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Fascinating insights into the online conversations around Net Prophet 2011

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:03:02 +0000

Calling all stats and social media geeks.

The wonderful folks at BrandsEye produced this comprehensive report giving insights into the online conversations that took place around Net Prophet 2011.

It highlights a number of interesting stats including, the total reach of the event online, most talked about Prophets, common themes, overall sentiment and even compares Net Prophet to the Sate of the Nation Address!

Find out more about the Net Prophet Conference and other Net Prophet events by visiting our website. Click here to stay in touch and get all the information about future Net Prophet events.

Fascinating insights into the online conversations around Net Prophet 2011

Net Prophet videos and slides

Tim — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:31:50 +0000

If you couldn’t make the 2011 conference or want to revisit the wisdom imparted by our prophets, the majority of the presentation slides and videos are now available on our site for your viewing pleasure.

Shot in HD, and beautifully edited, this is an amazing free resource of knowledge and inspiration which would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors Old Mutual (Platinum), RSAWEB (Silver) and Yola (Silver).

The Net Prophet Bursary
At this year’s conference we received an amazing response to our call for contributions to our Net Prophet Crowd Sourced Bursary. Through pledges on twitter and via the registration signup form, we raised over R110,000! – almost double the figure we raised last year. A massive thank-you to all those who gave – especially our top contributors (in no particular order):

Justin Stanford, 21 Tanks, RSAWEB, Woo Themes, Payfast, Obox, pMailer_SA and synaq.

We need just another 10K to reach our target for R120,000, which would enable us to bring on an extra two students. It’s not too late to give – you can still pledge here.

For those that have already pledged, you can view our banking details here to make payment.

Meet the startups selected to participate in our Startup Acceleration Workshop

Tim — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:53:51 +0000

What a tough decision it was to select our final ten startups to participate in our Startup Acceleration Workshop.

The standard was extremely high, and we were impressed with the sheer variety and innovation shown by those who took part in the application process.

Though we’d like to have taken on more, we were limited to only taking on the ten we deemed most suitable (and would benefit most) for this particular workshop. Here they are in no particular order:

iSigned

Sampleboard

QCF Designs

Trust Fabric

Feedbackrocket

MBAConnect

MyOWs

Infoteg

Bookpay

Edge Campus

Congrats to those who made it! – we’ll be in touch soon to let you know the finer details.

A massive thanks to all those who took part in the process. The volume and quality of the applications we received are a good indicator the local tech startup community is alive, well and growing furiously.

Find out more about the Net Prophet Conference and other Net Prophet events by visiting our website. Click here to stay in touch and get all the information about future Net Prophet events.

Meet the startups selected to participate in our Startup Acceleration Workshop

On show at Net Prophet: The Joule

Tim — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:25:30 +0000

If you needed another great reason not to miss the Net Prophet 2011 conference, this is it.

The Joule is Africa’s first battery electric engineering masterpiece (from Optimal Energy), and will be on show for the duration of the conference. Read more about the Joule here.

Joule Brand Film from Optimal Energy on Vimeo.

Meet our first ever Net Prophet bursary recipients

Tim — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 10:48:28 +0000

If we are to build culture where technology entrepreneurship can thrive, it’s important that we invest in the education of appropriately skilled people. At last year’s conference, we set out to raise money towards a bursary for two local students from financially needy backgrounds, who were studying IT related qualifications. Through the outrageously generous contributions of those who attended the event, we were able to raise R60,000 – not bad for our first attempt.

A final thanks to all those that contributed – you have made tangible difference in the lives of two promising young minds:

Deon Takpuie
Currently Studying: Third year BSC in Business Computing & Computer Science. (UCT)

Career ambitions?
I deeply desire the position of a systems analyst, as it perfectly mixes computers and people together.

Who is your technology/IT hero?
Mark Shuttleworth, for making Africa proud and also releasing excellent open source entities like Ubuntu.

What do you love most about technology?
I love the evolution of technology. Technology makes our lives not just more convenient, but more productive. There are many such examples:

- The time in saved our day by using washing machines.
- Being able to be reached remotely via a cellular phone.

