Young entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners will have an opportunity to engage with questions around funding, procurement, and business growth.
This will be when the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries Eswatini (YCCIE) Mbabane Chapter hosts the Capital Leap Expo 2026 this Saturday.
The expo will be held on August 22 at American Corner Mbabane from 10am to 2pm under the theme ‘Where Is the Money’
The one-day event is aimed at bringing the conversation around access to capital closer to young people who are looking to start, formalise or grow their businesses.
According to the organisers, the expo will explore access to capital, procurement readiness and pathways to formalising and scaling businesses.
The expo will also recognise the role of the creative arts within the youth business sector, with performances forming part of the programme.
The inclusion of young creatives will highlight the growing need to view creative work not only as a form of expression, but also as an area of enterprise, where artists and other creatives can build sustainable businesses around their skills, products and services.
By bringing creative arts into the conversation, the expo will also create space to consider the funding and business opportunities available to young people working in the creative sector.
In addition the programme is intended to help young entrepreneurs understand what is required to move from having a business idea or informal operation to building an enterprise that is ready to access opportunities and funding.
The theme comes at a time when access to finance remains one of the key challenges faced by young entrepreneurs, particularly those with business ideas but limited knowledge of where to find funding or how to prepare their businesses for financial support.
The Capital Leap Expo forms part of YCCIE Mbabane Chapter’s efforts to create platforms where young business owners can engage directly with institutions involved in enterprise development and funding.
An earlier edition of the expo focused on helping young entrepreneurs understand funding requirements, procurement readiness, and business formalisation, while creating opportunities for engagement with organisations supporting enterprise development.
This year’s programme is expected to continue that conversation, with the emphasis placed on identifying where opportunities and funding can be found and what entrepreneurs need to do to access them.
For many young businesses, the challenge is not necessarily a lack of ideas. Entrepreneurs may have products, services, or business concepts but struggle to move to the next stage because of limited capital, inadequate documentation, lack of formal registration, or uncertainty about which institutions to approach.
Procurement readiness is also an important part of the discussion. For businesses seeking to supply larger organisations or participate in procurement opportunities, being able to meet compliance and operational requirements can be as important as having a viable product or service.
The expo therefore provides an opportunity for participants to look beyond simply asking where the money is and consider whether their businesses are prepared to receive it.
The event is expected to bring together young entrepreneurs, business owners and stakeholders involved in supporting enterprise development. YCCIE’s previous programme included engagement with institutions such as the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO), the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund (YERF), the Mbabane Municipal Council’s Local Economic Development office and Tholulwazi Hub.
These organisations have been involved in areas including procurement readiness, access to capital, local business opportunities and building businesses that are positioned to attract funding.
For participants, the expo is positioned as more than an information-sharing session. It is an opportunity to ask practical questions about funding, compliance and growth, while making connections with organisations that can potentially support their businesses.
The organisers are encouraging young entrepreneurs to attend with a clear understanding of their businesses, their funding needs and the stage at which they currently operate.
With the question Where Is the Money? at the centre of this year’s Capital Leap Expo, the focus will be on making the funding conversation more practical for young people and helping them identify the steps required to turn business potential into sustainable enterprises.
