The Standard Bank Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge Summit 2025 brings 18 township entrepreneurs to KZN on Wednesday, 27 August, with R500 000 on the table. The top two from each province advanced after a nine-province run of pitches, under the theme “Future-Proofing Kasi Businesses: From Survival to Sustainable Success”. The summit is powered by Standard Bank with the South African Future Trust (SAFT).
By Unarine Mphoshomane – Daily Sun
Why it matters
- Finalists span sectors from robotics and water technology to agriculture and delivery services, reflecting real township market needs.
- Standard Bank’s head of Enterprise and Supplier Development, Naledzani Mosomane, says the programme backs entrepreneurs as the backbone of the economy; SAFT’s Nico Jacobs echoes the role of SMEs as the economy’s lifeblood.
At a glance
- Date: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
- Prize pot: R500 000
- Finalists: 18 (two per province)
- Partners: Standard Bank and SAFT.
Voices from the field highlight jobs for youth, solutions to water scarcity, and greener production—signals that township enterprises are building scalable, investment-ready models rather than one-off projects.
