Future 50, powered by FNB Business, has entered its third season, marking an important milestone in the evolution of a programme that is a well-recognised platform for accelerating high-growth South African businesses.
Over the past two seasons, more than 100 entrepreneurial success stories have been showcased, with businesses profiled weekly on East Coast Radio’s Breakfast show alongside business growth expert and advocate, Pavlo Phitidis. What began as a regional initiative has since grown into a catalyst for confidence, visibility, and scale among growth-minded businesses. Through the Scale-Up Exchange event held in October 2025 – a strategic accelerator within the Future 50 ecosystem – FNB convened businesses from the first two Future 50 cohorts in KwaZulu-Natal for a dynamic, collaborative programme. The event featured an interactive workshop led by Pavlo Phitidis, structured networking and Idea Exchange sessions, and a live broadcast to open the day. This created a rare and valuable opportunity for business owners and industry leaders to connect, share experiences, and gain practical insights into building businesses that are scalable, resilient, and future-focused.
Speaking at the Exchange, Asheen Magjee, Provincial Head at FNB in KwaZulu-Natal, highlighted the broader importance of such initiatives in supporting SME growth.
“FNB is focused on helping South African SMEs move beyond surviving to truly thriving. Through the Future 50 programme, we’ve seen how access to expert guidance, meaningful exposure and a network of like-minded business owners can unlock confidence and growth. SMEs play a critical role in driving economic growth in KZN and nationally, and the calibre of businesses showcased through this initiative has been incredibly encouraging,” said Magjee.
The strong engagement and outcomes of the Scale-Up Exchange underscore KwaZulu-Natal’s growing reputation as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship, laying the foundation for the national expansion of the programme.
Season Three goes national:
Building on its success in KwaZulu-Natal, Season Three of Future 50 will expand nationally, extending into additional regions including the Western Cape, North – West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng, broadening its reach to support high-potential businesses across South Africa.
This expansion reflects FNB Business’s ambition to create a connected, cross-provincial ecosystem of businesses that can learn from one another, access opportunities beyond regional boundaries, and scale with confidence.
Featured businesses will receive strong visibility through radio, reaching over five million peak-time listeners, as well as through digital platforms and social media, connecting them with potential customers, employees, suppliers, and investors.
Through the national rollout, FNB aims to:
- Provide greater visibility and recognition to high-growth businesses across key economic regions
- Enable cross-provincial learning and collaboration between business owners and industries
- Strengthen South Africa’s business ecosystem and long-term value chains
- Contribute meaningfully to job creation, sustainability, and economic confidence
- As Future 50 enters its third season and expands nationally, FNB Business remains focused on building a sustainable pipeline of scalable businesses, strengthening regional economies, and supporting entrepreneurs with the tools, insights and financial solutions needed for long-term growth.
Businesses can nominate themselves or nominate a supplier, family member, or friend by clicking the nomination tab on partner radio station platforms and completing the online form. We need to add the list of partner stations here