What is Grindstone Boost?
Grindstone Boost is a back-office solution designed to unlock South Africa’s entrepreneurial potential. It provides startups with a fully or partially funded pool of expert services.
Grindstone Boost is not a SaaS licence; it’s a curated pool of professionals who help founders tackle operational roadblocks, such as limited capacity, high service costs, and the administrative burden of running a growing business. Removing those hurdles builds stronger, more resilient companies.
Why corporates and development agencies back Grindstone Boost
For business development partners and ecosystem enablers, Grindstone Boost offers more than tick-box compliance. It is a practical, high-impact way to drive innovation, enable inclusive growth, and strengthen the South African startup ecosystem.
Strategic ecosystem building
Grindstone Boost aligns with enterprise development and/or supplier development objectives across five pillars:
· Legal: compliance, IP, contracts
· Branding, Marketing and Sales: GTM strategies, brand identity, sales collateral
· Technology: platform and product development
· Finance: forecasting, modelling, accounting
· Operations: processes, productivity, systems
These are not generic workshops or off-the-shelf toolkits. Grindstone Boost delivers one-on-one support from trusted experts who understand the needs of startups ready to scale.
Why business development partners choose Grindstone Boost
"What makes Grindstone Boost powerful is how practical it is. We’re building impact, one operational system at a time. We see how much founders grow once they have access to the right kind of back-office support," explains Sam Stodel, Grindstone's Project Manager. “It’s incredibly rewarding to watch startups gain confidence, momentum, and measurable results because their foundation is finally strong enough to scale.”
This hands-on, capacity-building support enables business development partners to deliver measurable impact for every startup.
100% of Approved Quotes completed by Service Providers
75% Black-owned Startups
10 Curated Service Providers
Support areas prioritised by startups
58% Branding, Marketing and Sales
7% Legal
3% Technology
22% Finance and Accounting
10% Operations
How our back-office engine works
· Mentor intake: a one-on-one session between the founder and a vetted mentor to identify operational gaps
· Service request: the founder selects legal, marketing, tech, finance, or operational help and submits a service request
· Expert match and quote: Grindstone Boost pairs the startup with a vetted provider; a quote is approved, and the work begins
· Delivery and tracking: milestones, hours and outcomes are logged for impact reporting
With Grindstone Boost, promising, high-potential startups get the tools they need to grow stronger and faster. Investment helps us fund these services, so it directly contributes to the success of the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Key benefits for business development partners
· Support inclusive innovation and local economic development
· Position your brand as a business development partner and true ecosystem enabler
· Gain early visibility into ventures aligned to your market or sector
· Track startup progress with auditable impact metrics
Boosting the entrepreneurial ecosystem
Every service request channels business to local experts, deepening supplier–founder relationships and creating jobs. Startups gain tailored support they could not otherwise access; providers secure a pipeline of high-potential clients.
For corporates and development agencies, Grindstone Boost delivers tangible enterprise-and supplier-development outcomes and early access to investable ventures.
“Grindstone Boost creates a value cycle that lifts the entire ecosystem. It connects entrepreneurs, service providers, and corporates in a shared space where growth and collaboration go hand in hand.”
— Lucie Fink, Chief of Staff, Grindstone
Whether you’re interested in supporting enterprise development, developing your supplier pipeline, or forming innovation-led partnerships, Grindstone Boost can meet your strategic goals and desire for measurable ecosystem impact.
Ready to see how Grindstone Boost fits your ESD or innovation development strategy?
Reach out to info@grindstonexl.com to book a discovery call.
“My request was attended to promptly, without any delays, and it met all my expectations. The service provider handled my request as if it were her own work, even going out of her way to ensure my expectations were fully satisfied. In addition, the business management lessons are amazing, they made me realise that several things I was taking lightly are actually powerful ways to lift my business.”
Mshuki Ntini, KP Leather
“As usual Grindstone follows up, communicates and expedites, which is always amazing and helps me boost my business!”
Aasiyah Adams, Abaguquli
FAQs
What qualifies as funded support?
Grindstone Boost subsidises the prices charged by our vetted service providers, making professional back-office support more accessible. The cost of Grindstone Boost for each company is based on its size, maturity, and specific service needs. This tiered structure ensures affordable support that scales with each startup, helping them manage operational expenses effectively while maximising impact.
How is impact reported?
You receive quarterly reports detailing hours funded, deliverables completed, jobs created and revenue shifts.
