South Africa Sector Grants

Healthcare & Life Sciences Business Grants

The UK life sciences sector benefits from substantial government investment through UKRI, NHS innovation programmes, and dedicated biotech funding. Grants support research, development, and commercialisation of healthcare innovations.

44grants available
Innovation, growth & development funding

Medical Research Funding

UKRI, MRC, and charity funders support biomedical research and early-stage development. Academic-industry partnerships can access significant research grant funding.

NHS Innovation

NHS programmes including SBRI Healthcare and Academic Health Science Networks support health tech companies to develop and deploy innovations within the healthcare system.

Regulatory & Commercialisation

Grants help life sciences companies navigate regulatory approval and commercialisation. This includes clinical trial support and market access assistance.

South African Life Sciences & Health Grants

44 grants found

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Department of Small Business Development

Co-Operatives Development Support Programme (CDSP)

The Co‑Operatives Development Support Programme provides blended financingβ€”grant and loanβ€”to eligible co‑operatives, with the grant portion capped at R2.5β€―million for equipment, infrastructure, commercial vehicles and business development support.

Grant portion capped at R2.5 millionSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Rural, Township and Community Development Fund

The Rural, Township and Community Development Fund provides financing to aspiring rural entrepreneurs and community groups, offering acquisition, new‑venture and expansion capital across sectors such as agro‑processing, eco‑tourism and forestry.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Transformation Fund

A National Empowerment Fund product supporting transformation transactions, acquisitions and growth capital for qualifying black-owned and managed enterprises.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Growth
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

DTIC Women Empowerment Fund

The DTIC Women Empowerment Fund provides financial support to black women entrepreneurs in South Africa, aiming to grow the economy through targeted funding and collaborative initiatives.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Television and Film Fund

A National Empowerment Fund product providing finance for black-owned and managed businesses in television, film production, distribution and related media opportunities.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsInnovation & R&D
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Spaza Shop Support Fund

The aim is to support township Community Convenience Shops, including spazas. The funding will be utilised for the refurbishment of businesses and facilitating wholesale aggregation.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Bakubung Fund

The NEF/BPM Enterprise and Supplier Development Fund is a funding partnership between Bakubung Platinum Mine and the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) valued at a total R3 000 000 for the benefit of businesses located in Ledig, Mahobieskraal and Phatsima villages in the North West province.

R3 000 000South Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Growth
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Furniture Fund

The Furniture Fund, a R50-million initiative approved by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), was entrusted to the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) to stimulate growth in South Africa's furniture sector. Recognized as a labour-intensive industry with significant potential to create jobs and reduce reliance on imports, the furniture sector plays a vital role in the country's economy.

R50-millionSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Growth
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Tourism Transformation Fund

The Fund aims to drive transformation in the tourism sector in a more direct and impactful manner that will not only assist black-owned tourism enterprises to expand and grow, but also catalyse the rise of a new generation of black owned youth, women and community owned tourism enterprises to take the tourism sector to new heights.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

uMnotho Fund

This Fund is designed to improve access to BEE capital and has five products: Acquisition Finance, Project Finance, Expansion Finance, Capital Markets Fund, and Liquidity and Warehousing.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Growth
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

iMbewu Fund

This Fund is designed to support black entrepreneurs wishing to start new businesses as well support existing black-owned enterprises with expansion capital.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Growth
rolling
National Empowerment Fund (NEF)

Women Empowerment Fund

The NEF Women Empowerment Fund is aimed at accelerating the provision of funding to businesses owned by black women.

VariesSouth Africa WideRolling
All SectorsBusiness Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about South African life sciences & health grants