South Africa: Wesgro hosted the newly appointed Consuls General of Japan – Yorio Ito and the Netherlands – Cornelieke Keizer to Cape Town for introductory meetings with CEO of Wesgro – Wrenelle Stander.
These engagements were the opportunity to deepen ties with two important international partners and explore where collaboration can open new pathways for trade, investment and innovation.
In Japan
Japan remains an important investment partner for South Africa, with strong potential in various aspects, such as:
- Renewable energy and the green economy
- Advanced technologies and business machines
- Automotive, transport and logistics
- Innovation and the Western Cape’s startup ecosystem
This builds on Wesgro’s recent work with Japanese partners, including hosting a JICA and Deloitte delegation in June 2026 to explore the Western Cape’s startup ecosystem and supporting 10 Western Cape companies at Foodex Japan.
In The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a priority European trade and investment partner for the Western Cape. Both markets are unique in its own right and a gateway into wider European value chains. It has several areas of opportunity that include:
- Green economy, battery technologies and energy storage
- Agriculture, AgriTech and agri-processing
- Life sciences, technology, FinTech and EdTech
- Supporting Western Cape businesses to enter and scale in the EU
Notably, Wesgro will continue to work with Dutch partners including Invest in Holland and Oost NL, with recent activity spanning life sciences, agriculture, technology and services.
While the sectors and markets differ, the goal is the same; that is to build the international pathways and connections which create real opportunities for Western Cape businesses, investors and innovators. Through continued engagement with global partners, Wesgro is working to strengthen the region’s pathways to global trade, investment and business.
Such initiatives and collaboration indulge in excelling economic growth of South Africa especially in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Support from a firm like Wesgro even adds up the stability and strong essence of authority and validity to it.