8. Why we need more startup giants - not just tech: lessons from Hubspace with Melilizwe Gqobo

8. Why we need more startup giants - not just tech: lessons from Hubspace with Melilizwe Gqobo

Today’s guest, Melilizwe Gqobo (he/him) - Founding Director of Hubspace (Khayelitsha) and Venture Scout, has successfully created space for founders and entrepreneurs to thrive by strengthening and reinforcing their capacity or ability to seek opportunities.

With the hindsight of co-founding Hubspace, a pioneering startup ecosystem or incubator space to bring communal offices and resources to entrepreneurs and founders within the township economy, meaningfully contributing over 5% to South Africa’s GDP, Melilizwe shares key lessons and insights on what it takes to make a successful venture while highlighting examples from Bolt and Uber’s entry to the South African/African market.

What's Covered On This Episode:
0:00 - The Entrepreneurship and Founder Ecosystems
1:23 - Founder Lessons and Challenges
4:40 - Reasons why I became an Entrepreneur
6:02 - The Opportunity Set – NGOs
8:07 - Making a successful venture
10:51 - Does First Mover Advantage Exist?
12:50 - The Role of Enterprise Development
14:51 - The Township Economy
25:39 - The Importance of Patient Capital, Support, Routine and Mindset for Preservation
32:57 - Allyship: Creating space and an intentional community
38:29 - Innovation and AI
46:17 - Wrap-up: Key Takeaways

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Creators and Guests

Bandile Mndebele
Host
Bandile Mndebele
Bandile Mndebele is a passionate advocate for intersectional inclusion, committed to creating equitable and inclusive environments. Their journey began at Stellenbosch University, where they pioneered a gender-neutral initiative, making it the first top South African university to recognize the gender-neutral marker, Mx. Following their academic pursuits, Bandile has held influential roles in various organisations, including serving on the Global Council for DEI and as a PRIDE Network Chair at a major S&P 500 company, where they co-founded Ubuntu South Africa. They have been instrumental in driving initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for marginalised groups such as LGBTQ+ individuals and neurodivergent people. They have also been recognized for their leadership and impact, receiving awards such as the Top 100 Outstanding LGBT+ Future Leader and Top 100 Outstanding Executive Role Model. Through their podcast, newsletter, and speaking engagements, Bandile shares insights and inspires others to create a more just and equitable world. Their work highlights the importance of intersectional inclusion.
Melilizwe Gqobo
Guest
Melilizwe Gqobo
Founding director of Hubspace (Khayelitsha) and Venture Scout, has successfully created space for founders and entrepreneurs to thrive by strengthening and reinforcing their capacity or ability to seek opportunities.
BMV