I admire the perseverance and visionary thinking most true technological breakthroughs require.

What role do you think technology has to play in the future of SA?
Technology has a massive role to play in South Africa, one can just look at the increasing number of computing institutions that are being created. Technology will be used to better lives for example: Aurecon Cape Town, is a company that did the disaster management program (IT based) for the recent Cape Argus and it improved emergency response dramatically.

Lyndsay Lawrence

Currently studying: Third year – pure Mathematics & Computer Science. (UCT)

Career ambitions?
My dream is to one day work for Google. Whether it be in research or development. More specifically though, my main interests are artificial intelligence and cryptography. I would like to either do research in the artificial intelligence field or become a cryptographer (research or practical).

Who is your technology/IT hero?
Grace Murray Hopper

What do you love most about technology?
I love how technology is making the world a smaller place. It has become so easy to keep in contact with people all around the world, friends, family and even making new contacts. Information is also freely available and there’s very little we can’t find out with the resources available to us.

What role do you think technology has to play in the future of SA?
Technology in South Africa is growing slower than the rest of the world, but despite this fact, it is still helping us as a nation. It connects us to the rest of the world, which is needed for development and growth. An increase in technology will help us build a stronger, more efficient country. It also makes education more accessible, and education is the most important thing of all.

Net Prophet Startup Accelerator Workshop

Tim — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:09:57 +0000

Are you the driving force behind a hot tech startup? Want to know how you can greatly accelerate your business efforts?

We’re offering local tech startups the opportunity to receive three days of FREE, hands-on mentoring and coaching with Permjot Valia, prolific angel investor and one of Europe’s top startup mentors.

While good ideas form the foundation of innovation, it’s critical to know when and how to break into the market. That’s where the knowledge of those who have personal experience in assisting with or investing in startups can make a difference to whether your ideas will reach commercial success. This is an excellent opportunity for local startups to get the edge they need.

The main focus of the workshop will be to help local startups to fast-track their businesses towards commercial success, and compete in the international arena.

How to apply

To ensure that each startup receives the maximum value from the experience, space is limited to just ten startups. Interested parties that would like to attend the workshop must apply via our website.

All applications will be screened to determine which startups are most suitable to attend. The final team startups selected to participate will be chosen by us. Applications close on 22 April. The selected candidates will be announced on April 28.

The Startup Acceleration Workshop will run from 9 – 11 May, and takes place in Cape Town. More detailed information can be on our website.

The Net Prophet Startup Accelerator Workshop is proudly supported by Old Mutual.

Net Prophet 2011 Registrations Open!

Tim — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:42:02 +0000

Be part of the action – general registrations for Net Prophet 2011 are now open. There’s a good chance that they’ll be gone soon – so don’t delay. Registrations can only be done via our website. Go there now to book your place at what promises to be Africa’s premier technology startup event.

Once you’ve registered, you can make use of our handy Check Registration tool on our website, which enables registrants to double-check if they are registered for Net Prophet 2011.

News to watch
This year we’re not holding back. In the next few weeks we’ll be making announcements about exciting developments:

The Prophet list – Standby for the announcement of our stellar lineup of local and international speakers and contributors.

The Net Prophet Startup Accelerator Workshop – This new addition to Net Prophet will help startups dramatically fast-track their businesses, by learning from experienced mentors who have walked the road to success before. Details coming soon.

Technology showcase – One of the greatest home-grown technology masterpieces of our time will be on exhibition at this years event. Can you guess what it will be?

Meet our bursary recipients – Thanks to the generous contributions from those who attended last year’s event, we are now able to introduce you to the beneficiaries of the Net Prophet bursary.

D DAY (For those that have been hiding under a rock)
Date: 12th May, 2011
Venue: Mutual Park, Pinelands, Cape Town, South Africa

If you are traveling from foreign countries, and need letters of invitation for visa applications, please contact info@netprophet.org.za.

Early Bird Registrations

Tim — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:26:28 +0000

Quite a number of super-keen folk have been pushing us for a registration date.

The bad news is that we’re not quite ready to open the full registration process just yet. The good news is that we’re opening 100 spots for those that just can’t wait any longer.

