CLOUDY DELIVERIES TAKES TOP PRIZE AT 2025 STANDARD BANK KASI SME NATIONAL PITCH CHALLENGE
Attracting over 850 applications from township entrepreneurs across all nine provinces, the 2025 Standard Bank Kasi SME Summit culminated in a national showcase of South Africa’s brightest entrepreneurial talent. Now in its third year and expanded nationally for the first time, the Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge has become one of the country’s most dynamic platforms for township businesses. Cloudy Deliveries emerged as the overall winner, securing the top prize of R200, 000, at an awards event held on Wednesday, 27 August 2025 in Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
The full list of this year’s winners:
- Cloudy Deliveries (Western Cape) – 1st Place – R200, 000
A township-based delivery service using bicycles to connect restaurants, supermarkets, and local businesses with customers, while also distributing promotional materials for community enterprises.
- Ukuhamba (Gauteng) – 2nd Place – R100, 000
A 100% black youth- and women-owned healthcare tech company producing high-quality, affordable prosthetics, braces, and orthotics for amputees and persons with disabilities.
- Keiskamma Hygiene Services and Projects (Eastern Cape) – 3rd Place – R80, 000
A cleaning and environmental services business offering pest control, gardening, deep cleaning, and mobile car wash services to both residential and commercial clients.
- Ariel Robotics (KwaZulu-Natal) – 4th Place – R70, 000
An innovative drone technology company developing autonomous drones for inventory management and logistics, enhancing supply chain efficiency and warehouse operations.
- Sky Drop (KwaZulu-Natal) – 5th Place – R50, 000
An eco-friendly water business producing potable water through atmospheric water generators, supplying clean and healthy drinking water to households, communities, and businesses.
To level the playing field and strengthen investment readiness, all contestants participated in a national pitch masterclass programme ahead of the finals, covering storytelling, financial fundamentals, go-to-market strategy, and investor Q&A. The Kasi SME National Pitch Challenge provides entrepreneurs with the platform to pitch, showcase their businesses, and unlock new avenues for growth.
“The courage, creativity and resilience demonstrated by this year’s entrepreneurs embody the future of inclusive growth in South Africa,” said Naledzani Mosomane, Head of Enterprise and Supplier Development at Business & Commercial Banking, Standard Bank South Africa. “Through initiatives like this, we are helping township businesses to future-proof themselves, building the resilience needed to thrive.”
