Johannesburg will host the third edition of the Africa Business Connect forum in  August of  this year. The forum will bring together local and international companies, investors,  economic development stakeholders, as well as government and institutional representatives. It also aims to be a platform dedicated to the promotion of business opportunities to participants, access to an international network,  investment opportunities, access to financial resources and knowledge sharing. Start ups will also form part of the  participants. We now put the spotlight on their importance. The ninth edition of the African Tech Startups Funding Report, released in January this year , by Disrupt Africa -  reveals a significant decline in funding deals in Africa, with many South African start-ups securing funding in 2023 plummeting to the lowest level in six years. To unpack this Bongiwe Zwane spoke to  Babalwa Mlungwana, Director at QUT Consulting and business development professional