Pathways to Business Financing in South Africa: Exploring Microloans, Venture Capital, and Gender-Responsive Grants

Kanayo Ogujiuba (), Kholofelo Makhubupetsi and Lethabo Maponya
Additional contact information
Kanayo Ogujiuba: Centre For Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit 1200, South Africa
Kholofelo Makhubupetsi: Centre For Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit 1200, South Africa
Lethabo Maponya: Centre For Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit 1200, South Africa

Administrative Sciences, 2025, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Business financing involves supplying funds or capital to initiate, expand, or maintain a business. This study investigates entrepreneurial funding in South Africa, emphasizing microloans, venture capital, and gender-sensitive grants as tools to facilitate inclusive business growth. Using a qualitative desktop research methodology, this study relies on policy documents, institutional reports, and peer-reviewed studies to assess how these funding strategies tackle access barriers for marginalized populations, specifically women, youth, and rural entrepreneurs. Guided by Access to Finance Theory, Gender Finance Theory, and Innovation Ecosystems Theory, this study indicates that microloans offer immediate funding for informal businesses but show minimal long-term effects without additional assistance. Venture capital promotes rapid innovation, yet it is predominantly based in urban regions and unattainable for underrepresented populations. Grants that address gender issues foster equity but are obstructed by institutional fragmentation and insufficient scale. The results highlight the necessity for unified financing frameworks that merge financial and non-financial assistance, facilitating scalable and inclusive business ventures. Policy suggestions involve aligning public financing tools with the National Integrated Small Enterprise Development Masterplan, integrating gender-sensitive budgeting frameworks, and utilizing digital financial platforms to enhance access. Future studies should utilize mixed-methods or longitudinal approaches to assess the ongoing developmental effects of coordinated financing models within the South African setting.

Keywords: entrepreneurial finance; microloans; venture capital; gender-responsive grants; financial inclusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L M M0 M1 M10 M11 M12 M14 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/8/319/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/8/319/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:15:y:2025:i:8:p:319-:d:1724921

Access Statistics for this article

Administrative Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Nancy Ma

More articles in Administrative Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().