Entrepreneurs have until Friday, 22 May 2026, to enter the provincial round of the Standard Bank Kasi small and medium enterprise (SME) Pitch Challenge for a chance to win the R1 million grand prize.
The bank said that this year, the Kasi SME Summit is celebrating its fourth anniversary and is the second time the competition is going national.
“In each province, 10 entrepreneurs will be shortlisted to pitch their businesses to a panel of judges,” said Standard Bank. “From these, the top three will be selected, with the provincial winner receiving R50 000, while the first and second runners-up will each receive R10 000.”
Provincial winners to compete for R1m
The bank said nine entrepreneurs who will move from provincial rounds, along with one first runner-up, forming a top 10, will advance to the National Pitch Challenge, where they will compete for the R1 million grand prize.
Naledzani Mosomane, head of enterprise and supplier development at Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank South Africa, said the summit has grown into a launchpad for entrepreneurial success.
“Township businesses are important to local communities as well as to the broader South African economy. By combining funding with knowledge, mentorship and national visibility, the competition aims to help these entrepreneurs transform their ideas into enterprises that can thrive well beyond their immediate markets.”
Eligible township entrepreneurs who can enter
The criteria include:
- 51% or more black-owned;
- Businesses within South African townships;
- A valid BBBEE Certificate or sworn affidavit;
- A registered business with CIPC;
- Participants must be 18 years or older and have a valid tax certificate for the business.
- The business must have been operational for at least two years prior to the competition date and have a total annual revenue of less than R50 million.
Interested SME entrepreneurs must visit the Kasi SME Pitch Challenge to apply before Friday, 22 May 2026.
