Title: Walking 2750 km towards an entrepreneurial mindset

Biography:

Nico de Klerk is a social entrepreneur, public speaker, the founder, and CEO of Street Biz Foundation (non-profit company). Street Biz Foundation’s aim is to innovatively address poverty, unemployment, and inequality using technology, social networking, and research. Our long- term objective is to establish an online business school for the unemployed and school-leaving youth. In honor of Nelson Mandela, and to raise awareness for Street Biz, he launched the “Long Walk Project” in 2018. He walked across South Africa covering 2,750km (1,708miles), slept in local townships, and met 25,000 people in 104 communities. He was the National and Southern African Coordinator for SAGE (a global youth entrepreneurship NGO) and guest speaker at the World Championships in Russia in 2014. He is currently authoring a book entitled “Pilgrimage of the Mind”.

Abstract

I come from the country of Elon Musk, Mark Shuttle worth, and Trevor Noah! I come from the country of Nelson Mandela. We do like to share with the world what we are doing, trying to do, or what we are striving for. A country of experiments, especially in the social context, of victories, and many failures. You’ll need a special insight into the effect and implications of a mindset often formed by a culture of dependency. The Long Walk Project was “a gift to the mindset of all South Africans” and I trust it can also be a gift to the GEC 2019. My work in South Africa has many facets. What conclusions can I draw from all of my experiences and research? In summary: As South Africans, we need to reboot our entire approach towards entrepreneurial skills development.

1. Why is this reboot necessary?

2. How will we reboot our mindset?

3. How is Street Biz planning for the future?