Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS)

The Black Industrialists Scheme (BIS) sits under South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and is built to expand value-adding industrial capacity in black-owned manufacturing businesses. Its mandate is industrial rather than academic: support firms that are creating productive capacity in priority sectors and can carry a medium- to long-term manufacturing plan. BIS provides cost-sharing grants that cover 30% to 50% of project cost, up to R50,000,000 per project. The scheme also sets separate ceilings for feasibility studies at R3,000,000, post-investment support at R500,000, and business development services at R2,000,000. Eligible applicants are manufacturing enterprises with more than 51% black ownership, where the black owner or owners control operations and bear personal financial risk. Priority sectors include clean energy, aerospace, automotive components, agro-processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, ocean economy, oil and gas, and mineral beneficiation. The strongest fit is a firm with a clear capital plan, a manufacturing footprint in South Africa, and a project that can show durable industrial value rather than a short pilot. Applications are handled on a rolling basis, with separate contact routes for applications and claims, so applicants need to be ready to document ownership, control, sector fit, and the specific use of funds.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.