Driving Entrepreneurial and Sustainable Innovations in South Africa
Factory 209 (Pty) Ltd (F209), wholly owned by Stellenbosch University (SU), was established in 2020 as a special purpose vehicle to provide selected commercial services in an agile environment that is more advantageous to develop as a business.
The company is governed by a Board of Directors and operates in close collaboration with SunCom, the SU business office. Hein Swanepoel, the CEO of F209, is also SunCom’s Senior Director. Hein is an experienced leader recognised for his entrepreneurial approach and business insights. Working alongside him is General Manager at F209, Gary Muizenheimer, whose skillful management ensures the company’s operations run seamlessly. Together, their combined leadership is the driving force behind F209’s progress and ongoing expansion.
Diverse Ventures and Collaborative Efforts
F209 thrives on its ability to diversify its ventures, seeking opportunities that align with its mission of fostering entrepreneurship and sustainability, whilst supporting the core strategic themes of Stellenbosch University. F209 harnesses the collective knowledge and expertise of the institution’s staff in developing its commercial solutions. These solutions are strategically adapted to create industry solutions and, in doing so, they expand their footprint beyond Stellenbosch University. F209 has successfully established partnerships with stakeholders in academia, government, and the private sector to bring ideas to life. “We strive to uphold the university’s mandate while simultaneously creating a meaningful and beneficial influence on the higher education sector,” says Swanepoel.
The Power of Innovation
“Our company’s name is a testament to our commitment to business innovation: just as factories craft new beginnings, we mould and nurture start-up ideas,” says Muizenheimer. “Inspiration has been drawn from SU’s maroon Pantone 209 – a colour symbolising not only our roots but also the vibrant spirit of innovation and growth for which the university is known” says Muizenheimer.
“We have a dynamic and growing team of 47 skilled professionals from various industry and start-up experience,” says Swanepoel. “The Factory 209 team is entrepreneurially minded and prides itself on being agile and innovative. While some exciting projects are planned for launch shortly, the current initiatives include the Central Events and Conferencing Office (CECO), The Matie Shop, Gradlinc, and the 3@1 Neelsie,” Swanepoel concludes.
CECO gives effect to SU’s short term rental policy and proactively markets SU facilities by drawing more business and events to the campus. These opportunities range from managing film shoots, conferences, sporting events, holiday rentals, promotions, etc.
The Matie Shop is the exclusive provider of all apparel bearing SU Logo’s to the university. They also operate various retail outlets that sell branded products to the public. Currently they operate from 3 fixed outlets, 1 mobile unit and an online store.
Gradlinc was established to address the ever-increasing unemployment of graduates on a national level. Their aim is to become the first-choice platform for graduates to secure employment and to develop graduates to become career ready before they start employment.
The 3@1 Neelsie outlet supplies a range of courier, copy and printing solutions to their clients, with a primary focus on rendering these services to SU stakeholders.
In addition to the above, F209 is currently busy developing various software solutions for the higher education sector.
To reach out to F209, visit their websites below:
- Central Events and Conference Office: https://cecoevents.co.za/
- Matie Shop: https://matieshop.co.za/
- Gradlinc: https://gradlinc.co.za/
3@1 Neelsie: https://3at1neelsie.co.za/