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Johannesburg - Rapid changes ushered in by technological advances are transforming human experience and business culture everywhere, said Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The GEC is currently taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg from March 13-16.
With almost every industry disrupted by technology, this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) takes place for the first time in Africa and is themed 'Digital Disruption'.
The 2017 GEC sees over 6 000 delegates from 165 countries for the world’s largest entrepreneurial gathering of investors, policy makers and researchers.
And Ramaphosa delivered a keynote at the event on Tuesday.
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“We must recognise that digital disruption is a cornerstone of a modern, diversified economy. It is digital disruptors who redefine the competitive landscape as they strengthen knowledge-based economies,” Ramaphosa said.
“They enhance customer experiences of products and services, offering something fundamentally different and better. In Africa, they serve as development partners who exploit digital innovation to bring improved basic services to communities in remote rural areas and impoverished urban settlements,” he added.
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The GEC is hosted by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, Sustainable Entrepreneur Accelerator (SEA) Africa and the City of Johannesburg.
SEA Africa is also custodian to the Global Entrepreneurship Network – South Africa (GEN-SA) chapter.
Gamuchirai Mutezo, chief operations officer of SEA Africa, told Fin24 that digital disruption is where the continent is headed.
“One becomes exposed to dormant opportunities within their surroundings or becomes more conscious about the type of risks to take and the type of assistance available,” Mutezo said.
“That desire to know more can also contribute to some form of entrepreneurial coaching which can aid in their approach to growing a business,” Mutezo told Fin24.
