A new wave of creative entrepreneurs is building businesses across South Africa through the Debut Fund Programme, funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and implemented by Business and Arts South Africa (Basa).
As part of the programme’s Hlanganisa Phase, Basa introduced the Pitch Den presentations, an energetic platform where 203 emerging creatives from all nine provinces pitched their creative business ideas to a panel of industry experts. With just four minutes to present, participants were challenged to think beyond art and embrace entrepreneurship, strategy, and innovation.
From fashion designers and filmmakers to authors, digital producers, and multidisciplinary performers, the participants displayed a bold vision for South Africa’s creative economy. Selected recipients were awarded Pitch Den grants, providing seed funding to bring their ideas to life and accelerate their ventures. Out of 203 participants, 53 were awarded Pitch Den grants ranging from R8,800 to R30,000 — a total investment of R581,000. In recognition of their work, Basa is rolling out a digital storytelling campaign to spotlight their journeys, celebrate their impact, and showcase how creativity and entrepreneurship go hand in hand.
The impact is clear. An impressive 87% of participants developed actionable marketing strategies, 83% refined their brand identities, and 70% formed new partnerships and collaborations. These figures highlight a powerful shift—young creatives are embracing their roles as business owners and economic contributors.
Nomkhosi Houghton, Basa’s acting programmes manager, notes, “The Pitch Den has been one of the most transformative moments in the Debut journey. It demonstrates what happens when we support creatives as both visionaries and entrepreneurs.”
Across the country, recipients are building impactful projects. In the Northern Cape, with a Pitch Den grant of R12,000, filmmaker and curator Frellet Koope has launched two notable projects: a film in production alongside acclaimed director, Vincent Moloi, and the Eagle’s Eye exhibition which honoured the late journalist, Vusi Tukakgomo.
In Gauteng with a Pitch Den grant of R12,000, author and publisher, Julia Lemekwane’s Royal Books publishing company, is dedicated to empowering marginalised writers whose work is in South African languages. Through her business, she also provided editorial mentorship to emerging African writers.
