· Incubators and accelerators are critical support mechanisms for SMEs, providing mentorship, funding, networking, and infrastructure (Bruneel et al., 2012).
· Incubators focus on long-term business development, while accelerators offer intensive, short-term programs (Cohen & Hochberg, 2014).
· creation, innovation adoption, and survival rates (Mian et al., 2016).
· Mining SMEs face unique barriers, including regulatory constraints, high operational costs, and technological gaps (Amadi-Echendu et al., 2020).
· Studies suggest that incubated SMEs show better resilience and scalability (Stam et al., 2020).
· Sustainable mining requires balancing economic viability, environmental responsibility, and social equity (Hilson, 2020).
· Incubators and accelerators promote green mining technologies, circular economy models, and local community engagement (Jenkins & Yakovleva, 2006).
· South Africa’s mining sector faces sustainability challenges, including resource depletion and socio-political tensions (Marais et al., 2018).
· The South African government supports SME incubation programs (e.g., DSI’s Technology Innovation Agency) to drive economic diversification (Gastrow et al., 2019).
· However, funding gaps, mismatched policies, and weak mentorship limit effectiveness (Herrington & Kew, 2017).
· Case studies (e.g., The Innovation Hub, Minepreneur Accelerator) show mixed SME success rates (Ngobeni & Breitenbach, 2021).
· Limited empirical studies on how incubators/accelerators specifically impact mining SMEs in South Africa.
· Need for longitudinal assessments of sustainability outcomes (e.g., reduced carbon footprint, local employment).
· Policy misalignment between national SME strategies and mining sector needs (Mabaso et al., 2022).