Join our SMME support community
It takes a neighbourhood to grow a business
Every day at the V&A Waterfront, something small happens that is part of something large. A first sale at a Watershed stall, or a food entrepreneur at Makers Landing who has just served their thousandth customer. These may seem like isolated moments, but they’re how a neighbourhood's economy grows: one business, one decision, one person at a time.
In 2024, the V&A supported 433 small businesses. That’s more than triple the number it supported in 2010. When those businesses grow, they create jobs. When they create jobs, they contribute to household incomes across Cape Town.
Tenant Accelerator Programme
Most businesses usually don’t fail for lack of ambition, they stall because the right support arrived too late, or not at all. We built our Tenant Accelerator Programme for the moment just before that happens.
This programme is designed to be a dedicated investment in your business, with experienced entrepreneurs and specialist consultants in the room alongside you.
Applications open twice a year. If your business is ready for its next chapter, apply below.
A community of expert consultants, on standby for when you need them
Sometimes the difference between a business stalling and a business growing is a single conversation with someone who has been where you are. The V&A Waterfront has contracted a community of expert business consultants who are on standby for V&A SMME tenants on an as-needed basis.
The first three one-on-one session are covered by the V&A for small business tenants. Beyond that, the consultants offer exclusive discounted rates. Each session is action-oriented: specific feedback, concrete advice and a clear set of next steps tailored to your business.
Browse the consultant profiles below, find the specialist whose expertise matches your challenge and submit a booking request.
The people behind the programme
The V&A's SMME Support Community is made up of consultants who have built businesses, led teams and solved the kinds of problems that do not come with a textbook answer. Between them, they cover marketing and brand visibility, financial health and cash flow, sales and business development, operations and scaling. Click any profile to see their areas of expertise.
