Absa has opened applications for its R12 million Youth Entrepreneurship Fund, a grant and business support initiative aimed at Black-owned businesses led by South African entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35. Applications close on 31 October 2026, and the fund targets businesses at different stages, from early-stage ideas to enterprises preparing to grow and scale. The initiative is supported by the Absa CSI Trust and delivered in partnership with the Tshiamo Foundation.
Programme Overview
• Initiative: Absa Youth Entrepreneurship Fund
• Total fund size: R12 million
• Target group: Black-owned businesses led by South African entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35
• Saturday 31 October 2026: Applications close at 23:59 / 21:59 (UTC+0)
• Business stages: early-stage ideas through to enterprises preparing to grow and scale
• Supporting entity: Absa CSI Trust
• Delivery partner: Tshiamo Foundation
Funding Paired with Business Support
• Grant funding: funding is provided as grants rather than conventional lending
• Business support: successful applicants will have access to mentorship, business development and leadership support
• Market access: opportunities for market access and links to wider entrepreneurship networks
• Design input: programme shaped by feedback from young entrepreneurs who participated in the Absa Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue
• Identified barriers: access to finance, markets, mentorship and broader ecosystem support
• Quote: “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
• Pay-it-forward model: successful entrepreneurs can voluntarily share their knowledge, skills and experience with future generations of business owners
Targeting Businesses at Different Stages
• Target ownership: aimed specifically at Black-owned businesses
• Business stage coverage: support available to enterprises ranging from early ideation through to those with established operations and growth ambitions
• Funding structure: grants rather than conventional lending, with developmental support intended to help businesses improve their sustainability
• Partnership view: Shiluba Mawela, director of the Tshiamo Foundation, said the partnership would combine funding with practical business support and access to networks
• Economic context: the fund's launch comes as youth unemployment remains a major constraint on economic participation in South Africa
• Intended outcome: Absa said the initiative is intended to support young entrepreneurs in building businesses and creating jobs
Application Details
• Closing date: applications are open until 31 October 2026
• Application method: eligible entrepreneurs can apply through Absa’s Youth Entrepreneurship Fund website
The Absa Youth Entrepreneurship Fund offers a structured pathway for young Black-owned businesses to access grant funding, mentorship, market access and networking opportunities. With applications open until 31 October 2026, the programme aims to address key barriers identified by young entrepreneurs and support enterprise sustainability and job creation.