WARNING: Be careful who you tell. Last year, our Early Bird registrations were all snapped up in just 30 minutes. By the time you read this post, the EB registrations may already be full. If this is the case, please don’t despair – there will be an official round of registrations to follow next month.

All the details on our speaker lineup, official registration dates and such will follow very shortly… all will be revealed. In the mean time, go ahead and book your spot at Net Prophet ahead of the masses.

Not sure if you’re registered? Make use of our handy Check Registration tool.

Allocation of our Net Prophet Bursary funds

Tim — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:31:57 +0000

Coming to a decision on how best to allocate the funds from our Net Prophet bursary has not been an easy journey. Along the way we’ve engaged with numerous organizations who have graciously educated us on the many challenges faced by previously disadvantaged and financially needy students wanting to study in the field of IT, and how these challenges affect how a willing donor should give.

We’ve learnt that it is simply not good enough to give – you need a good giving strategy. This strategy needs to take into account a range of factors, which extend far beyond the student’s grades or willingness. Social support structures, pervious school IT infrastructure, language barriers, geographical constraints and available mentorship are just some of many factors that donors need to consider in order to ensure that a student succeeds at a tertiary education level and successfully enters the job market.

After much careful research and consideration, we’ve created two bursaries in partnership with the University of Cape Town, that will cover the second year tuition fees for two students studying IT related degrees. The funds raised from our upcoming 2011 event will then go towards their third year tuition, and (hopefully) additional students starting their second year’s tuition in 2012. Our goal is to support the students right to the point where they can enter the job market. RAMP Group will also provide an Internship program for the students to help them gain industry experience before they graduate.

The selection of the students will take place during the university registration period, which is in February 2011. Following the selection of the students, we’ll introduce them to the Net Prophet community, and you’ll get a chance to meet them at Net Prophet 2011 where they’ll share some more about their individual stories at the conference.

Thanks again to all those who gave generously at our 2010 conference, and made this bursary a reality.

Net Prophet 2011 date announcement

Tim — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:22:10 +0000

D-Day: 12 May
Diarize it, sync it, write it on a piece of non-digital media if you must. It’s official: preparation for Net Prophet 2011 is all-systems-go, and takes place on the 12th of May 2011. The first round of registrations will open in February, 2011. We suggest that you follow us on twitter or subscribe to our blog to receive updates as they happen.

2010 has been a huge year for Net Prophet. Unprecedented delegate growth (more than double from 2009), increased delegate diversity, wider national and international recognition, additional funding from our generous sponsors and the establishment of the Net Prophet Bursary are just some of the highlights that come to mind as we reflect on the past 11 months.

On the back of the momentum we’ve gained so far, we’re excited to see how Net Prophet grows in 2011, and can’t wait to share with you some of the surprises we have lined up. Expect great things.

A special word of thanks to our 2010 sponsors who have generously renewed their support of Net Prophet for 2011: Old Mutual (Platinum Sponsor), RSAWEB and White Wall Web (Silver Sponsors). Contact us to find out more about sponsorship opportunities.

The conference will once again take place at the magnificent Mutual Park, Pinelands, Cape Town.
All details regarding registration, speakers (prophets), times etc will follow in due course. Follow us on twitter or subscribe to our blog to receive updates as they happen.

Crowd Sourced Bursary target reached

Tim — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:27:56 +0000

We have good news to share regarding our Crowd Sourced Bursary idea that we launched at Net Prophet 2010.

Through some outrageously generous contributions from various members of the community and RAMP Foundation, we have now reached our target of R60 000! Excellent. Many thanks to all those who contributed.

Now that we’ve reached our target, it’s time to kick things into gear, and begin the exciting process of finding a suitable candidate who will be awarded the bursary, enrolled, and mentored towards success. The first step is already in motion, and These Numbers Have Faces, who have kindly offered to facilitate the process for us, are busy scouting for the ideal candidate to utilise the bursary. Once they have been identified, we’ll formally introduce them to you, and communicate their progress over time. Ultimately, we’d like to get the community involved where possible in encouraging our students to succeed.

