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Empowering Young Entrepreneurs with Metropolitan and Value ed

Pearl Motsweri

The Metropolitan Collective Shapers initiative embodies the principle of “a hand up, not a handout,” empowering young South Africans with specialised knowledge and accredited skills to foster economic growth. To scale its impact and extend its reach, Metropolitan partnered with Value ed to expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs across the country.

In collaboration with us, Metropolitan and Value ed also sought to enhance their approach to community upliftment through innovative digital solutions. Together, these partnerships aimed to drive meaningful change and create lasting impact for South Africa’s youth.

The Challenge



Metropolitan sought to:

  1. 1. Expand the Initiative’s Reach to Impact More Youth While the Collective Shapers initiative had been successfully supporting 10 entrepreneurs annually, Metropolitan needed a scalable solution to grow its impact. The challenge was expanding the program’s reach to empower a significantly larger audience of young entrepreneurs across South Africa.

    2. Simplify Application and Evaluation Processes With an increasing volume of applications, Metropolitan faced the challenge of streamlining their processes. They needed a system that could efficiently handle applications and provide their team with the tools to evaluate candidates effectively, ensuring they selected the most promising young entrepreneurs.

    3. Build Awareness and Strengthen Recognition The Collective Shapers community had limited awareness of Value ed and its offerings. Metropolitan sought to address this by increasing brand recognition and communicating the value of the partnership. The challenge was building trust and engagement by effectively showcasing the initiative’s purpose and its connection to the Value ed platform.

The Solution

  1. Building a Digital Ecosystem

    We developed a custom micro-site integrated with the Value ed platform, creating a dedicated digital space for Collective Shapers. This micro-site facilitated a seamless application process for young entrepreneurs, enhancing accessibility and providing a platform for managing the initiative’s growing reach.

  2. Developing a Custom Evaluation System

    To streamline the selection process, we created a custom back-end system for Metropolitan, enabling their team to efficiently evaluate video submissions from applicants. This tailored solution allowed them to assess candidates effectively, ensuring they chose the most promising young entrepreneurs to participate in the initiative.

  3. White-Labeling Value Ed’s Platform for Metropolitan

    To strengthen Metropolitan’s brand equity, we white-labeled Value ed’s platform, aligning it with Metropolitan’s identity. This integration enhanced the program’s visibility and trust among participants, positioning Metropolitan as a key driver of youth empowerment while leveraging the established resources of the Value ed ecosystem.

    For a deeper dive into the broader role of the Value ed platform in scaling impact, visit the Value ed case study.


Key Highlights

  1. A Digital Transformation The micro-site revolutionised how Metropolitan managed the Collective Shapers initiative by simplifying applications and enhancing accessibility.

  2. Scaling with Value ed The program scaled from supporting 10 entrepreneurs annually to empowering 120 young entrepreneurs each year, a 12x increase in capacity.


  3. Data-Driven SuccessOver the two-year partnership:

    • The micro-site received more than 28,000 visitors.

    • 328 applications were processed, with 200+ entrepreneurs actively participating.

    • Metropolitan’s program became a key contributor to the Value ed ecosystem, engaging a third of its users.

Client Testimonial

"Through this partnership, we’ve been able to grow our Collective Shapers initiative far beyond what we thought possible. JD Creations and Value ed’s innovative approach to creating a digital ecosystem has empowered us to reach more youth, foster greater economic participation, and truly make a difference."— Metropolitan Team

Empower Your Vision Today

The partnership between Metropolitan, Value ed, and JD Creations highlights the power of technology and collaboration to drive meaningful change. Are you ready to scale your initiatives and create a lasting impact in your community? Let us help you craft innovative solutions that empower and inspire.

Contact us today to start your journey toward transformation


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