The GEM SA Special Report: Women’s Entrepreneurship in South Africa (2024) shows that women entrepreneurs are exiting their businesses at higher rates than they are starting and running them, with access to finance emerging as a key driver of this attrition. Around 21.5% of women entrepreneurs cite...

15 December 2025

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and partners including the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and African Bank have officially launched Township Spark, a new blended-finance guarantee...

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Programme Context
The Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE) Programme invites applications for its second Call for PhD Research Grants. The programme supports high-quality doctoral research that advances understanding of how economic growth, or the lack thereof, interacts with conflict, fragility, and peace, with strong emphasis on policy relevance in low- and middle-income countries.

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The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) is re-launching the Asset Assist Programme which was previously implemented through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa).

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are hereby invited to submit applications for assistance with machinery, equipment, working capital and acquisition of raw material from a maximum grant of R250 000. Only up to 20% of the total grant applied for may be used for raw materials and stock.

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The National Empowerment Fund (NEF), in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), launches the Agro-processing Blended Finance Programme a transformative funding initiative designed to empower Black-owned agro-processing enterprises in Gauteng to scale operations, increase value-addition, access markets and create sustainable employment. This programme represents a strategic commitment to drive inclusive economic participation, food security and transformation within Gauteng's agricultural value chains.

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The Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) Media Day, held in Pretoria on 5 December 2025, served as a crucial barometer for the state of South African agriculture, uniting industry experts and media under the theme: “Connecting the Dots: Collaborative Solutions Across Policy, Markets, Logistics &...

The Mzansi Young Farmers Indaba is billed as one of Africa’s biggest youth‑in‑agriculture gatherings, drawing nearly 2 000 young farmers, agro‑processors and industry leaders over two days of learning, networking and inspiration. The 2026 edition takes place from 9-10 April 2026 in Pretoria, Gauteng...

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Propella, as an implementing partner of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), invites researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs based in the Eastern Cape) to apply for the TIA Industry Seed Fund.

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CDH, in partnership with Gender Rights and Tech (GRIT), hosted the event “From Ground to Governance: Closing the Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Gap through Research and Policy Innovation,” which served as a crucial global call to action during the 16 Days of Activism for no violence against...

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What This Opportunity Is About

The 37th IraSME Call invites small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research and technology organisations (RTOs) to collaborate on international research, technology development and innovation (RTDI) projects that develop new or significantly improved products, processes or technical services with strong commercial potential. IraSME is a strategic initiative designed to strengthen the innovation capacity and global competitiveness of SMEs through structured, cross-border R&D collaboration.

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