The business pitch competition provides women entrepreneurs with the opportunity to showcase their innovative ideas and receive grant funding of up to R150,000 for equipment to help them scale their businesses.
Since 23 January 2023, Kefilwe Morobane, founder and managing director of Giving Wings partnered with Standard Bank to empower and uplift women in the world of entrepreneurship through the Basali Development Programme.
The 12-month-long development programme features Black women-owned businesses from across the nine provinces of South Africa.
The Basali Development Programme entrepreneurs had an opportunity to enter the 2023 Basali Business Pitch Competition to showcase their business offerings as well as pitching skills with the hopes of securing funding to help grow their businesses.
From the 105 entrants, and the 10 finalists, Sarah Sebetola of Tshepiso Branding Solutions was the grand prize winner. The winner and runners-up were selected during a live pitch competition by a panel of judges who evaluated the top 10 women shortlisted, from the initial 100 who entered the competition at the beginning of the year.
While the cash grand prize was given to only one woman, the journey travelled by the top 10 was not in vain, the spirit of business development prevailed when the top 10 still managed to secure grant funding for equipment for their businesses from Standard Bank Enterprise Development.
The winning start-up Tshepiso Branding Solutions. The company won a grand prize of R75,000.
Thabi Kgwefane of Creatives with Thabi came in second place and won R50,000 in prize money.
Coming in third place and winning R35 000 was Matshidiso Mooketsi of Matshimo Holdings.
