JOHANNESBURG – Start-ups across southern Africa, including Eswatini, have been called to seize emerging opportunities in renewable energy, mining and fintech by accessing funding from capital suppliers.
The conversation around the untapped opportunities and access to capital took centre stage during the Ibhuma Business Dinner, Sandton Edition, held on Saturday evening at the prestigious Aurum Restaurant, The Leonardo.
Hosted by Bracefield Investment Group and Pinaco & Co, the Ibhuma Business Dinner forms part of an exclusive boutique networking platform designed to foster inter-country business partnerships and unlock trade and investment flows across Africa.
Bracefield and Pinaco & Co positions themselves as active facilitators in connecting entrepreneurs with capital providers, particularly through venture capital (VC) structures.
Launched in 2023, Ibhuma Events is a business networking initiative intentionally designed to move beyond the traditional talk-shop model of summits and seminars. Instead, it creates solution-driven settings where start-up founders, investors, corporates and policymakers can interact meaningfully and spark real investment discussions.
It is noteworthy that this was the second edition of the dinner as the inaugural business dinner, was held in May at Summerfield Botanical Garden and Exclusive, Eswatini.
Director of Bracefield Investment Group Linda Shiba addressed the gathering with a direct challenge to traditional business event formats.
“Unlike seminars where motivational speakers talk endlessly, Ibhuma is different,” Shiba said. “We want entrepreneurs to walk away with more than just ideas—we want them to walk into partnerships, funding and cross-border thinking.” Shiba stressed the importance of collaboration across countries and sectors, urging young businesspeople to work together on financing solutions such as crowdfunding and regional partnerships.
“It is time to get entrepreneurs working and thinking outside borders,” Shiba said. “We must create connections that help grow businesses across the region.”
The event drew business leaders, development partners and executives from companies including MiWay Insurance and Sany, who delivered presentations highlighting the investment opportunities and partnership models they offer. Both companies reaffirmed their interest in collaborating with start-ups and SMEs in the region.
Full details can be found in today's paper.
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