NSTF Technology Partnership

Company Overview & Partnership Concept

Prepared for: National Science & Technology Forum (NSTF) Ms. Jansie Niehaus, Executive Director Ms. Wilna Eksteen, COO

Prepared by: iSu Technologies (Pty) Ltd Nhlakanipho Mnyadu Mobile: 0820600404 www.isutech.co.za

Date: December 3, 2025

Executive Summary

iSu Technologies is excited to explore a technology partnership with NSTF to modernize your awards management process and create a broader ecosystem partnership with your 100+ member organizations.

The Opportunity:

Immediate need: Streamline NSTF’s “arduous” two-stage awards process, addressing Everlytic’s limitations
Ecosystem potential: Position NSTF as a value-creator by connecting member organizations with proven technology solutions
Strategic partnership: Beyond vendor relationship - mutual benefit through technology alliance program

This Document Outlines:

About iSu Technologies
Understanding NSTF’s Opportunity
Partnership Framework Options
Investment Ranges
Proof Points & Next Steps

1. About iSu Technologies

Who We Are: iSu Technologies is a South African software development company specializing in custom platforms for professional bodies, SETAs, regulatory organizations, and educational institutions.

What We Do:

Awards Management Systems: End-to-end nomination, adjudication, and reporting platforms
Membership Portals: Self-service member management and CPD tracking
Event Management Platforms: Conference registration, speaker management, attendee tracking
Custom Solutions: Tailored technology for organizational workflows

Our Experience:

MGSLG (Mpumalanga Greater Sekhukhune Local Government)

Challenge: Manual training program management across 11 municipalities
Solution: Custom learner management and document workflow system
Results: 65% reduction in administrative time, R200K annual savings, 18-month ROI

SACE (South African Council for Educators)

Challenge: Complex CPD compliance tracking for educators
Solution: Automated compliance and training tracking platform
Results: 95% user adoption, 88% satisfaction, 40% compliance improvement

Sepfluor Group (Mining Sector)

Challenge: Fragmented stakeholder reporting and engagement
Solution: Integrated reporting and communication platform
Results: 70% reduction in report preparation time, 3x stakeholder engagement increase

Why Organizations Choose iSu:

South African based: POPIA-compliant, local data hosting, understand SA context
Proven track record: Government, education, professional bodies, private sector
Custom approach: Built for your workflows, not generic off-the-shelf SaaS
Long-term partnership: Ongoing support and evolution, not just deployment
Cost-effective: 60-85% cost savings vs Big 4 consultancies

2. Understanding NSTF’s Opportunity

The Immediate Challenge: Awards Management

Based on our conversation at SFSA, we understand:

Current State:

Two-stage awards nomination process (arduous, manual)
Everlytic has limitations for complex workflows
Manual coordination of adjudicators, files, and communications
Annual awards cycle (registrations typically November-March)
13 award categories plus special recognition awards
Multiple stakeholder groups (nominators, adjudicators, awardees, sponsors)

What NSTF Needs:

Single-stage nomination portal (simpler for nominators)
Automated file upload and organization by category
Adjudicator panel management tools
Real-time nomination tracking dashboard
Integration with existing systems (Everlytic for communications)
Reporting and analytics for awards cycle insights

Expected Outcomes:

50-70% reduction in administrative time
Improved nominator experience (higher participation)
Better adjudicator workflows (faster, more organized)
Data-driven insights for awards program improvement
Professional, modern platform aligned with NSTF’s brand

The Strategic Opportunity: Ecosystem Partnership

NSTF’s Unique Position: As South Africa’s largest SET stakeholder body with 100+ member organizations, NSTF sits at the center of a technology ecosystem with similar needs.

NSTF Member Organizations Face Similar Challenges:

Science Councils (20 orgs): Research management, stakeholder reporting, data platforms
Professional Bodies (51 orgs): CPD tracking, membership portals, event management
Regulatory Bodies (10 orgs): Compliance systems, registration platforms, workflow automation
Universities (23 institutions): Research management, postgraduate tracking, collaboration platforms

The Ecosystem Vision:

Rather than just solving NSTF’s immediate needs, we see an opportunity to:

Prove value for NSTF - Successful awards platform implementation
Create member benefit - NSTF-endorsed technology partnership with exclusive member discounts
Position NSTF as value-creator - “NSTF helped us find the right technology partner”
Generate mutual benefit - Revenue share or sponsorship opportunities for NSTF

Estimated Ecosystem Potential:

3-year market opportunity: R23.6M - R93M across 100+ member organizations
Immediate priority targets: ECSA, CSIR, IITPSA, SAIEE, SAAE (estimated R10M-R35M combined)
NSTF benefit: Revenue share, sponsorship, or strategic value (positioning as innovative leader)

Example Partnership Benefits:

NSTF receives 10-15% referral commission on member projects
Or: NSTF members receive 20-30% exclusive discount
Or: Hybrid model with sponsorship for awards program, discussion forums, youth programs

3. Partnership Framework Options

We propose three partnership models for NSTF to consider:

Option A: Direct Technology Partner (Traditional)

What This Means:

iSu builds NSTF’s awards management platform
Standard vendor-client relationship
No formal ecosystem partnership
Focus solely on NSTF’s immediate needs

