In conversation with the Branson Centre

Isn’t it cool that we live in a world where humanity is being inspired to get together around highly ambitious goals that are universal? A set of goals whose existence is to enable people, planet and prosperity - these are the Sustainable Development Goals. Ahunna Eziakonwa from the United Nations Development Programme, joins Nwabisa In Conversation with the Branson Centre to discuss how opportunities to accelerate against the SDGs in Africa ignite her purpose.

Ahunna leads the UNDP’s work supporting 46 countries in Africa to achieve Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Ahunna is a passionate advocate for enabling people in Africa to live in peace and prosperity. 

During this conversation, Ahunna will challenge you to “flip the script!” when it comes to harnessing the power of home-grown innovation in Africa. She dares us to make moves towards securing a future for thriving people who live in a sustainable environment whilst enjoying shared prosperity. 

Ahunna represents changemakers who insist on living in a more equal and inclusive world. We are convinced that many of these changemakers are entrepreneurs. Do you agree with us? Are you one of these changemakers?

Watch Ahunna’s colleague, Simone Smit, from the UNDP Accelerator Labs South Africa talk more about the SDG’s here.

It is not everyday that you get to sit down with a Big Wave World Champion surfer. Cass Collier is a father, professional surfer and surfing coach. His surfing adventures - inspired by his father, Ahmed Collier - have taken him around the world. Cass brings his wisdom into this storyteller series for our Ocean Innovation Challenge.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Cass inadvertently captures the spirit of the Branson Centre’s approach of ensuring entrepreneurs are always part of a red-carpet experience. Cass has recently launched the Cass Collier Surfing Academy & Foundation so that he can prove that underresourced surfers can’t be enabled through handouts. All those with a purpose-led dream and vision must be enabled by meaningful access to resources, tools and opportunities.

This Master Surfer reminds us to do as he does when he’s on the surf: take the lessons for what they are and keep catching the waves.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

No storyteller series about entrepreneur-led innovation in the ocean economy would be complete without including an entrepreneur. Kim Whitaker started her first business at the age of 23. She has been an entrepreneur in the tourism sector and now enables other tourism entrepreneurs in South Africa.

Kim has witnessed the inextricable link between tourism and the ocean. She describes how consumers are driving ocean tourism activities and experiences that enable the well-being of people and the health of the ocean. As a result, Kim views ocean innovation entrepreneurs as trendsetters.

She reminds us that as individuals, we have a responsibility to make sourcing and buying decisions that prevent the knock-on effects of depleting oceans. A thriving ocean is not just about delightful summer holidays but is about enabling communities to create livelihoods that enable economic well prosperity and foster dignity amongst all people.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

Did you know that South Africa is the second largest manufacturer and exporter of luxury catamarans in the world? Did you know that 50% of South Africa’s agricultural exports leave by sea from the Western Cape? Did you know that fish is one of the top 20 exports from South Africa to the world? The ocean economy exists in South Africa.

Our latest storyteller is Karen Bosman, Head: Strategy and Advocacy at Wesgro. Wesgro is the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town. The organisation drives investment into the economy, promotes local exports to the world and markets the Western Cape as a destination.

Karen makes it clear to us that the ocean economy couldn’t be a better example of how an internationalised economy works. Customers and consumers are becoming more demanding and discerning about the buying decisions that they make. Matters of sustainability are now a competitive advantage.

There is so much opportunity for entrepreneur-led innovation when it comes to building towards a sustainable ocean economy because every single business practice is currently pivoting towards enabling a healthy ocean. Our activities in the ocean economy need to drive towards decarbonisation and the promotion of biodiversity. Every entrepreneur has a role to play.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

Lindani Mchunu’s journey with the ocean began when he was a young boy spending time with his grandmother who is a healer and used seawater as part of her practice. His respect for the ocean was fostered when he was a pilot with a bird’s eye view of its vastness. Lindani’s relationship with the ocean was solidified when he became a qualified skipper through the Royal Cape Yacht Club.

Lindani joins our conversation as the Marine Manager at the V&A Waterfront. There, he looks after all of the ship movement in and out of the harbour precinct. He views the V&A Waterfront as a key part of the ocean economy and refers to it as “the centre of the centre of the centre”.

Listen out for Lindani’s description of the ocean economy and how he challenges us to think about what it takes for entrepreneur-led innovation to take place so we can build a sustainable ocean economy. He is enthusiastic about the localisation of the ocean economy and the opportunities localisation presents for entrepreneurs from communities that have up until now not participated in the ocean economy.

Lindani emphasises that there is no innovation without integration and that there is no integration without inclusion. We couldn’t agree more!

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

Entrepreneur-led innovation must be enabled by access to finance in the form of investors. Innovation for a sustainable ocean economy needs impact investors who are passionate about the ocean. Meet Lynton.

