Banking News South Africa

Standard Bank Business Banking winner reaps seeds of success winning R2m

Reel Gardening is the 2021 Standard Bank Business Banking Awards winner taking home R2m of the R4.5m in future growth capital up for grabs.
Source: ©Reel Gardening. Reel Gardening's planting bags handmade from traditional South African ShweShwe fabric
Source: ©Reel Gardening. Reel Gardening's planting bags handmade from traditional South African ShweShwe fabric

The 2nd prize winner of R1m was Elamaswazi Projects came second and took home R1m and The Awareness Company in third placec took home R500,00.

In the specialist categories, Crismo Enterprise, won the Rising Star award, and Corium Skincare, walked away as the Best Female led company; both winning R500,000.

Seed tape kit

Founded in 2019, Reel Gardening looks at Agri-education and complimentary products as a critical tool to create systemic change in the quest for food abundance.

The organisation has been actively involved in the agricultural space since inception in 2009 and has been recognized as one of Africa’s leading social innovators.

Reel Gardening's patented seed tape kits enable anyone to start a growing journey.
The simple technology led process, takes someone from seed to harvest in a simple, daily step by step process which enables a greater chance of success with limited resources.

Incredible potential

“We were very impressed with the quality of the submissions – this made the job of the judges very difficult. The high level of innovation by the entrants highlighted the incredible entrepreneurial potential we have in the country,” says Simone Cooper, head of Standard Bank business clients South Africa.

All the prize winners will also receive support from Standard Bank in the form of banking solutions, trade assistance, market access, transcontinental networking platforms along with specialist support business coaching services from EY.

Through these Business Banking awards, Standard Bank sought to inspire businesses to explore their potential as the driving force of the South African economy while fostering connections and increasing collaborations within their ecosystems.

The national awards were targeted at any South African business three years or older, that required investment and mentoring to accelerate to their next phase of growth.

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