Investment: R300K - R500K (Year 1)

Best For: Organizations wanting immediate solution without ecosystem complexity

Option B: Technology Alliance Program (Ecosystem Focus)

What This Means:

iSu builds NSTF’s awards platform
NSTF endorses iSu to member organizations
NSTF members receive exclusive 20-30% discount
iSu provides NSTF with quarterly reports on member engagement
NSTF positioned as member value-creator

Investment: R300K - R500K (Year 1 for awards platform) NSTF Benefit: Strategic positioning + member value (discounted technology services)

Best For: Organizations wanting to create member benefits without revenue share complexity

Option C: Strategic Partnership (Hybrid) ⭐ RECOMMENDED

What This Means:

iSu builds NSTF’s awards platform at discounted rate (15-20% off)
NSTF endorses iSu to member organizations
NSTF members receive 15-20% exclusive discount
iSu pays NSTF 5-10% commission on referred member projects
iSu sponsors NSTF programs (awards, discussion forums, youth programs)
Quarterly partnership reviews and optimization

Investment: R250K - R400K (Year 1 for awards platform, discounted) NSTF Benefit:

Discounted technology for NSTF (15-20% off)
Revenue share from member referrals (5-10% commission on R23M-R93M potential)
Sponsorship funding (R50K-R150K annually for programs)
Strategic positioning as innovation leader

Best For: Organizations wanting mutual benefit, long-term strategic partnership, revenue generation

Why We Recommend This:

Balanced incentives for both parties
NSTF gets discounted technology AND revenue potential
iSu gains ecosystem access through trusted endorsement
Win-win-win: NSTF wins, members win, iSu wins

4. Investment Ranges

NSTF Awards Management Platform

Pilot/MVP Approach (8 weeks)

Single awards cycle implementation
Core nomination and adjudication features
Basic reporting and dashboards
Investment: R150K - R250K

Comprehensive Platform (12 weeks)

Full awards cycle management
Advanced adjudicator workflows
Integration with Everlytic
Custom reporting and analytics
Mobile-responsive design
Investment: R300K - R500K

Full Ecosystem Platform (26 weeks)

Awards management
Event registration and management
Membership portal (if applicable)
Discussion forum integration
Comprehensive analytics suite
Investment: R500K - R800K (Year 1)

Ongoing Support & Maintenance

Annual support: 15-20% of initial investment
Includes: Bug fixes, security updates, minor enhancements, hosting, technical support

Strategic Partnership Discounts

Technology Alliance (Option B): Standard pricing, members get 20-30% off
Strategic Partnership (Option C): NSTF gets 15-20% off, members get 15-20% off

5. Proof Points & Next Steps

Why Organizations Trust iSu

MGSLG (Local Government)

65% administrative time reduction
R200K annual cost savings
18-month return on investment
3x improvement in stakeholder engagement

SACE (Education Regulator)

95% user adoption rate
88% satisfaction score
40% improvement in compliance tracking

Sepfluor (Mining Sector)

70% reduction in report preparation time
3x increase in stakeholder engagement
Centralized communication platform

Our Approach

Phase 1: Discovery (January 2026)

30-45 minute discovery call
Deep dive into NSTF’s awards process
Stakeholder mapping and requirements gathering
Ecosystem partnership discussion

Phase 2: Detailed Proposal (February 2026)

Custom proposal based on discovery insights
Detailed pricing and timeline
Partnership framework finalization
Contract and kickoff planning

Phase 3: Implementation (March-June 2026)

Agile development sprints
Weekly progress updates
Stakeholder testing and feedback
Training and change management
Launch before next awards cycle

Suggested Next Steps

December 2025:

Review this partnership concept document
Internal NSTF discussion on partnership model preference
Office closure (Dec 12-Jan 13)

January 2026:

Schedule 30-45 minute discovery call (late January)
Explore partnership framework in detail
Discuss ecosystem opportunity and member engagement

February 2026:

Receive detailed proposal and pricing
Partnership agreement finalization
Kickoff planning

March-June 2026:

Platform development and implementation
Ready for 2026/2027 awards cycle

6. Why Partner with iSu?

Local Expertise: South African company, understand SA context (B-BBEE, POPIA, local compliance requirements)

Proven Track Record: Government, education, professional bodies, private sector success stories

Cost-Effective: 60-85% cost savings vs Big 4 consultancies, 40-60% vs international SaaS platforms

Custom Approach: Built for your workflows, not generic templates

Strategic Partnership: Beyond vendor relationship - mutual benefit through ecosystem collaboration

Long-Term Commitment: Ongoing support, continuous improvement, responsive to evolving needs

Contact Information

iSu Technologies (Pty) Ltd

Contact Person: Nhlakanipho Mnyadu Mobile: 0820600404 Email: [your email] Website: www.isutech.co.za

Next Step: Schedule discovery call in late January 2026

We’re excited about the potential to partner with NSTF and look forward to continuing this conversation in the new year!

Wishing the NSTF team a wonderful festive season and well-deserved break!

Document prepared December 3, 2025 iSu Technologies (Pty) Ltd - Empowering South African Organizations Through Technology