FNB empowers SMEs at the South African Future Trust Summit

29 October 2025 – FNB will be the proud sponsor of over 40 exhibition stands at the upcoming South African Future Trust (SAFT) Summit — South Africa’s premier business growth and innovation event. This initiative is an opportunity to unlock access to markets, providing real and tangible support to entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their businesses.

The SAFT was launched to support struggling business during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, SAFT has evolved into a broader support ecosystem for South African entrepreneurs, which includes the annual summit and awards ceremony. This year the event, which coincides with National Entrepreneurship Month, brings together over 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, changemakers, and innovators for two days of high-impact networking, exhibitions, and knowledge sharing.

Janis Robson, Business Development Head at FNB, says “FNB’s association with the SAFT began during Covid with our contribution to the business-support fund, and has proudly continued since then. We value the summit’s alignment with our efforts to help SMEs in a meaningful and impactful manner. Our sponsorships this year will help SMEs access markets, networking opportunities, collaborate, and learn from the experts on stage. All of this speaks to our core goals in the SME segment – to help build sustainable, viable businesses and unlock economic opportunity.”

The SAFT Summit 2025 will feature a multi-stage experience, exclusive exhibitions, and high-impact networking opportunities. Headline speakers will include Jonathan Oppenheimer, Katlego Maphai, Grace Andrews, J’Something and more. The summit will follow a unique format inspired by “silent discos”: attendees will be given headsets allowing them to tune in to content on the various stages however they see fit.

One of the SMEs supported by FNB at this year’s event is GirlCode, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women and girls through technology education. Zandile Mkwanazi, GirlCode CEO, said “Taking part in SAFT 2025 is a huge opportunity for us. FNB’s support allows us to move beyond our digital community, network with key industry innovators, and directly share the impact of our work.

This will allow us to showcase the commercial necessity of investing in female tech talent, and we are incredibly proud to leverage this visibility to accelerate our mission.”

FNB will also be sponsoring and exhibiting various SME businesses such as Matric Live an award-winning South African educational app designed for Grades 10–12 that provides study materials, interactive learning, and exam preparation tools and KasiD(tech/delivery app).There will be 20 launch pads for businesses spanning across different industries including manufacturing, technology & innovation, health & wellness, beauty, education. These food stalls round up how we are unlocking real growth/new platforms/new markets/opportunities for these SME’s.

Robson concludes. “As South Africa’s biggest lender to SMEs we thought it fit to bring the solutions we have to the summit and empower SMEs with real, tangible help. By unlocking access to networks and new markets, and helping them drive revenue, we’re giving them the opportunities they need to become unstoppable businesses.”

The South African Future Trust Summit will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on 5 & 6 November 2025. We have an exclusive 50% discount limited to the first 100 people only.

Use code SAFTFNB_!   To redeem your discount at https://summit.southafricanfuturetrust.org/ticket-checkout/

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