Samsung Launches Third Initiative for Tech SMM Firms Owned by People of Color
The 2025 Enterprise Development (ED) programme under Samsung's Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) is a R280-million investment initiative aimed at empowering black-owned small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa’s ICT and consumer electronics repair sectors. Launched in collaboration with the South African Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), the programme is in its third edition and targets businesses with proven experience in ICT or service-centre repairs.
The programme provides black-owned (minimum 51%) South African enterprises with grant funding, specialist business development support, mentorship, and formal integration into Samsung’s service-repair network, including accreditation as official Samsung service centres. Key components include grant funding to help strengthen and scale operations, mentorship and specialist business development to enhance sustainability and profitability, accreditation and integration into Samsung’s service and supply chains as official service centres, and participation in the Samsung Enterprise Development Bootcamp, an intensive training focusing on business management, financial planning, and investor pitching.
The programme especially prioritizes black entrepreneurs, including women, and aligns with South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) goals to foster economic growth, job creation, and inclusivity within the technology sector. It supports enterprises classified as Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) that have operated for at least one year and have annual turnover below R50 million.
One of the success stories of the programme is KTO Digital, a black-owned business based in Johannesburg that has created over 20 jobs since 2021, contributing to the programme's objective of job creation. Thoriso Rangata, the owner of KTO Digital, responded to a public call for applications for the Samsung ED programme in 2020. At the time, KTO Digital needed support to meet its growth objectives. Since being part of the EEIP, KTO Digital won the Nedbank Business of the Year Award in 2022.
The jobs created by KTO Digital have a particular emphasis on black-economic empowerment and developing the township economy. KTO Digital focuses on business process automation, software development services, and background screening software as a service (SaaS) solutions. In the same year, KTO Digital launched its own product and received accreditation as a credit bureau business.
The Samsung ED programme offers business support to its participants and provides access to supply chain opportunities for its participants. Samsung's goal in sharing testimonials is to measure the impact and effectiveness of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The programme's efforts are aligned with the country's transformation goals and aim to foster a more inclusive economy. The Samsung ED programme also offers an intensive training programme, the Enterprise Development Bootcamp, to equip entrepreneurs with necessary skills and prepare them for investment opportunities.
In summary, the 2025 Samsung EEIP Enterprise Development Programme is a targeted, multifaceted initiative that significantly supports black-owned ICT and electronics repair SMMEs in South Africa through funding, skills development, mentorship, and formal network integration, thereby driving economic empowerment and sectoral growth aligned with national transformation priorities. The third call of the EEIP is now open for black-owned ICT and service centre SMMEs to apply.
- The Samsung ED programme, a R280-million investment initiative, targets local businesses with proven experience in ICT or service-centre repairs, driving economic growth and job creation in South Africa's technology sector.
- The programme provides grant funding, specialist business development support, mentorship, and formal integration into Samsung’s service-repair network, including accreditation as official Samsung service centres, helping enterprises scale their operations and increase profitability.
- Samsung's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as the Enterprise Development (ED) programme, offer intensive training, skills development, and access to supply chain opportunities for participating businesses, aiming to foster a more inclusive economy.
- By prioritizing black entrepreneurs, including women, and supporting enterprises classified as Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs), the Samsung ED programme aligns with South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) goals, creating job opportunities and promoting education-and-self-development within the industry.
