) is a South African non-profit enterprise and supplier development incubation organisation focused on supporting black-owned small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The organisation operates as an implementing partner of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation and provides incubation, mentorship, business support, and enterprise development services across South Africa.[1][2]
History
Black Umbrellas was founded in Cape Town in 2004 by social entrepreneurs Charles Maisel and Mark Frankel. The initiative was developed in response to the implementation of South Africa's Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Codes of Good Practice, particularly enterprise development requirements aimed at supporting black-owned businesses.[3]
In 2009, the Shanduka Foundation partnered with the founders to expand the organisation nationally. The partnership included an initial investment aimed at establishing a larger incubation network and expanding operations into Gauteng. Following the partnership, the organisation operated under the name Shanduka Black Umbrellas.[4]
In 2015, after the Shanduka Foundation transitioned into the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, the organisation reverted to the name Black Umbrellas while continuing to operate within the foundation's economic empowerment programmes.[2][4]
During the 2020s, the organisation expanded its digital incubation model through a virtual incubation platform designed to support entrepreneurs across multiple provinces.[5]
See also
- Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation
- Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment
- Small and medium-sized enterprises
References
- ↑ "Q&A: SHANDUKA BLACK UMBRELLAS" (in en-US). 2016-10-31. https://www.jsemagazine.co.za/jse-supplement/qa-shanduka-black-umbrellas/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Online, Independent (2012-02-09). "Ramaphosa opens Shanduka Black Umbrellas" (in en). https://iol.co.za/business-report/companies/2012-07-12-ramaphosa-opens-shanduka-black-umbrellas/.
- ↑ "Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa: Shanduka Black Umbrellas National Enterprise Development Awards | South African Government". https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/deputy-president-cyril-ramaphosa-shanduka-black-umbrellas-national-enterprise.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "History of Shanduka – Phembani" (in en-US). https://www.phembani.com/index.php/history-of-shanduka/.
- ↑ Nkosi, Nomaswazi (2022-08-22). "First Black Umbrellas incubation lounge launched in KZN to empower youth and entrepreneurs" (in en-US). https://www.cyrilramaphosafoundation.org/first-black-umbrellas-incubation-lounge-launched-in-kzn-to-empower-youth-and-entrepreneurs/.
External links
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