SAB Foundation

Congratulations Sange Mafinyongwana and WebMax, on your well-deserved recognition. It's inspiring to see entrepreneurs using technology to solve real challenges, create opportunities and contribute to Africa's growth. We are honoured to be part of your journey and look forward to seeing what comes next.

Across many rural communities in South Africa, farmers already possess deep agricultural knowledge, strong livestock practices and valuable natural resources.   The challenge is often market access, support and the ability to unlock greater economic value from what already exists.   Meat Naturally is working with communities to improve grazing practices, strengthen livestock production and create more sustainable income opportunities through regenerative agriculture.   What makes the model particularly powerful is its practical approach: better grazing practices lead to healthier livestock, healthier livestock creates access to stronger markets, and stronger markets help communities grow local economies.   The organisation has also expanded its work through South Africa’s first approved mobile abattoir, helping unlock market access for rural farmers in areas where infrastructure has traditionally been limited.   This entrepreneur journey story highlights how community-led agricultural innovation can support livelihoods while restoring and protecting the land for future generations. Watch the full journey here https://lnkd.in/dHEzNXD9 Itumeleng Dhlamini Onthatile Ditshego Wendy Simunyu Sarah Leneisang Mthintso Meat Naturally Africa

Neo Hutiri did not start with a business plan. He started with a problem. After being diagnosed with TB, he found himself losing up to four hours every time he collected medication from a clinic. That experience sparked a question: What if collecting chronic medication could be as simple as collecting a parcel? Today, Pelebox operates at more than 130 sites, helping reduce queues at clinics and giving people something incredibly valuable back, time. What stands out in Neo’s story is how innovation often begins quietly: One frustrating experience. One conversation with a nurse. One idea shared with the right people. Over time, that idea became a product, then a pilot, then a growing healthtech business improving access to healthcare across South Africa. This is the latest video in our entrepreneur journey series, highlighting founders building practical solutions with real impact in their communities. Watch Neo’s full story here https://lnkd.in/dJQ3i45R

Milestone Moment Innovation doesn’t always follow a straight line, and neither does entrepreneurship. Loop, a technology company founded by Imtiyaaz Riley on the Cape Flats, has been selected to join the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa 2026 cohort. Originally supported through the SAB Foundation, Loop has continued to evolve over the years and is now building digital infrastructure that connects informal transport systems with modern financial services in underserved communities. Today, the company is helping digitise how people move and transact across emerging markets, while proving that globally recognised innovation can come from anywhere. “This is bigger than Loop. We started this journey on the Cape Flats, building with communities who are often overlooked by traditional systems. Being selected by Google shows that globally relevant innovation can come from anywhere.” – Imtiyaaz Riley, CEO of Loop We’re proud to celebrate this milestone and look forward to seeing what comes next for the team.

In 2018, Carla Botha made the decision to leave full-time employment and start her own business.   Early on, the challenge was clear, building a customer base and finding a sustainable path forward.   Just before joining the Tholoana Enterprise Programme, she lost one of her largest clients. Orders were cancelled, placing immediate pressure on the business.   What followed was a period of rebuilding, starting with a shift in mindset. Carla focused on her role as an entrepreneur, refining her strategy and forming the right partnerships to support growth.   Today, both the business and the person behind it have evolved.   Her words capture it simply, “Eight years later, I’m doing it.”   Watch Carla’s story.

Social innovation doesn’t start with theory. It starts with a problem that hasn’t been solved. Across South Africa, the innovators supported through the SAB Foundation are building solutions that respond to very specific challenges. A platform that helps people with hearing and visual impairments access information and communicate more easily. A digital system that connects surgeons with qualified assistants in real time, improving access to healthcare and creating work opportunities for doctors. A training academy equipping neurodiverse individuals with practical skills and pathways into employment. A solution that allows township entrepreneurs to run businesses from their phones, earning an income without the need These are operating businesses, solving real problems in real contexts. At the SAB Foundation, our role is to support these innovators as they build, test, and scale their solutions. Because when the right innovation is supported, it doesn’t stay small. It moves into communities, industries, and systems where it can make a lasting difference.

In agriculture, consistency is everything. Water, machinery and timing all need to align for a business to operate effectively. For Eric Mlambo, unreliable energy disrupted that balance, affecting everything from water supply to daily operations on his farm. Through the Township Energy Fund, his business installed a solar energy solution, restoring stability and enabling operations to run without interruption. That foundation has created the conditions for growth, including the launch of a nursery and new agricultural activities. This is what happens when infrastructure challenges are addressed. Small shifts in stability can unlock entirely new opportunities.

Many small businesses don’t have a demand problem. They have an access problem. We see this consistently in the businesses we work with. Entrepreneurs who have built strong products. Who understand their customers. Who are ready to grow. But are limited by where and how they can sell. In some cases, demand exists, but it is inconsistent. In others, the business is confined to a local market, with no clear pathway to expand. This is where growth begins to stall. Through our programmes, we’ve seen what shifts when market access opens up. An entrepreneur who was selling within their immediate community begins supplying to larger, more structured buyers. Production becomes more consistent. Revenue stabilises. Planning becomes possible. The business doesn’t change overnight. But the trajectory does. That transition doesn’t happen on its own. It requires the right connections, the right preparation, and the ability to meet the expectations of new markets. This is why market access is not an add-on. It is a critical part of how businesses move from survival to sustainable growth.