Access to market for South African developed digital technology solutions is a major obstacle to the growth and sustainability of local Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. This can lead to high failure rates even amongst innovative emerging businesses. Promoting ICT MSMEs aligns with South Africa's economic, social, and technological objectives, to drive economic growth and job creation and foster innovation and inclusivity.
DigiTech intends to promote South African digital products whilst facilitating co-promotion partnerships. There are currently in excess of 150 digital products on the Digitech platform (www.digitech.gov.za), ranging from Medtech, Agritech, Edutech, Fintech and Logistics. These categories will be expanded significantly as the platform attracts more diverse ICT applications.
Unique Features of the Digitech SMME Project include:
Tailored Support Ecosystem: DigiTech provides tailored assistance to the specific needs of MSMEs, recognising the diverse nature of the ICT sector. It offers guidance in areas such as technology adoption, market access, and business development.

Technological Innovation: DigiTech recognises the pivotal role of technology in driving competitiveness and growth, equipping ICT MSMEs with cutting-edge tools, resources, and training. The focus on innovation enables participating enterprises to adapt to evolving market trends and seize emerging opportunities.

Capacity Building Initiatives: DigiTech provides capacity building initiatives, through workshops, seminars, and mentorship programs, to empower MSMEs with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to thrive in a digital economy. The program is cultivating entrepreneurs who can drive innovation in the ICT sector.

Inclusive Approach: DigiTech prioritises diversity and inclusion, thus creating opportunities for historically marginalized groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities, to access the ICT sector. This inclusivity fosters social cohesion and unlocks untapped talent.

http://www.digitech.gov.za/en

• Africa

• Youth
• Older persons
• Women
• Indigenous and nomadic peoples
• People with disabilities
• The unemployed
• The poor
• Migrants
• Refugees and internally displaced people
• Remote and rural communities

"The DCDT is in the process of forging partnerships across Africa with countries and commercial organizations within the ICT MSME sphere with the view to accelerate the uptake and commercialization of the Digitech platform. This will contribute to ensuring MSME’s from across the African continent will have their own integrated platforms, developed for Africans by Africans, to facilitate international trade especially for MSMEs."

"The project is aligned with national policies and with the strategic plan of government, and it is funded through the national fiscus. Other funding sources will arise through the envisaged partnership approach."

"""The opening paragraph of the WSIS Declaration of Principles states: """"We.....declare our common desire and commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and peoples to achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable development and improving their quality of life."""" The DigiTech programme supports the aspirations of our people to achieve their full potential to promote their development, improve their quality of life through ICTs and emerging technologies. Paragraph 41 under enabling environment states: """"ICTs are an important enabler of growth through efficiency gains and increased productivity, in particular by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In this regard, the development of the Information Society is important for broadly-based economic growth in both developed and developing economies. ICT-supported productivity gains and applied innovations across economic sectors should be fostered. Equitable distribution of the benefits contributes to poverty eradication and social development. Policies that foster productive investment and enable firms, notably SMEs, to make the changes needed to seize the benefits from ICTs, are likely to be the most beneficial."""" Paragraph 11 speaks almost to the creative, driving force that DigiTech responds to and seeks to, although the programme is not limited to any age group: """"We recognize that young people are the future workforce and leading creators and earliest adopters of ICTs. They must therefore be empowered as learners, developers, contributors, entrepreneurs and decision-makers."""" Paragraph 12 speaks to the opportunities that the ICT sector provides for the empowerment of women, which has already been demonstrated in some of the early success of DigiTech. """