The highly anticipated Festival of Entrepreneurship (FOE) 2025 is set to make waves across Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Scheduled at the prestigious Marriott Hotel in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, the full-day summit brings together more than 300 of the continent’s top entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and innovation enablers. This powerful gathering aims to accelerate sustainable entrepreneurship, create inclusive economic opportunities, and foster scalable innovation.
Championing Africa’s Growth Through Entrepreneurship
The 2025 edition of FOE is aligned with the African Development Bank’s High 5 priorities:
Power and energy
Food security and agriculture
Industrialisation
Regional integration
Improving the quality of life for Africans
Under this theme, the event will showcase practical, results-driven strategies to build thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems. The carefully curated programme includes high-impact keynote speeches, expert-led panel discussions, and immersive masterclasses — all designed to equip entrepreneurs with tools to scale their businesses.
Key Themes: Finance Access, Strategic Collaboration, and Capacity Building
FOE 2025 explores the core pillars essential for building resilient enterprises:
Access to funding and capital
Business development support and capacity-building initiatives
Collaborative partnerships across sectors
Participants will engage with industry leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, funders, and grassroots ecosystem builders, gaining first-hand insights into how they overcame challenges and scaled ventures in South Africa and across the continent.
Discussions will deep-dive into crucial topics such as:
Investor readiness
SME growth financing
Public-private partnerships
Women-led and youth-driven business success in Africa
Absa Group Leads the Charge as Headline Sponsor
Absa Group, a long-standing advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship, proudly headlines FOE 2025. As a banking institution deeply embedded in South Africa’s small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, Absa reaffirms its dedication to driving inclusive economic participation and sustainable business development.
“Entrepreneurship is not just a driver of economic growth — it's a powerful force for job creation and innovation,” says Ronnie Mbatsane, Group Managing Executive: SME Segments at Absa.
“Through our partnership with FOE 2025, we aim to provide entrepreneurs with funding, tools, and mentorship to unlock their full potential.”
Strategic Partnerships Fueling Entrepreneurial Impact
The Festival is backed by an impressive line-up of development-focused organisations, including:
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEFA)
Telkom
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)
Programme curation and event hosting is spearheaded by IDF Capital, known for its work in catalysing impact-driven investments and supporting inclusive enterprise growth.
These partnerships reflect a strong multi-sector commitment to advancing entrepreneurial capacity and empowering emerging businesses, especially in underrepresented sectors and communities.
Empowering Entrepreneurs Through Expert Masterclasses
Beyond inspiration and networking, FOE 2025 delivers practical learning experiences through targeted masterclasses. These sessions are crafted to provide entrepreneurs with actionable knowledge and personalised feedback on critical business areas such as:
Investor readiness and pitching techniques
Financial literacy and strategic budgeting
Brand positioning and marketing strategies
Tendering and procurement readiness
Led by expert facilitators, these masterclasses offer direct engagement with specialists, enabling entrepreneurs to refine their strategies, build confidence, and strengthen business fundamentals.
Shaping Africa’s Entrepreneurial Future
With Africa on the brink of a digital and industrial transformation, FOE 2025 arrives at a pivotal time. By placing the spotlight on innovation, inclusion, and collaboration, the festival acts as a catalyst for economic empowerment and entrepreneurial excellence.
The conversations sparked and the connections made at FOE 2025 are expected to ripple far beyond the event — igniting new ventures, solidifying partnerships, and reinforcing South Africa’s position as a regional entrepreneurship hub.
Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, an investor looking for high-impact ventures, or a policymaker focused on economic development, FOE 2025 is the place to be.
Follow the Conversation and Be Part of the Movement
? Twitter: @FestivalOfEntrepreneurship
?️ Hashtag: #FOE2025
The highly anticipated Festival of Entrepreneurship (FOE) 2025 is set to make waves across Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Scheduled at the prestigious Marriott Hotel in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, the full-day summit brings together more than 300 of the continent’s top entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and innovation enablers. This powerful gathering aims to accelerate sustainable entrepreneurship, create inclusive economic opportunities, and foster scalable innovation.
Championing Africa’s Growth Through Entrepreneurship
The 2025 edition of FOE is aligned with the African Development Bank’s High 5 priorities:
Power and energy
Food security and agriculture
Industrialisation
Regional integration
Improving the quality of life for Africans
Under this theme, the event will showcase practical, results-driven strategies to build thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems. The carefully curated programme includes high-impact keynote speeches, expert-led panel discussions, and immersive masterclasses — all designed to equip entrepreneurs with tools to scale their businesses.
Key Themes: Finance Access, Strategic Collaboration, and Capacity Building
FOE 2025 explores the core pillars essential for building resilient enterprises:
Access to funding and capital
Business development support and capacity-building initiatives
Collaborative partnerships across sectors
Participants will engage with industry leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, funders, and grassroots ecosystem builders, gaining first-hand insights into how they overcame challenges and scaled ventures in South Africa and across the continent.
Discussions will deep-dive into crucial topics such as:
Investor readiness
SME growth financing
Public-private partnerships
Women-led and youth-driven business success in Africa
Absa Group Leads the Charge as Headline Sponsor
Absa Group, a long-standing advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship, proudly headlines FOE 2025. As a banking institution deeply embedded in South Africa’s small and medium enterprise (SME) ecosystem, Absa reaffirms its dedication to driving inclusive economic participation and sustainable business development.
“Entrepreneurship is not just a driver of economic growth — it's a powerful force for job creation and innovation,” says Ronnie Mbatsane, Group Managing Executive: SME Segments at Absa.
“Through our partnership with FOE 2025, we aim to provide entrepreneurs with funding, tools, and mentorship to unlock their full potential.”
Strategic Partnerships Fueling Entrepreneurial Impact
The Festival is backed by an impressive line-up of development-focused organisations, including:
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEFA)
Telkom
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)
Programme curation and event hosting is spearheaded by IDF Capital, known for its work in catalysing impact-driven investments and supporting inclusive enterprise growth.
These partnerships reflect a strong multi-sector commitment to advancing entrepreneurial capacity and empowering emerging businesses, especially in underrepresented sectors and communities.
Empowering Entrepreneurs Through Expert Masterclasses
Beyond inspiration and networking, FOE 2025 delivers practical learning experiences through targeted masterclasses. These sessions are crafted to provide entrepreneurs with actionable knowledge and personalised feedback on critical business areas such as:
Investor readiness and pitching techniques
Financial literacy and strategic budgeting
Brand positioning and marketing strategies
Tendering and procurement readiness
Led by expert facilitators, these masterclasses offer direct engagement with specialists, enabling entrepreneurs to refine their strategies, build confidence, and strengthen business fundamentals.
Shaping Africa’s Entrepreneurial Future
With Africa on the brink of a digital and industrial transformation, FOE 2025 arrives at a pivotal time. By placing the spotlight on innovation, inclusion, and collaboration, the festival acts as a catalyst for economic empowerment and entrepreneurial excellence.
The conversations sparked and the connections made at FOE 2025 are expected to ripple far beyond the event — igniting new ventures, solidifying partnerships, and reinforcing South Africa’s position as a regional entrepreneurship hub.
Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, an investor looking for high-impact ventures, or a policymaker focused on economic development, FOE 2025 is the place to be.
Follow the Conversation and Be Part of the Movement
? Twitter: @FestivalOfEntrepreneurship
?️ Hashtag: #FOE2025
