Kimberley Diamond Jewellery Incubator

The Kimberley Diamond and Jewellery Incubator (KDJI) was founded by the Northern Cape Provincial Government (NCPG) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) on the 16th April 2015. The objective of the establishment is to actively seek solutions to the multiple challenges facing South Africa’s diamond jewellery manufacturing industry including the empowerment of historically disadvantaged groups, poverty alleviation, community improvement and human capital development.

The purpose of KDJI’s establishment is to develop diamond cutters, polishers and jewellery manufacturers into better business people through appropriate business development interventions. These interventions are focused on addressing the high failure rate of existing small entrepreneurs in the mineral beneficiation and jewellery manufacturing sectors due to a lack of entrepreneurial skills. KDJI works with viable small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the mineral beneficiation and jewellery manufacturing sectors. These are entrepreneurs at different stages of the growth cycle – from business idea/concept design stage to early stage start-ups as well as established entrepreneurs.

Since its formation, KDJI has grown to become to become the only incubator with capacity to provide knowledge exchange, shared infrastructure and technology support to entrepreneurs in the precious minerals and jewellery manufacturing sector. KDJI has assisted over 70 small business enterprise in the diamond and jewellery industry since 2015.