International recognition for South Africa’s SMME support platform SimplyBiz, powered by Nedbank
SimplyBiz, a business resource platform powered by Nedbank, has created one of South Africa’s largest digital communities of entrepreneurs and owners of small, medium, and microenterprises (SMMEs).
From market access and business mentorship to digital inclusion and entrepreneurial sustainability, the platform provides a free and practical support ecosystem for small businesses.
As of April 2026, the platform has grown to a community of more than 164,000 members, reflecting a growing demand for holistic entrepreneurial support that extends beyond traditional banking products.
It is for this reason that SimplyBiz was recently recognised at the Digital Banker Global SME Banking Innovation Awards, as the overall winner for the Best SME Beyond Banking Services Initiative.
It was also named the ‘G20 SME Best Practice Business Case for Beyond Banking Support’ by the Global SME Finance Forum.
These international honours reinforce SimplyBiz’s growing reputation as a leading SME enablement platform globally.
“The reality is that entrepreneurs need far more than the right funding to succeed,” said Monique Chinnah, Head of SimplyBiz and Beyond Banking at Nedbank.
“They need practical business knowledge, strategic guidance, access to networks, visibility opportunities and tools that help them adapt to changing market conditions.”
“SimplyBiz was created to provide that broader ecosystem of support and to help entrepreneurs build businesses that can survive and grow sustainably,” added Chinnah.
Solving everyday problems
Beyond funding, the platform addresses the broader realities entrepreneurs face daily.
The platform’s Multilingual Business Glossary is one of its most impactful initiatives, translating more than 400 business terms into all 12 official South African languages.
It seeks to make business knowledge more accessible and inclusive in a country where language and technical complexity often become hidden barriers to entrepreneurship and financial participation.
SimplyBiz has also invested heavily in entrepreneurial development through initiatives such as the Flowcode Business Strategy Coaching Programme and the Silver SLAP Behavioural Coaching Programme.
These programmes combine digital access with real human connection, enabling entrepreneurs to engage with experienced coaches as sounding boards for guidance when they need it most.
Recognising that many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) also struggle with limited access to opportunity networks and markets, SimplyBiz established its Speed Networking Zones.
This is a platform that has facilitated meaningful business connections, collaboration opportunities and peer engagement for thousands of entrepreneurs across South Africa, from townships to niche sector expos.
In addition, the platform’s market and event sponsorship initiatives create opportunities for SMEs to access visibility, customer engagement and sales platforms that are often difficult for smaller businesses to secure independently.
This includes support such as stall fee subsidies, branding, promotional video advertising and even consumer vouchers that drive spend at small businesses.
In 2025 alone, SimplyBiz delivered nearly 50 SME-focused initiatives spanning business coaching, networking opportunities, sponsorship activations and entrepreneurial development programmes.
‘The global recognition comes at a time when South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is under mounting pressure,’ said Chinnah.
“While industry research continues to point to persistently high SME failure rates, our ongoing engagement with entrepreneurs – including insights drawn directly from pulse surveys with our own SME community – shows that business owners are navigating many challenges.”
These include growing uncertainty, cash flow constraints, the pace of digital change, rising operational costs and limited market access, all of which are placing real strain on their ability to grow sustainably and remain positive.”
As South Africa continues to position entrepreneurship as a key lever for economic recovery and inclusive growth, SimplyBiz’s evolving support model highlights the growing importance of practical, community-driven and digitally enabled business development platforms in unlocking the country’s entrepreneurial potential.
Entrepreneurs and small-business owners can explore SimplyBiz and sign up for free at SimplyBiz.
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