Endeavor is a non-profit organization headquartered in New York City. Its aim is to foster long-term, sustainable growth in emerging economies worldwide by identifying and mentoring the most innovative and dynamic young organizations these countries have to offer. Endeavor now supports 1,160 high-impact entrepreneurs from 735 companies in 24 countries.
The culmination of a 12- to 18-month search and selection process, the Endeavor International Selection Panel (ISP) involves two and a half days of interviews between Endeavor candidates and a judging panel of six distinguished business leaders from around the world. In order to be chosen at the ISP, entrepreneurs must receive votes from all the panellists.
“We are delighted to have Schalk and Dewald of Entersekt join the Endeavor network in Cape Town,” said Deanne Friis-Smith, portfolio manager, entrepreneur services at Endeavor South Africa. “They make a wonderful addition to our growing portfolio of high-impact entrepreneurs and are already great ambassadors for entrepreneurship in South Africa.”
Established in 2008 by four engineering graduates from the University of Stellenbosch, Entersekt now has offices in Atlanta, Amsterdam, and Johannesburg, in addition to its headquarters in the winelands outside Cape Town. Four out of the top six South African financial institutions use Entersekt’s mobile-based authentication technology to help secure their customer’s online and mobile banking accounts. The company aims to cover 100 percent of the South African market by 2017.
“Entersekt proudly flew the flag for Silicon Cape at this fantastic event,” said Schalk Nolte. “We now count nine Endeavor Entrepreneurs in the greater Cape Town technology scene, which testifies to the energy, talent, and creativity we have here in our beautiful corner of the world.”
Dewald Nolte added, “As Entersekt expands into parts of the world we have not touched, we hope to gain insight from our peers within this outstanding organization, men and women with an intimate knowledge of the challenges and opportunities on the ground there. Becoming members of this remarkable group of business leaders is truly humbling.”
