Takealot sellers manufacturing locally can enter the Made Local challenge, which rewards business performance and programme participation. Takealot is partnering with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) to help locally manufacturing SMEs scale their businesses through its e-commerce marketplace. According to a statement, the organisations have introduced the 2026 Takealot TIA Local Innovation Challenge, known as…
Francistown — The President of the All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (AAASME), Dr Ebiekure Eradiri has honoured President Advocate Duma Boko with the UbuntuSusu Continental SME Billion Fund recognition. The presentation was made on the sidelines of the Trade Up North 10th Anniversary in Francistown on Thursday. Speaking after the presentation, Dr…
The number of South Africans planning to start a business has more than doubled since 2023, a sharp jump in entrepreneurial intent at a time when the country needs it most. Nearly one in five adults now intend to launch a venture within three years, and early-stage activity has surged alongside it, from 11.1% to 14.7%. But fewer of those businesses…
Anthony Miller, CEO of Simply Financial Services. Cape-based insurtech Simply Financial Services, a Hollard Group company, believes business leaders in the SME market do not adequately consider the value of providing risk benefits to their staff. The 11-year-old firm says the segment, which consists of around 14 million employees and contributes roughly 40% towards the…
First National Bank (FNB) has been named Africa’s Best SME Bank for 2026 at the Global Finance Awards, recognising its support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the continent. The award highlights FNB’s role in helping entrepreneurs access banking services, funding and business support. SMEs are widely regarded as the backbone of many…
In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen a series of reported breaches and cyber incidents affecting education institutions, technology providers and industry organisations in South Africa. These incidents reinforce the hard truth many SMEs still underestimate: cybercriminals are no longer only targeting big enterprise. In many cases, smaller and mid-sized businesses are easier, faster…
Dell Technologies says it is supporting Black-owned and Black women-owned small businesses through its enterprise and supplier development initiatives in South Africa. Natasha Reuben, head of transformation at Dell Technologies South Africa, says the programme focuses on helping SMEs in the ICT sector improve operational and financial capacity through infrastructure support, training and funding. Eligible…
South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reported a broad-based decline in confidence during the third quarter of 2025, despite a series of positive macroeconomic developments and strong optimism around the G20 Summit. This is according to the latest Business Partners Limited SME Confidence Index, which shows weakening sentiment across almost all performance indicators compared to…
SME Snapshot has launched an updated version of its business management dashboard, aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) demonstrate their financial health more clearly to potential funders. Access to finance remains one of the biggest barriers to SME growth in South Africa, despite the sector contributing over a third of GDP and employing…
There’s more to business innovation than breakthrough apps, technology or pivots that disrupt industries. For SMEs, innovation can be found in smaller, practical improvements that bring real value to both customers and the business itself. At its core, innovation asks business owners to think differently and look beyond the obvious to find creative ways to…
