“Everyone needs an angel” says Claudine Mouton, adding “Even the most successful entrepreneurs received help at some stage in their business careers”. Mouton is a founder of SMEs Compete, a firm established in March 2006 that celebrated its first anniversary earlier this month.

Mouton launched the SME Business Angel Fund at the firm’s first anniversary celebration in Windhoek. On the occasion she accepted the first contribution of N$2000 to the fund, proceeds from the auctioning of an abstract painting by her husband, local artist Werner Mouton.

A non-profit initiative that gives corporate firms and other benefactors a unique chance to effectively support small businesses by donating cash or equipment to carefully selected SMEs, the SME Business Angel Fund was conceptualised by SMEs Compete director, Danny Meyer. It recognizes and rewards exceptional business performance of emerging entrepreneurs.

Meyer is an entrepreneur stepped back from active business in 2001 to focus on enterprise and entrepreneurial development. Meyer says, “Despite being well endowed with resources above and below the ground, southern Africa will not develop fully unless entrepreneurship is permitted to thrive and the respective countries of the subcontinent become business and investor friendly”.

Business owners Rachel Kaiyamo and Flory Maletsky at an occasion to mark SMEs Compete’s 1st Anniversary. (Photograph by Kristina Schmidt)

SMEs Compete is the branding applied to local consulting firm, SMEs Competitiveness Consultancy (Pty) Ltd. The firm was borne of a USAID-funded programme which closed a year ago, in February 2006. With the support of USAID/Namibia and encouragement of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) SMEs Compete was founded in March 2006 by Meyer, Mouton and a third partner, Collin Gaochab. From humble beginnings, the firm has steadily grown and its team now numbers nine. This is set to grow further with the establishment of a presence in Ongwediva and in Walvis Bay.

Part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between First National Bank (FNB) and the German development service, Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED), SMEs Compete provides income growth and employment creation support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). With its expertise in SME development, SMEs Compete identifies promising PPP projects and private partners, administers funds and assists in the implementation of the projects.

Mouton will of course make sure that the SME Business Angel Fund also makes its mark. During the launch of the fund she urged corporate firms to support the initiative by donating office equipment, tools and furniture that may be surplus to requirements and tucked away in warehouses, for reallocation to SMEs who demonstrate high potential for growth.