SA start-ups will soon be able to apply for incubation support from Google SA. The international search giant has launched Umbono, a technology incubator based in Cape Town.

Google SA country manager Luke Mckend says Umbono will bring together seed capital, mentorship, angel investors and business leaders to help selected start-up businesses to “transform their ideas into companies”.

The incubator forms part of Google’s African initiative to strengthen the Internet ecosystem.

“The SA tech scene is incredibly dynamic, particularly in Cape Town,” says Mckend. “We’ve seen some terrific start-ups come from this environment, companies like Yola, MXit and Twangoo. Google’s latest investment with Umbono is a great extension of our overall strategy in the region to strengthen the Web ecosystem.”

The project is being done in collaboration with the Silicon Cape Initiative and the Bandwidth Barn.

For six months, start-up teams will have access to free office space and bandwidth. They will also receive between US$25 000 (about R173 000) to $50 000 (R346 000) in funding from a panel of angel investors and Google.

Google has also called on its employees from across the world to provide mentorship to the new businesses, ranging from product design specialists to legal and valuation specialists.

Potential start-ups will also have access to local technology leaders from both the Silicon Cape Initiative and Bandwidth Barn.

“Google’s Umbono programme is a welcome addition to Cape Town’s tech scene. There’s a lot of talent and enthusiasm for technology here, and many just need that window of opportunity,” says Justin Spratt, a board member for the Silicon Cape Initiative.

Applications will be live on the Umbono website from Tuesday and the programme is open to all SA residents. The deadline for first-round applicants is 15 April. However, the site will continue to accept applications from interested candidates. — Staff reporter, TechCentral