Available courses

Understanding Your Problem & Introduction to Design Thinking

The Understand phase will teach you the key components of Design Thinking, Research and Empathy. To develop great ideas we need to invest time and energy in understanding the problems we are trying to solve more clearly. This cannot be done through a computer or desktop research but requires speaking to the people (customers/users) we are wanting to help. We need to understand the problem from their perspective and understand their challenges so that we can build the right type of solutions for them.

Ideation and Brainstorming

The phase of Ideation is an exciting part of the Design Thinking journey, as you will learn to generate, develop and communicate new ideas. Here we will use our gathered research, our context building and all the mapped-out information to turn insights into actionable ideas for creative problem solving. With time, the ideas generated through brainstorming activities in this phase will be nurtured and grow into the prototypes and final solutions as we prepare the idea for the market.


Validation and Prototyping

During this phase you will be required to create basic and cost-effective mock-ups of your idea to test with real users. Here you will challenge your assumptions and gain further understanding about the context and key features of your product/service. It is important not to be too attached to your first prototype, as the quicker you fail and move on to an iterated design – the better the end result will be. Ultimately, we are looking to validate whether the problem we have identified, ideated on and tried to solve is actually the right problem.


Business Modelling and Market Strategy

In the final phase of the RE:SOLVE Challenge, you will be exposed to business modelling in order to make your idea feasible for the real world. Here, the Lean Business Model Canvas is an important tool for mapping out your entire business model in one image and to decide how your business is going to be organised. Other key learnings will be around pricing models as well as discussions on your go to market strategy – before you communicate the final value of your idea in a short presentation before a panel of judges.


Site announcements

RE:SOLVE Challenge Complete

by System Administrator -

With the RE:SOLVE Challenge of 2020 / 2021 now completed, we would like to thank all of the amazing participants, facilitators and sponsors who made this challenge possible. It has been a process of great learning and an insightful experience that, in just a few short months, has empowered our passionate entrepreneurs to solve real problems, develop sustainable solutions and uplift the communities around them. We wish all those that entered the very best with progressing your ideas and to keep on the look out for future innovation challenges from the CDI & City of Cape Town. Stay tuned.  

RE:SOLVE Challenge Team

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Welcome to the RE:SOLVE Challenge

by System Administrator -

We are excited to have you on board and looking forward to seeing the amazing ideas that will evolve through this process. The challenge aims to help you progress your business while teaching you practical skills that will sharpen your capabilities as an entrepreneur. It's going to be an action-packed few weeks and what you put in will definitely drive what you get out.

If you have any questions please message us on the forum and we will answer as quickly as possible.


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