Absa opens applications for R12m youth entrepreneurship fund

Source: Magnific

Applications close on 31 October 2026, with the fund targeting businesses at different stages of development, from early-stage ideas to enterprises preparing to grow and scale.

The initiative is supported by the Absa CSI Trust and will be delivered in partnership with the Tshiamo Foundation.

Funding paired with business support

In addition to grant funding, successful applicants will have access to mentorship, business development and leadership support, market access opportunities and links to wider entrepreneurship networks.

Absa says the programme was shaped by feedback from young entrepreneurs who participated in its Absa Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue. Participants identified access to finance, markets, mentorship and broader ecosystem support as key barriers to entrepreneurial success.

“The fund has been designed in direct response to what young entrepreneurs told us,” said Setlogane Manchidi, managing executive for corporate citizenship at Absa Group.

The programme will also introduce a voluntary “pay-it-forward” model, under which successful entrepreneurs can share their knowledge, skills and experience with future generations of business owners.

Targeting businesses at different stages

The fund is aimed specifically at Black-owned businesses, with support available to enterprises ranging from early ideation through to those with established operations and growth ambitions.

Funding will be provided as grants rather than conventional lending, with developmental support intended to help businesses improve their sustainability.

Shiluba Mawela, director of the Tshiamo Foundation, said the partnership would combine funding with practical business support and access to networks.

The fund's launch comes as youth unemployment remains a major constraint on economic participation in South Africa. Absa said the initiative is intended to support young entrepreneurs in building businesses and creating jobs.

Applications are open until 31 October 2026.

Eligible entrepreneurs can apply through Absa’s Youth Entrepreneurship Fund website.