By Nontokozo Gwebu
The Director of Bracefield Investment Group, Linda Shiba, has described the inaugural IBHUMA Business Dinner as a catalyst for long-term partnerships, positioned to transform Eswatini’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Hosted by Bracefield Investment Group in collaboration with Pinaco & Co, the dinner served as more than a networking affair, it became a springboard for lasting partnerships, investment opportunities, and regional economic alignment.
“This is not just about events, it is a working platform- an international space where policy meets investment, where vision meets collaboration, and where youth-led enterprises meet opportunity,” Shiba said.
The event facilitated direct conversations between development banks, investors, and young entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on practical steps to boost cross-border trade and ecosystem development.
It also laid the groundwork for the Southern Africa Regional Enterprise Acceleration Programme (SAREAP), a new initiative focused on providing technical assistance, blended finance, and market access to youth- and women-led enterprises.
Shiba revealed that the Bracefield Investment Group is a Pan-African investment firm that operates across South Africa, the DRC, Zambia, Dubai, and China. He emphasized that every Bracefield transaction is a building block for transformation: fuelling industries, empowering communities, and championing Africa’s economic resurgence.
Bracefield also unveiled plans for upcoming events, including the IBHUMA Business Dinner – Sandton Edition, the IBHUMA Brunch at Summerfield in September, and the Umliba Youth Entrepreneurship Conference in partnership with YERF, scheduled for November.
Pinaco & Co. Director, Lwazi Ian Dlamini, emphasized the need for Eswatini to actively position itself within Africa’s growing venture capital ecosystem.
“In 2024 alone, Africa raised $2.7 billion in venture capital, yet Eswatini remains left out. This must change,” Dlamini said.
He highlighted the role of venture capital (VC) in catalyzing scalable innovation and driving regional competitiveness, urging local entrepreneurs to design solutions for specific local challenges and scale them across SADC.
Dlamini proposed establishing a E100 million Seed & Series VC Fund, combining support from government, fund of funds, family offices, high net-worth individuals, and foreign investors.
He disclosed that Pinaco & Co. has already signed MoUs with two South African private equity firms and runs a LinkedIn newsletter, Eswatini Startup Ecosystem, with over 30 editors, further supporting the country’s growing entrepreneurial community.