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SA Insights

Cisco, Forge X, take SMMEs to the EDGE

A new business and skills incubation centre will foster innovation and empower communities, writes JASON BANNIER.

A new incubation hub for developing digital skills, fostering innovation, supporting entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for underserved communities was opened in Johannesburg last week.

The EDGE Centre, established by technology giant Cisco in partnership with Forge X, provides access to state-of-the-art Cisco connectivity and collaboration technology, and resources for training and enablement programs to local businesses. Its name, EDGE, reflects its mission: to deliver Experience, Design, GTM (Go to Market) and Earn.

“This is a space where dreams will be shaped into innovations,” said Smangele Nkosi, Cisco SA country leader. “This is a space where one can come and take their dream and come in here to bring those dreams to life.

“This is not just a tech hub, it’s an incubator – not just to incubate our minds, but to incubate our possibilities. It’s a centre of hope.”

Photo: JASON BANNIER

The Cisco EDGE Centre is the eighth in SA, and is part of Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration programme. Among these centres is WomHub, a female-led incubator dedicated to promoting gender equality and supporting women in STEM, with one facility in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town.

Since the establishment of the first EDGE centre in 2019, over 200 local SMME partnerships have been developed.

Technology at the forefront

The centre features Cisco technology, enabling local businesses to connect with global Cisco experts. The centre offers training opportunities on skills development, digital literacy, and cybersecurity certifications with the Cisco Networking Academy (CNA), one of the world’s longest standing IT-skills-to-jobs programs.

Natasha Anderson, Forge X CEO, said: “We’re equipping and encouraging young people and businesses to move from passive concerns of technology to active communities.”

She said that a priority of the centre is to help people navigate the scary, fast, changing and sometimes cold world of technology.

“We wanted to ensure that technology works for people … it is a means to amplify human potential.”

Conrad Steyn, Cisco SA country digital acceleration leader, said: “Our shared vision with Forge X is to create a new network of certified Cisco partners offering innovative technology solutions to the SA market. This collaboration reflects our goal of supporting SA’s digital economy, expected to comprise nearly 20% of GDP by 2028.”

Martine Solomon, Forge X executive director, said: “This collaboration will enable SMMEs to leverage technology to build sustainable businesses and drive local innovation. Our hands-on approach to business development and Cisco’s extensive expertise creates a robust support structure for entrepreneurs and youth. We are building an inclusive ecosystem where digital and entrepreneurial skills foster economic resilience and community growth.”

Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme partners with governments and private sector organisations globally to create innovation ecosystems focused on sustainability, security, and inclusivity. By leveraging transformative technology solutions, the program has undertaken over 1,600 projects across 50 countries, generating benefits for industries, communities, and economies.

A central focus of the CDA program is advancing digital skills through the CNA. Since its launch in SA in 1998, the academy has trained more than 411,000 individuals, with 154,000 students completing courses during Cisco’s 2024 fiscal year – 61% of whom were women.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @jas2bann.

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