South Africa: Edge Growth and Bank of America celebrate fintech and climate innovation
The event brought together a dynamic mix of entrepreneurs, funders, and ecosystem enablers to witness five emerging ventures pitch for catalytic funding after completing a transformative six-month investment readiness programme.
The showcase marked the culmination of intensive support provided to five SMEs ranging from gap analysis and investor-readiness workshops, to pitch coaching, financial analysis, and mentorship. Each enterprise received an initial R50,000 in funding to begin building toward scalability and investment readiness. The breakfast event served as both a celebration of their progress and a live pitch opportunity to secure an additional R225,000 in catalytic grant capital.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by Lance Chetty, chief financial officer, who reaffirmed Bank of America Securities' commitment to inclusive economic development and long-term SME support.
Danei Rall and Elijah Djan, founders ... he winner by judge Velani Mboweni.
'We are honoured to stand alongside Edge Growth in showcasing this impressive cohort of entrepreneurs. Today is more than a pitch event, it's a celebration of opportunity, insight, and momentum. For founders, it's a chance to distil months of hard work into a compelling narrative. For guests, it's an invitation to engage with bold ideas that are shaping our future. And for the broader ecosystem, it's a powerful reminder that collaboration between established institutions and early-stage innovators fuels inclusive growth,' said Chetty.
Following the opening address, the event's centrepiece unfolded – five founder pitches delivered with passion, precision, and authenticity. The ventures included:
- Sum1 Investments: Unlocking township and rural wealth through a collective investment platform that integrates practical financial education
- Zaka Money: Empowering merchants with real-time working capital via instant settlement of card payments through a secure mobile wallet
- SendHome: Offering seamless, affordable cross-border remittances for migrants, with market-leading FX rates and transparent fees
- Trash Converters: Creating green jobs by transforming post-consumer plastic into durable, low-cost building materials
- Fintr: Gamifying financial literacy through an innovative app and board game, making finance accessible and engaging for South African youth
As guests enjoyed a breakfast intermission, the judging panel comprising of Velani Mboweni, co-founder and CEO of mobility platform LULA Loop, Lebogang Mokgabudi, independent board director and award-winning inclusive-finance strategist, Mawethu Soga, head of digital engagement and entrenchment at Standard Bank and co-founder of automotive-tech start-up Fixxr, Thanusha Moodley CA (SA), chief financial officer, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch South Africa, alongside audience members deliberated on the ventures' potential for impact and scalability. In a moment charged with excitement, Fintr was announced as the winner of the R225,000 grant capital.
'The mentorship and one-on-one sessions through Edge Growth helped us rethink our business model in a scalable way, especially within the B2B landscape,' said Elijah Djan, co-founder of Fintr. 'Winning this grant shows that people recognise the value of our work and the importance of financial literacy for children. We're thrilled to take the next step in scaling our impact.'
The morning concluded with closing reflections, but the conversations didn't stop there. Many attendees stayed on to connect, collaborate, and explore future opportunities with the ventures.
This event was more than a funding milestone, it was a testament to the power of ecosystem collaboration and a clear signal of support for entrepreneurs who are tackling South Africa's most pressing challenges with bold, scalable solutions.
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