- Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has launched the Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme.
- It seeks to equip young entrepreneurs with exporting skills, resources, and support.
- Applications are open for the 2025/2026 cohort, with it closing soon on 31st May.
Following US President Donald Trump’s global tariff war, the thinking around international trade and imports/exports is top of mind for many countries, including South Africa.
It is with this mind, that the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) is looking to empower the next generation of young entrepreneurs by announcing the launch of its Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme.
The 12-month-long programme, which is described as being “high-impact” by Acting Deputy Director-General of Exports at the DTIC, Willem van der Spuy, is aimed at equipping young entrepreneurs with exporting skills, resources, and support required to become successful first-time exporters.
“The programme is specifically tailored for the alumni of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme. At its core, this programme aims to cultivate an export culture among student and youth-owned businesses, enabling them to seize opportunities in global markets and contribute to inclusive economic growth,” he added.
“Participants will gain access to expert mentorship and technical advisory; training on export readiness and compliance; support in meeting international standards and certification requirements; and tools to develop market entry and export marketing strategies, amongst others,” continued van der Spuy.
On top of this, the programme will also afford “emerging exporters” an opportunity to benefit from strategic trade frameworks, such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Southern African Development Community (SADC), European Union, and cross-border ecommerce.
“Special emphasis will be placed on digital trade and digital platform solutions to expand global reach,” the DTIC confirmed.
Those interested in getting into the 20256/2026 cohort need to act fast, as applications are currently open, and close on 31st May 2025.
The best channel to make enquiries about the programme is the following DTIC address – learnexport@thedtic.gov.za.
[Image – Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash]
