On 25 July 2026, Belle and co.’s Director, Belisa Rodrigues, designed and delivered a pitch workshop for 70 learners at Silvermine Academy in Cape Town, as part of their Entrepreneurs Career Day. The session prepared students to develop and present a same day pitch to a panel of invited judges: “The Dragons”.

The workshop structure and process

The event aimed to stimulate creative thinking and practical problem solving among 14 to 17 year old participants.

After hearing talks from guest speakers representing Bootlegger Coffee Company and the Cape Town Creative Academy, the learners split into collaborative working groups to come up with their business idea. With guidance, each team developed core elements of their venture, including:

• A story hook to capture audience attention.
• A clear business model and prototype.
• A structured funding or support request.

The judging panel and student concepts

The judging panel featured experienced business owners and investors, including Gina Sulprizio (Full Circle Food), Jacques Loftus (Amethyst), Kevin James (GCX), Miguel Netto (Bootlegger), Ingram Casey (Escape + Explore), and Kevin Sibartie (Lineage Invest).

The students presented a range of innovative, creative, and niche business concepts. Ideas included recycled furniture production, specialized hamster accessories, and period product vending machines.

The workshop provided a supportive space for learners to build public speaking confidence and experiment with venture creation. Belle and co. congratulates Silvermine Academy for organizing an impactful event for emerging young entrepreneurs.

Images courtesy of Silvermine Academy 2026.