For those interested in the mechanics behind the selection and mentoring process, you can read more about These Numbers Have Faces and their excellent Community impact model, which favors development and interdependency over simply providing aid on their website.

Feeling inspired yet? The fund is still open! – and contributions will go towards our 2011 Crowd Sourced Bursary, with the goal of providing exponentially more bursaries to more students. So we’d like to encourage those inspired to give to feel free to do so at any stage. The details on how to give can be found here.

More updates to follow.

Net Prophet 2010 – Erik Hersman

Tim — Mon, 24 May 2010 07:22:33 +0000

Erik Hersman is also the founder of Ushahidi, iHub, AfriGadget and spends a lot of his time telling stories of Africans solving everyday problems with little more than their creativity and ingenuity. Fascinated by micro-entrepreneurs, gadgets and improvisation, he is proving that technology is changing Africa – daily.

In his presentation, Erik looks at the rising tide of technology entrepreneurs throughout Africa.

Technology Entrepreneurs in Africa: a rising tide – by Erik Hersman

Net Prophet 2010 – Arthur Goldstuck

Tim — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:00:15 +0000

Arthur is an award-winning writer, analyst and commentator on Internet, mobile and business and consumer technologies. He heads the World Wide Worx research organisation, leading groundbreaking research into how change is affecting businesses large and small. Clients of the research include South Africa’s major financial institutions and corporations, Government departments and agencies, and international organisations.

In his presentation, Arthur gives valuable insights and data around the technology and consumers in South Africa.

The Sophisticat, the Elephant, and the Secret of the Digital Native – By Arthur Goldstuck

Net Prophet 2010 – Patrick Kayton

Tim — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:37:27 +0000

Patrick Kayton has spent the better part of ten years putting ideas into people’s heads. As a content architect, Patrick has been responsible for the conceptualisation, design, development and delivery of creative, full colour and highly interactive educational materials, courses and comics principally in the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation.

In his presentation, Patrick looks at the history of how we publish content, and how we should do so in the future.

Giving up Gutenberg: Shaping the future of Internet publishing by shrugging off the past – by Patrick Kayton

Net Prophet 2010 – Richard Mulholland

Tim — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:30:53 +0000

Richard Mulholland is the founder of Missing Link (www.missinglink.co.za), a specialist conference and presentation strategy company, and co-owner of Thunk! (www.thunklab.com) SA’s first perspective lab.

In his presentation, Richard looks at the negative sides effects of social media, and how they can be avoided.

Social media: the side effects

Net Prophet 2010 – Stuart Ntlathi

Tim — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:11:03 +0000

Stuart Ntlathi(23) heads up the Stuart Ntlathi Science, Engineering and Technology Institute (SNSET INSTITUTE). He is one of South Africa’s biggest proponents of the promotion and development of education, specifically in the field of Science, Engineering and Technology amongst the youth.

In his presentation, Stuart tells his own remarkable story, as well as his vision for empowering the next generation of technology innovators.

The next generation – by Stuart Ntlathi

Net Prophet 2010 – Adriaan Pienaar

Tim — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:48:12 +0000

Adriaan Pienaar is an entrepreneur and co-founder of the very successful online startup WooThemes. Along with being a serial entrepreneur, he is also a designer & developer (CSS, PHP &WordPress), which has spawned his other company – a boutique design & development agency – Radiiate.

In his presentation, Adriaan tells the story of how humble South African startup Woo Themes became an international success.

The Woo themes story – by Adriaan Pienaar

Net Prophet 2010 – Stefan Magdalinski

Tim — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:47:06 +0000

Stefan Magdalinski is the CEO of Mocality.com, a new mobile business directory (and a lot more to come) providing services to thousands of entrepreneurs across Africa. Mocality’s first city is Nairobi, Kenya. He is also former CTO of digital printing company moo.com.

In his presentation, Stefan looks at the lessons learnt from building a technology business in Africa.

Top of the BOPs: Observations from building online business in Africa – by Stefan Magdalinski

Net Prophet 2010 – Vinny Lingham

Tim — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:45:47 +0000

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Yola, Vinny is a seasoned, globally acclaimed entrepreneur who has founded a number of businesses, including the award-winning search engine marketing company, Clicks2Customers.

