Founder Stories
Real Voices. Real Experiences.
South African entrepreneurs sharing their funding journeys in their own words. Every story is verified through our moderation process.
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Submit Your Story“I applied for R2 million to expand my textile manufacturing business. After nine months of silence and repeated follow-ups, I received a two-line rejection with no explanation.”
Thandi Mokoena
Manufacturing
“My poultry farm needed R800,000. I submitted every document they asked for, three times over. Each time they claimed something was missing. After a year, I gave up.”
Sipho Ndlovu
Agriculture
“As a woman in tech, I expected challenges — but not from the institution meant to help me. My application was approved on paper, but the funds never arrived.”
Nomsa Dlamini
ICT & Technology
“I was told my business plan was one of the best they had seen. Then I heard nothing for five months. When I finally got through, my file had been lost.”
Lerato Mabaso
Agriculture
“Our renewable energy project had all the approvals but the DBSA process took over a year. We lost our international co-investor because of the delays.”
James van der Merwe
Energy
“FNB turned down my lodge expansion loan because I lacked collateral — even though the lodge itself was fully paid off. The criteria seemed designed to exclude small operators.”
Zanele Khoza
Hospitality & Tourism
Your Story Could Change Everything
Every story submitted contributes to a national dataset that policymakers, media, and fellow entrepreneurs use to drive change.
Share Your Experience