The ICC Forum 2025, hosted in Pretoria, brought together French and South African leaders in the creative economy for a high-level platform designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange. The event, part of the France 2030 initiative, saw discussions on a wide range of topics including green design, digital innovation, and the role of creative industries in urban development. The Forum also featured dynamic panel discussions on sustainable fashion, digital arts, and heritage, showcasing the potential for long-term partnerships between French and South African creative industries.
Category: South Africa News
South Africa News
Cerebrium Raises $8.5M Led by Gradient to Scale the Leading High-Performance Serverless AI Platform
Cerebrium, a serverless AI infrastructure platform founded in Cape Town, has raised $8.5 million in a seed funding round led by Gradient, Google’s AI venture fund. The platform enables teams to build and scale multimodal AI applications without traditional complexity or cost. This funding will support Cerebrium’s growth and expansion, with the aim of meeting increasing demand in enterprise AI. Backed by Y Combinator and other investors, Cerebrium is already powering companies like Tavus and Deepgram, providing high-performance solutions for real-time voice, video, and data analytics applications.
Healing Earth Transformative Wellness Spa at Brahman Hills Earns Global Award Nomination
Brahman Hills’ Healing Earth Transformative Wellness Spa has been shortlisted for the Spa of the Year category at the prestigious 2025 Destination Deluxe Awards. The spa’s immersive wellness experience, set in the tranquil KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, combines world-class treatments with authentic South African hospitality. The nomination highlights the spa’s commitment to sustainability and wellness excellence, offering a sanctuary that blends nature with luxury. Voting for the awards is open until 31 July 2025, with the chance to showcase African wellness on the global stage.
The Intersection of IT & Business: Making Tech Decisions That Drive Growth
Digital transformation has moved IT from a back-office function to the core of business strategy. However, many organisations struggle to translate technology investments into measurable outcomes. This article explores why aligning IT decisions with business goals is essential for growth, outlining how CIOs, CTOs, and business leaders can collaborate to ensure technology acts as a strategic enabler rather than just infrastructure. From shifting IT’s role to value creation, to balancing innovation with governance, and embedding modern frameworks for agility and control, the piece highlights actionable insights for making tech decisions that drive profitability, efficiency, and competitive advantage.
French cultural and creative industry leaders embark on ICC Immersion 2025 in South Africa
The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and Business France South Africa proudly launch ICC Immersion South Africa 2025, a flagship initiative connecting France’s leading cultural and creative industry (CCI) companies with South African counterparts. Running from 23 June to 2 July 2025 across Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town, the programme aims to foster cultural diplomacy, innovation, and economic collaboration in sectors like fashion, heritage, architecture, and digital media. Featuring French firms such as Culturespaces, Jakob + MacFarlane, and France Muséums Développement, ICC Immersion showcases bilateral creativity, dialogue, and long-term partnership potential.
Tsheto and GreatWell to Host Leadership Workshop – A Call for Action: Agitating for Stewardship and a Better Tomorrow
In celebration of Mandela Month, Tsheto Leadership and Coaching Academy, in partnership with GreatWell, will host a high-impact Leadership Workshop on 17 July 2025 at The Maslow, Sandton. Centered on the theme “Agitating for Stewardship and a Better Tomorrow,” the workshop aims to equip C-suite executives, transformation leaders, and decision-makers with the tools to lead with intention, accountability, and social consciousness. Featuring keynote speaker Prof. Saths Cooper and expert facilitators Tantaswa Fubu and Rehema Isa, the event is a call to action for values-based leadership that leaves a lasting, positive legacy.
Gwen Madiba appointed Editor-in-Chief of Rolling Stone Africa: a pan-african voice leading a cultural icon
Rolling Stone Africa, the continental edition of the legendary American cultural magazine, proudly announces the appointment of Gwen Madiba as its new Editor in-Chief. An award-winning journalist, television host, and advocate for women’s and children’s rights, Madiba embodies a new editorial chapter for this iconic media brand in Africa.
Emerging Opportunities in Medical Tenders South Africa for Small-Scale Suppliers
What opportunities are emerging for small-scale suppliers in medical tenders South Africa? Read the blog to learn more.
South African Property in 2025: What Q1 Reveals About the Road Ahead
The South African property market started 2025 on a positive note, showing early signs of recovery after a challenging 2024. The first quarter revealed a resilient sector driven by easing inflation, steady interest rates, and new regulatory changes that boost affordability, particularly for first-time buyers. Insights from Lightstone, BetterBond, and FNB data highlight shifts in market dynamics, with notable demand in the High and Mid-Value segments. The recent exemption from Transfer Duty on properties under R1.21 million and improved rent-to-income ratios further contribute to the optimism. While challenges persist, particularly with global supply chain disruptions, the outlook for the rest of 2025 suggests potential growth, especially for investors and developers focused on the Western Cape and industrial properties.
South Africa’s Commerce Media Moment has Arrived: The Experts Weigh In
At Converge Africa 2025, Flow hosted a panel of industry leaders from Woolworths, Coty, eComplete, and TrafficBrand to explore the rise of commerce media in South Africa. With insights on local strengths like brand-retailer collaboration, first-party data activation, and omnichannel engagement, the session highlighted how South African retailers can monetise digital audiences without needing full-scale media networks. The consensus: commerce media isn’t coming — it’s already here, reshaping retail through strategy, trust, and data-driven growth.