Festival Of Entrepreneurship 2025 Showcases Innovation And Collaboration To Boost African Growth

Themed around the African Development Bank’s High 5 priorities – energy, agriculture, industrialisation, integration and quality of life – the festival focuses on actionable strategies to unlock inclusive growth and scalable innovation through entrepreneurship. With a curated agenda of keynotes, panels and masterclasses, FOE 2025 is set to unpack the pillars that drive successful entrepreneurial ecosystems, including access to finance, capacity building and strategic collaboration.

Attendees will hear from industry leaders, funders, township economy champions, business support specialists and seasoned entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated the challenges and successes they encountered along the business journey. Discussions will span investor readiness, growth funding, public-private partnerships and the future of youth- and women-led businesses in Africa.

Absa Group, as headline sponsor, brings its deep-rooted commitment to empowering entrepreneurs to the event. With a strong presence in the small and medium enterprises (SME) ecosystem, Absa continues to foster inclusive economic participation and long-term business sustainability.

“At Absa, we believe that entrepreneurship is not only a catalyst for economic growth but also a vital engine for job creation and innovation. Through our collaboration with FOE 2025, we are reinforcing our mission to empower entrepreneurs with the tools, funding and support they need to thrive,” says Ronnie Mbatsane, group managing executive: SME segments at Absa.

FOE 2025 is supported by partners including the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA), Telkom and National Empowerment Fund (NEF), with IDF Capital leading the programme curation and hosting the event.

Attendees will participate in masterclasses on investor readiness, financial planning, branding and tendering strategy, which will provide practical knowledge and one-on-one engagement with subject matter experts.

Follow the event: @FestivalOfEntrepreneurship | Hashtag: #FOE2025