The Eskom Development Foundation’s strategy is to enhance the socioeconomic fabric of society by supporting social and economic projects that primarily focus on capacity building, job creation and poverty alleviation through grants and donations in support of Government’s Accelerated Share Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA).

The Eskom Small Business Expo (ESBE), managed by Thebe Exhibitions & Projects, runs parallel to the Business & Franchise Opportunities Expo (BFOE), which too, is a catalyst for entrepreneurship in South Africa. Powerful synergies exist by co-locating these important events, as both promote entrepreneurial spirit and opportunities in South Africa; they support the aim of economic and social up-liftment and present significant opportunities to network, generate leads and conclude deals.

Now moving into its twelfth year, ESBE facilitates direct access for SMMEs to business opportunities, which include access to finance and markets, government, public and private enterprise, as well as capacity building via business development service providers.
  
The expo regularly attracts procurement decision-makers and buyers from multinational as well as large, medium and even small businesses. Eskom’s own procurement decision-makers use the expo to identify new product and service providers. 

To qualify for subsidies, participating businesses must be black-owned, registered South African SMMEs that focus on manufacturing or services and have five or more permanent employees.
 
From a visitor’s perspective, ESBE represents an unmatched opportunity for corporate procurement decision-makers, who have stringent BEE procurement targets to achieve, to shop for pre-qualified providers, from a wide range of sectors, in a focused environment.  The expo also gives aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to network with established SMMEs, learn how to start a small business venture and get ideas as to how they might make money through the application of their skills and talents.

It is evident that an event of this nature is greatly needed to enhance and develop the second economy therefore with the support of Eskom and Thebe Exhibitions & Projects commitment to developing new and innovative platforms, a partnership in delivering an inspired showcase with real value creates an event that exceeds all expectations!

Eskom has for the past eleven years alongside Business & Franchise Opportunities Expo hosted a Small Business Expo with a view to providing an opportunity for previously disadvantaged SMMEs to showcase their goods and services. In addition SMMEs from each province “project stands” are invited to exhibit and receive fully subsidized stands from the Eskom Development Foundation.  It also provides an opportunity for the Development Foundation and strategic Eskom departments to interface directly with the SMME markets.