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Welcome to Grindstone Empowered Alumni

Connect with fellow entrepreneurs through Grindstone Alumni. Join a community of like-minded individuals who provide support for growth and success.

EXPLORE
what our alumni say

More about Grindstone Alumni

Connect with fellow entrepreneurs through Grindstone Alumni. Join a community of like-minded individuals who provide support for growth and success.

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Our community approach builds the entrepreneurial ecosystem to promote and nurture high-impact scaleups like yours, creating opportunities for professional development, mentorship and the growth of your business and investment portfolio.

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Top Grindstone alums who have successfully scaled or exited their business can become mentors to startups and scaleups at different stages of their journey, paying it forward and contributing to the booming startup ecosystem that helped nurture their growth.

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And as our alum base grows, we focus on guiding, connecting, and rewarding our alum partners.

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Benefits of Grindstone Alumni

  • We have carefully screened investment options through the Knife Heritage program.
  • One-of-a-kind reports: Alumni data will be reviewed, compared, and compiled in exclusive reports to allow your business to reach new heights.
  • Lucrative exit opportunities: Drawing from our comprehensive network of ecosystem partners and funders, we match alums with lucrative exit opportunities.
  • Continuous mentoring and support, including seminars, workshops, networking opportunities and events with global partners
  • Alumni portal – an online platform that allows alums to connect and build relationships either virtually or in person with other entrepreneurs around the world
  • Grindstone Plus has incredible members-only benefits available for alums wanting to level up.

How to become a member

You can access the Alumni programme for free if you are currently enrolled in the Grindstone accelerator programme or have graduated from it.


Our Alumni network comprises various participants, including angel investors, corporate partners, SMEs, research institutions, and external stakeholders like universities, funding agencies, schools, and other educational establishments that offer potential opportunities.


Founders must:

  • To be eligible, one must have either participated in an accelerator or graduated from one or more of our accelerators.
  • Commit to participating in the Alumni program.
  • As a role model in our global Grindstone startup ecosystem, it's important to be willing to give back.
  • Don't miss out on the opportunity to connect and grow. Alumni, enter our gated community here.
  • For those who have not yet completed a Grindstone programme, ensure to sign up to our newsletter.

SUCCESSFULL GRINDSTONE ALUMNI BUSINESSES

We have been assisting early-stage entrepreneurs through Grindstone since 2013, and we are proud to have helped over 200 individuals scale their businesses, become fundable, or exit. Our support has extended to entrepreneurs from various backgrounds, including students, CFOs, and medical specialists, who all have ambitious ideas. Below is a list of the companies that have benefited from our program and are now part of our Alumni portfolio.

SUCCESSFULL GRINDSTONE ALUMNI BUSINESSES

We have been assisting early-stage entrepreneurs through Grindstone since 2013, and we are proud to have helped over 200 individuals scale their businesses, become fundable, or exit. Our support has extended to entrepreneurs from various backgrounds, including students, CFOs, and medical specialists, who all have ambitious ideas. Below is a list of the companies that have benefited from our program and are now part of our Alumni portfolio.

"Grindstone was a unique experience. It proved to be invaluable for our growth and transformation. The connections we made with other cohorts, speakers, and organizers provided years of support and feedback. We can directly attribute our company's growth to this experience, and now operate in 20 countries globally. We are grateful for the opportunity and hope to give back in the future."

Carl Reynolds

Founder - KUDOS ONE

"I had a great experience with Grindstone, a top accelerator in South Africa. Despite challenges from the pandemic, their coaches and team were fully engaged and supportive. They invested in our business, paving the way for others to invest, and our growth has been consistent year after year. Thanks to their network, we're expanding globally. Overall, fantastic experience."

Joel van der Schyff

Founder - AgrilogiQ

"I found the Grindstone program to be incredibly valuable for both my business and myself. The program provided access to experts in various business areas, which proved to be priceless. As a small business, the support we received was invaluable. Building relationships with fellow founders and companies was one of the best aspects of the program. Additionally, the extended network we gained access to was exceptional. I am very selective about which accelerators and groups we join, but Grindstone has been one of the best choices for us."

Zule Vuuren

Founder - Locumbase

"Grindstone is more than just a program; it's a family and an exceptional experience. As an alumni, you'll have ongoing support and access to incredible opportunities as wel as potential funding. They understand your business and customize their approach to help you succeed. It's been a wonderful and valuable experience."

Oran Cohen

Founder - gwork

"Through Grindstone's program, our small tech company built valuable relationships with mentors like Catherine, Keet, and Andrea, who provided invaluable advice that we were able to implement into our business. We enhanced our professionalism, developed our culture and values, and successfully transitioned from a startup to a small business. Overall, the program was critical in setting us on the right path."

Sanjay Daya

Founder - LOCSTAT

Why join the Grindstone Alumni network?

Improve growth.

Grindstone Alumni is a powerful networking tool for entrepreneurs to connect with potential customers, investors, suppliers, and mentors and grow their businesses. Providing free and paid consulting services through our partner network in key areas such as marketing, strategy, finance, and more, can help founders address operational challenges as they grow to scale their businesses quickly and effectively.


Strengthen ties to ecosystem stakeholders.

As part of the Grindstone ecosystem, our Alumni are connected to key players in the local, regional, and global startup communities. We have strong ties to business associations, investors, and institutions, which provide our Alumni with unique growth opportunities. 


By joining the Alumni network, you'll be the first to hear about emerging initiatives, funders, incubators, accelerators, and events that can help you scale your business. Connecting to our vast network also offers potential avenues of support at every growth stage, whether you need to recruit top talent, find new business opportunities, or source top-notch advisory board members. 


With Grindstone Alumni, you'll have all resources you need for your business to flourish.


Get local and global exposure.

With Grindstone Alumni, startups can gain local and global exposure by leveraging our startup events, marketing reach, global networks, and partnerships. Through our alumni platform, savvy entrepreneurs can tap into new markets, get seen by the right audiences, and build a following beyond their local reach. 


Accelerate your growth with our Alumni network and gain the exposure you need to succeed in the competitive startup landscape.


Meet investors or find exit opportunities.

Our Alumni network offers founders a valuable opportunity to connect with angel investors, accelerators, and pre-seed/seed stage investors across multiple sectors and continents. We use our extensive networks to match founders with the right investors and help them secure opportunities that will enable them to scale or exit.


Measure medium and long-term impact.

At Grindstone, we measure the medium and long-term impact of startups to help us motivate for increased funding, improve sustainability reporting, implement necessary improvements, and strengthen the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. By collecting impact data over the long term, we can measure a scaleup's success against similar initiatives and provide useful metrics that help our alumni refine their strategies and achieve their goals.


Lifelong learning

By joining our Alumni community, you'll gain access to a wide range of resources such as specialised courses, informative lectures, engaging conferences, and dynamic seminars. Our professional development and knowledge-sharing events are carefully curated to help you stay ahead of the curve in your industry and give you the tools you need to grow personally and professionally.