GrindstoneXL

Every hero deserves a break from the journey. Thanks to our founders and partners who’ve navigated a variety of obstacles over 2024 with grit and determination. Now, it’s time to press pause and recharge for the next adventure! Wishing you a joyful, restful break! #EntrepreneurJourney #StartupHeroes #HerosJourney #StartupSupport #HeroJourney Catherine Young Cameron Burt Sam Stodel Lucie Fink Jakolien Strydom Elana Geyer Luyanda Khuzwayo Jo Burt

On this Day of Reconciliation, we celebrate the heart of South Africa: its people. We celebrate the spirit of unity and resilience that South Africans have in spades and are reminded that collaboration and purpose can transform challenges into triumphs. Here’s to the heart of South Africa—its people, its visionaries, and the journey we take together. #DayOfReconciliation #EntrepreneurJourney #UnityInAction #HeroesJourney #GrindstoneHeroes Catherine Young Cameron Burt Lucie Fink Sam Stodel Jakolien Strydom Elana Geyer Ashley Harper Luyanda Khuzwayo

Heroes don't stop—they grow. Every step of the entrepreneurial journey leads to the next big adventure. Whether you're in the "Why did I quit my job?" phase or celebrating a hard-earned milestone, keep going. You're building something extraordinary, and we're with you every step of the way. In our latest newsletter, we celebrate the grit, growth, and guts it takes to keep going. To our founders and partners: thank you for an incredible year. As you turn the page into 2025, let the adventure continue! 🎉 Dive into the Grindstone Newsletter for more on the adventure 👉 https://lnkd.in/g5fUCnur #EntrepreneurJourney #StartupSupport #AmbitionMeetsSupport #Entrepreneurs #StartupJourney #Innovation Catherine Young Cameron Burt Lucie Fink Sam Stodel Luyanda Khuzwayo Jo Burt Ashley Harper Jakolien Strydom Elana Geyer

From meals of instant noodles to receiving awards, the entrepreneurial journey is full of challenges, breakthroughs, and a lot of resilience. This year, we've been inspired by the heroes who keep going—and the supporters who make their victories possible. Our newsletter celebrates your highs, your lows, and everything in between. Read it now 👉 https://lnkd.in/g5fUCnur #Grindstone #FounderJourney #StartupSupport #EndOfYearReflection #TheAdventureContinues Catherine Young Cameron Burt Lucie Fink Luyanda Khuzwayo Knife Capital Sam Stodel Ashley Harper Elana Geyer Jakolien Strydom Jo Burt

From the first lightbulb moment to leaping over rejection hurdles, the entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of epic. In the Grindstone Newsletter, we're celebrating the founders who push forward, no matter the challenges—and the allies who help them along the way. The adventure continues 👉 https://lnkd.in/g5fUCnur #EntrepreneurJourney #StartupLife #KeepPushing Lucie Fink Catherine Young Cameron Burt Sam Stodel Ashley Harper Luyanda Khuzwayo Jo Burt Jakolien Strydom Elana Geyer

Great to hear some thoughts from Eddie Andrews in his opening address at the AfricArena Grand Summit today at the CTICC. Cape Town's future is bright! Are you at the Summit today? Catch Catherine Young up next on a panel discussing gender diversity, live until just after 10:00 SAST. #AfricArena #panel #Summit #network #funding #startup #Africa

We had the amazing opportunity to facilitate an exciting meeting with the Open Startup BRAIN Programme at Grindstone! It was a privilege to introduce three of our Grindstone alumni— Botlhale AI, Adagin Technologies, and Locstat, to some of the incredible startups participating in the OST BRAIN Programme. Thank you to OST for inviting us to be part of this initiative, it’s always so rewarding to see connections being made and opportunities unfolding for our Grindstone startups. #Networking #FormingConnections #startups #SME #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #StartupEcosystem Catherine Young Lucie Fink Ashley Harper Sam Stodel Melissa Lynda Hope Andrews Jakolien Strydom Cameron Burt Elana Geyer Thapelo Nthite FG Adriaanse Sanjay Daya

Today, we had the pleasure of hosting members of the AfricArena @SAEDE Soft Landing Programme at our Grindstone offices! It was truly inspiring to have a room filled with people from all over, with 13 Togo-based startups and 10 SEADE soft-landers, including a VC from Orange, innovation hubs, and startups from France, Kenya, Cameroon, Spain, Germany, Senegal, Tanzania, and the Ivory Coast. We enjoyed introducing them to what Grindstone does, how we act as a pipeline for Knife Capital, and sharing insights from both Lucie Fink, CEO of Thinkroom Consulting, and Keet van Zyl, co-founder of Knife Capital. Our partner, Thinkroom, showcased their all-in-one growth toolkit designed specifically for founders, helping entrepreneurs unlock their SME’s full growth potential. Thank you for stopping by and allowing us to explore potential collaborations. Here’s to building bridges and growing the ecosystem together! #AfricArena #EntrepreneurEcosystem #networking #collaborating #SME #SupportingFounders Catherine Young Sam Stodel Ashley Harper Ma-asi Mhlantla Melissa Lynda Hope Andrews Jakolien Strydom Cameron Burt Elana Geyer

Big news from the Grindstone camp, we’re thrilled to welcome Ma-asi Mhlantla to the team. With her sharp eye for detail and knack for organization, Ma-asi joins the team as a project administrator, supporting on Grindstone Boost and various other projects. We can’t wait to see the magic she’ll bring to the Grindstone journey. Welcome to the grind, Ma-asi! #GrindstoneAccelerator #Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #ImpactDriven

Happy birthday, Nonceba Qabazi! We miss you! Thank you for continuing to champion entrepreneurship with your "do-it-with-a-smile" energy. Your unique blend of brilliance and positivity is unmatched, and we know many founders out there who agree! Cheers to you, Noni. Wishing you another year of hustle, thrive, and epic celebrations. #birthday #startup #Grindstone #entrepreneurship