In his presentation, Vinny shares the lessons learnt from building a global business.

Building a global business – by Vinny Lingham

Seth Godin, Roelof Botha and Tony Hsieh videos

Tim — Thu, 20 May 2010 06:19:31 +0000

Seth Godin (marketing guru & acclaimed author), Roelof Botha (partner at Sequioa Capital) and Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos) generously gave of their time to share some important thoughts with our delegates at Net Prophet 2010.

Each of them sent us a video created exclusively for us, which aired for the first time ever at Net Prophet 2010. Here they are if you missed them. Enjoy.

1. Seth Godin – Seth answers the question: ‘what are your top future trends for marketing online’

2. Roelof Botha – Roelof gives advice to budding technology entrepreneurs.

3. Tony Hsieh – Tony shares his secrets for delivering out of this world customer service.

Net Prophet Crowd Sourced Bursary

Tim — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:15:19 +0000

Net Prophet 2.0 saw the introduction of a new concept dubbed the ‘Crowd Sourced Bursary‘. The idea was use to Net Prophet as an opportunity to raise money towards a full bursary for tertiary learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, who show a high propensity to innovate and succeed in the technology arena.

These Numbers Have Faces have kindly offered to help us with the application and selection process, identifying the best educational institution and coaching the individuals personally and professionally. They will also provide us with feedback so that all the donors can follow the progress of student(s) who get funded. TNHF are already doing some fantastic work in our local communities to help empower the youth through education and mentoring programs, and are the perfect partner to ensure the money is well spent.

To date we have raised R45 000+ (through some extremely generous offers), but are still approx. R15k short of covering a full bursary, which sees the learner with a full qualification and mentoring. Please help us get there by pledging through our website.

If you have already pledged, and are looking to pay – our banking details can be found here.

Net Prophet 2.0 Stats

Tim — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:18:49 +0000

We are humbled by the success of what is only the second iteration of Net Prophet. The local digital community came in force, along with droves of new faces, all hungry to learn more about making business sense of the Internet.

It’s amazing that we were able to keep this event completely free for delegates to attend a second year running. Events of this scale simply don’t happen without the generous support of sponsors (Old Mutual, White Wall Web, RSAWEB, Yola & Twokats Communications). Special kudos must go to Twokats Communications for all of their behind the scenes work on our PR and media concerns.

The scale of Net Prophet 2.0 was quite different to that of our first event. Take a look at some of the stats:

Transferring your registration

Tim — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:04:05 +0000

If you are registered for Net Prophet, and through some unforeseeable misfortune are unable to attend, you may want to transfer your registration to someone else. Here’s how you do it:

Simply send an email to changes@netprophet.org.za with the name, surname, email address, company & mobile number of the person who you want to transfer your registration to. You will receive a response from our administration team confirming the change. The email must be sent from the email address you registered with in order for us to verify.

This will only be available till 4pm today. We won’t accept any more transfers after this.

We can only handle 50 transfers max, so it’s first come first serve.

One week to go…

Tim — Thu, 06 May 2010 11:29:27 +0000

Only one week to go. Make sure you’ve cleared your schedule for May 13, and that all necessary reminders and arrangements are in place.

Here are some important things you need to know in preparation for next week:

The official Net Prophet after party
Attending the official Net Prophet after party is mandatory if you want to complete the experience. Not only will there be free drinks, pizza and good company, but our delegates will also be rocked by The Wedding DJ’s – one of Cape Towns hottest Electro outfits.

Your Net Prophet nametag gets you and a ‘plus one’ in – so make sure you hang onto your tag after the conference.

Venue: La Med, Camps Bay
Time: 7pm

Parking & registration
Please note that the locations for parking and registration have changed from last year. All the details are explained clearly on our website here, or you can download a map here.

Registration takes place between 7am and 8am on the day. The first few people to register are guaranteed some cool free stuff. Be there early.

Cancellations
If you can’t make the conference, please let us know in advance by using our cancellation facility on our website.

See you soon!

