OUTsurance’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programme continues to drive growth and innovation for South Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with nine finalists from three active cohorts from the programme recently competing in a Shark Tank-style pitch event to win a share of R1 million.

The OUTsurance Kwande ESD Programme, founded in 2019 and supported by small business development specialist Edge Growth, targets businesses within OUTsurance’s value chain, including panel beaters, towing companies, builders, plumbers, electricians, and other artisans and supports their growth through mentorship, funding, and strategic development.

The top three winners of the OUTsurance Grant Pitch, which was held at OUTsurance’s head office in Centurion on 18 July, were End of the Road Panel Beaters, who took first place with R500 000; Tekton, who was awarded R300 000 for second place; and Springfield Panel and Paint, which secured third place with R200 000.

End of the Road Panel Beaters is an auto body repair shop based in Phoenix, Durban, established in 2004 by Robert Ngwane and Siyanda Phirie. The company has grown from humble beginnings to a trusted partner for vehicle owners, fleet managers, and insurance companies, and offers a comprehensive range of services, including panel beating, spray painting, and collision repair.

Tekton is a company specialising in automotive repair and maintenance services, operating across multiple locations, including Paarl, Worcester, and Wynberg in the Western Cape. Tekton provides a range of services including panel beating, auto body repairs, and painting.

Springfield Panel and Paint is a female-owned auto body repair shop located in Springfield Park, Durban. Founded in 2013 by Rosy Govindasamy, Springfield offers a range of services, including frame and structural repairs, oil spot repairs, auto body painting, suspension and alignment, and insurance claim assistance.

Edge Growth has partnered with OUTsurance to design and implement the Kwande ESD Programme for over five years, with a total of 62 SMEs having participated to date. Acting as the strategic and operational backbone of the initiative, Edge Growth delivers expert facilitation, technical mentorship, business development support, and access to funding opportunities.

Together with OUTsurance, Edge Growth has developed a customised ESD strategy that responds to the specific challenges and opportunities within the OUTsurance supply chain, with Edge Growth responsible for tracking outcomes, assessing business performance, and ensuring the programme supports OUTsurance’s transformation and procurement goals.

This year’s finalists went through a rigorous preparation process including pitch workshops, ideation sessions, and one-on-one mentorship. These sessions, facilitated by Edge Growth, helped participants refine their business cases and propose bold, sector-relevant solutions to real-world industry challenges.

A distinguished panel of judges evaluated the finalists based on relevance to the challenge presented, innovation and feasibility, the potential for real-world impact and scalability and overall pitch quality.

The panel included Velani Mboweni (Co-founder and CEO of mobility platform LULA Loop), Martin Kingsburgh (Head of Claims Procurement at OUTsurance), Keneiloe Selamolela (Chief Transformation Officer at OUTsurance) and Thato Legong (COO of OUTsurance Shared Services).

This event illustrated the wider programme’s commitment to unlocking entrepreneurial potential and fostering sustainable business growth. Beyond the funding, the initiative provides SMEs with access to skills, markets and funding opportunities, with the aim of not only growing small businesses within the OUTsurance value chain, but also uplifting the communities in which they operate.