A R3m incubation centre designed to help start-up technology companies has been opened by the Cape Town Information Technology Initiative (Citi).
Dubbed the Bandwidth Barn, the private and public sector initiative is in Lower Long Street in
the centre of Cape Town's business district.
It already houses 20 start-up companies which share its facilities, including bandwidth.
Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin has pledged government's support for the project, and
the department contributed R1m to help launch the centre. "Cape Town has become a very
important part of the information and communications technology industry in SA.
"The department will continue to look favourably on supporting similar projects by Citi and
others," Erwin says.
Entrepreneurial companies already based in the barn include TimberAfrica, a trading portal for the
timber industry; Ideosphere, a software development company; Mthombo Logic, a systems
implementer; and BulkSMS, which has developed messaging solutions. Citi believes that by promoting the IT and communication industries in the Cape and creating jobs
it can help stem the brain drain and boost SA's economy. Its executive director, Peter Frampton, says the demand for space in the centre has forced Citi to
look at acquiring more property. There are plans also to extend the idea to Johannesburg and
the Eastern Cape. "There is a palpable we-can-do-it attitude within the barn. We put our minds
to the mission, whatever that may be, and get on with it."
Private sector sponsors include UUNet SA, which supplied the bandwidth and also R500000 in cash.