Lynton is the Principal at Venture 4th Ocean Ocean Impact Fund - a deal-leading venture capital fund that invests in and supports ocean impact entrepreneurs. Whilst the topic of this episode isn’t focused on finance, it is fascinating to understand why Lynton would be involved in the ocean economy and how he found his way there. He tells us that the purpose of the fund is to pin the hope on entrepreneurs to lead the way in innovating for a sustainable ocean economy. We agree with him that entrepreneurs are driven by passion and a desire to fix what is broken and to provide what is needed. They can do this whilst creating livelihoods and wealth through their businesses.

It is clear that innovating for a sustainable ocean economy is urgent. Lynton reminds us that it is the 11th hour. This conversation provides hope as the Afro-optimist in Lynton encourages us to take action and show the rest of the world that change for the better is possible and it is coming from Africa.

Lynton has written a novel called She Down There and he is a photographer. Have a look at his incredible photos here.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

The storyteller in this episode of our Ocean Innovation Challenge series grew up in landlocked Soweto. Yet, Zandile Ndhlovu is South Africa’s first black free diving instructor.

Zandile’s passion for the ocean and the conservation of the ocean is palpable and urgent. She is a budding filmmaker who is committed to documenting the magical beauty of the ocean whilst bearing witness to the ways in which humanity cannot keep its own out of the ocean.

She is a voice that challenges the assumptions we make about the ocean being for all. Zandile is not afraid to share with us that the ocean space is currently undiverse. She seeks to ensure young black South Africans start their positive relationship with the ocean at an early age. Zandile is curious to find out the career and lifestyle choices young South Africans can make after they have been exposed to the ocean. The Black Mermaid Foundation was established for this very reason.

On the ocean economy, Zandile shows up as a lighthouse; cautioning us about how rampant economic interests can override matters of sustainability. She is a believer that entrepreneur-led innovation can build a sustainable ocean economy. Pay attention to the advice she has for entrepreneurs that comes from the art of freediving: breathe, trust yourself and keep exploring! As a bonus, check out Zandile’s TEDxCapeTown talk and enjoy.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

Simone Smit is no stranger to the Branson Centre’s podcasts (when you are done with this one, watch her break the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals down here). In the first of our series of stories within our Ocean Innovation Challenge, Simone gives us a glimpse into the trends she has seen around existing innovations in the Ocean Economy. She talks about a Blue Awakening and it is thrilling! Stay tuned towards the end of this episode and find out what Simone’s wishlist is for innovation for a sustainable ocean economy.

The United Nations Development Programme’s Accelerator Labs South Africa has partnered with the Branson Centre on a voyage of discovery about entrepreneur-led innovations that build a sustainable ocean economy.

What is a sustainable ocean economy? Simone describes it as one that restores and protects the ocean whilst contributing to economic growth, job creation and the wellbeing of people. She tells us that there are no better dreamers than entrepreneurs, and so innovative entrepreneurs (and investors!) have an important role to play in building the equitable and sustainable future that we all want to be a part of.

To learn more about the Ocean Innovation Challenge, visit our website.

Join our Ocean Innovation Network to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts and access inspiring content.

Have you ever wondered if you could change the question “what am I selling?” to “how can I make your life better?”? Give a listen to our latest podcast with V&A Waterfront Marketing Executive, Tinyiko Mageza.

Tinyiko is a purpose-led marketer who consistently asks herself the question “am I adding value?”. This makes her a red hot and relevant guest to talk about Customer Experience. Whilst listening to Tinyiko, be sure to hear her thoughts on how Customer Experience intersects with Purpose, and is driven by People (purpose-led teams).

Tinyiko oversees the marketing for Africa’s most visited destination - a destination that is much more than “a mall and a Ferris wheel”! She describes the V&A Waterfront as a place of possibilities and opportunity. This “born and bred Jo’burg girl” will inspire you to get into the business of experience.

Through our conversation with Tinyiko, we understand the difference between customer service and customer experience. Tinyiko offers practical (and very doable!) advice on how to map out your customer journey and she brings the idea of “moments of truth” into our activities.

Have you ever wondered if you could change the question “what am I selling?” to “how can I make your life better?”? Give a listen to our latest podcast with V&A Waterfront Marketing Executive, Tinyiko Mageza.

Tinyiko is a purpose-led marketer who consistently asks herself the question “am I adding value?”. This makes her a red hot and relevant guest to talk about Customer Experience. Whilst listening to Tinyiko, be sure to hear her thoughts on how Customer Experience intersects with Purpose, and is driven by People (purpose-led teams).

Tinyiko oversees the marketing for Africa’s most visited destination - a destination that is much more than “a mall and a Ferris wheel”! She describes the V&A Waterfront as a place of possibilities and opportunity. This “born and bred Jo’burg girl” will inspire you to get into the business of experience.

Through our conversation with Tinyiko, we understand the difference between customer service and customer experience. Tinyiko offers practical (and very doable!) advice on how to map out your customer journey and she brings the idea of “moments of truth” into our activities.