Dr Thobekani Lose
The Startup focuses on consultation with non-governmental stakeholder communities that seek to attract attention of the G20 nations to enterprise startups and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs).
Startup20 was introduced in 2023 during the Presidency of India to the G20, followed by Brazil in its G20 Presidency in 2024 and this year (2025), South Africa expects to continue with the trend to spiral the Startup20 initiative.
Startup20, as the only G20 Engagement Group focused on entrepreneurship, plays a key role in shaping global policies that support startups, MSMEs, and the broader innovation ecosystem.
Under the strategic leadership of Startup20 Chairperson, Vuyani Jarana, and with support from 22 On Sloane as the secretariat, the Task Force’s efforts will culminate in policy recommendations to be presented at the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit.
As Chairperson, Dr Lose will play a central role in shaping strategic direction, international policy recommendations aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship ecosystems, particularly for startups and MSMEs. These recommendations will be presented to world leaders at the upcoming G20 Summit. His responsibilities as Chairperson will include:
• Leading and coordinating Task Force activities
• Facilitating stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Guiding the drafting of final policy deliverables
• Ensuring thematic alignment with Startup20’s overall goals
This appointment endorses Dr Lose’s vision, experience, and dedication to inclusive innovation. It reflects his longstanding commitment to building partnerships and empowering entrepreneurs across Africa.
“We are incredibly proud of Dr Lose’s appointment,” said DVC: People and Operations, Luthando Jack. “His work not only elevates our institution on a global stage but also reaffirms our commitment to being a driver of change and opportunity in Africa.
Dr Lose has more than 15 years of experience in entrepreneurial ecosystems and incubation development and has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of small business growth and economic development across South Africa.
He holds a Doctorate in Business and has published nearly 52 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributing significantly to global knowledge in business incubation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Consequently, he holds an honorary Fellowship from the Centre for Business & Economic Research (CBER) at Oxford University, UK.
Beyond academia, he is deeply involved in business incubation initiatives. He is the Founder and Board Chairperson of both the Business Incubation Web Association (BIWA), and the Township Cannabis Incubator (TCI), while also serving on the boards of several incubators across South Africa.
Dr Lose is also an executive member of the CPUT Convocation, an advisory board member for CPUT’s Entrepreneurship Department, and an active participant in Mandela University’s Student Entrepreneurship & Youth Employability Working Group.
For the past year in operation, the University has contributed over R8-million toward the HUB/CfERI (Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator). Under Dr Lose’s leadership they have assisted 200 clients and incubated 40 businesses and these MSMEs have generated over R10 million in turnover. A total of 92 jobs have been created by these student entrepreneurs.
As part of creating nurturing architectures for sustainable entrepreneurship development, the University has advertised for a Research Chair in Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion. The Chair will focus on research and creative approaches of embedding entrepreneurship into the curriculum”.