3 Geeks and a DJ: Net Prophet Super-Panel

Tim — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:36:21 +0000

It gives us the greatest of pleasure to share with you our explosive super-panel for Net Prophet 2010, featuring 3 giants from the tech world and a local radio DJ with a black belt in standup comedy.

Participating in the panel discussion, we have acclaimed Silicon Valley author and editor-at-large for techcrunch.com, Sarah Lacy, who is joined by Stephen Newton of Google SA and Stephan Ekbergh, founder of International online travel giant Travelstart. The panel, hosted by KFM’s Richard Hardiman (the partyman), will take a look at global web trends, and the opportunities that local entrepreneurs can tap into.

It’s just another great reason why Net Prophet 2010 is one event you don’t want to miss. 28 days and counting.

FYI: Due to increased demand, we’ve made more seats available for this year’s event! Register here if you haven’t already.

Check out our prophet lineup here.

Registration is now open!

Tim — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:37:41 +0000

We are pleased to announce that registration for Net Prophet 2010 is now officially open. Attendance is still FREE, thanks to our sponsors, but space is limited. Register now to avoid untold regret.

NB: Please note that you must register on our website in order to attend. NO other means is acceptable. Those who do not comply will not be allowed access to the event. Please also note that only 5 people per company/organisation will be allowed to register for the event.

Go register now!

Early Bird registrations

Tim — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:03:57 +0000

Secure your spot early at what is going to be South Africa’s hottest technology, entrepreneurship and innovation event in 2010. Early-Bird registrations for Net Prophet 2010 are now open!

Failing to take advantage of this opportunity may result in serious regret, as space will be in short supply when the official registrations open and further details about the event are revealed.

We are only offering 100 Early Bird spots to those who are quick on the draw – so tell only your closest friends and colleagues. Attendance is still FREE (thanks to generous support from our sponsors) – but only delegates that register officially via our website will be allowed access.

This is your chance to get in early before the masses. Click here to grab your early bird registration!

–> UPDATE <–

Early Bird registration is now full.

Old Mutual sponsors Net Prophet 2010

Tim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:47:26 +0000

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Old Mutual has come on board as our platinum (top tier) sponsor for 2010, showing their support of the Net Prophet vision:

“Free access to enabling knowledge is the true killer app. As platinum sponsor of Net Prophet 2010 we are proud to be associated with an event that makes it possible.”
- Jack Kruger, Head: Digital, Old Mutual

Old Mutual’s strong entrepreneurial spirit can be traced back to 1845, when the company was founded by John Fairbairn – without initial capital other than the premiums of its first 166 policyholders. Today, Old Mutual services the savings and investment needs of millions of South Africans, is listed on the FTSE 100, and operates in 38 countries.

Faithful to its roots, the company continues to foster entrepreneurship via skills training and small business support – providing opportunities for integrating marginalised South Africans into the mainstream economy. It further remains dedicated to its responsibilities as a good corporate citizen, actively investing in our communities and natural environment. In 2008, Old Mutual contributed R38.8m to deserving events, causes and hands-on initiatives.

Date Announced for Net Prophet 2010

Tim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:46:39 +0000

With 2009 coming to a close, preparations for Net Prophet 2010 are in full swing. Next year’s event promises to be something quite spectacular, building on the success of this year and the excitement amid the build up to hosting the World Cup Soccer.

We can’t give away all our plans just yet, but we can tell you that Net Prophet 2010 will dwarf our 2009 event with a showcase of new prophets, appearances from previous prophets, an after-party of epic proportions and some interesting surprises along the way…

Thursday the 13th May is the official date for Net Prophet 2010. Diarize it. Sync it with your smart phone. Etch 13/05/2010 into your desk if you must – the date has been set!

The conference will once again take place at the magnificent Old Mutual business school, Pinelands, Cape Town. All details regarding registration, speakers (prophets), times etc will follow in due course. Stay in touch by subscribing to our mailing list, or follow us on twitter.

Net Prophet Podcasts Available on iTunes

Tim — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:27:29 +0000

All Podcasts from Net Prophet are now available for your convenience on iTunes!

You can find them by searching the iTunes store, or by clicking here.