SMEs Expo slated for early next month
THIS year’s edition of the SMEs International Expo edition will focus on strengthening linkages between small businesses and larger corporates for increased brand value, brand introduction and visibility.
Scheduled to take place at Monomotapa Hotel Gardens in Harare, the 14th edition of SMEs International Expo, will be held from October 2-5, 2024.
The expo, which will run under the theme “Accelerating Productivity with New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence,” intends to provide small businesses and large corporates a strategic platform to express themselves while showcasing products and services.
This year’s edition of the SMEs expo seeks to strategically position participants to gain expert knowledge needed to boost their business operations.
It will also offer a platform to network with various captains of industry, establish and strengthen valuable relationships with other businesses. The expo dovetails with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 complementing the Second Republic’s efforts towards an empowered Upper Middle Income Society by 2030.
The event has attracted exhibitors from the SADC region and beyond, and is expected to connect participants with potential customers, investors, and business partners from the region.
“As an annual showcase event, the expo is aptly designed and billed to strengthen linkages and synergies between SMEs and larger corporate organisations, for increased brand value, brand introduction, brand reinforcement and visibility.
“In essence, the expo provides necessary scaffolding for the discovery of new business opportunities; enhancement of brand visibility, and attainment of valuable insights into market trends, best practices, and emerging technologies,” explained the expo director, Engineer Delight Makotose while addressing the media yesterday.
The expo and associated business conference provide an ideal platform for companies and individuals interested in expanding their market reach, networking with industry leaders, and discovering new business opportunities.
The inclusivity of this year’s showcase event also places women and youths in a vantage position to harness new technologies and artificial intelligence (Al) for the ease of doing business.
Engineer Makotose said the expo also sought to help youths refocus their positive energies towards developmental issues.
“In this digital era, micro, small and medium enterprises need to be adept with Al so as to flow with the technological tide. We expect many youths to participate since the theme speaks a lot to young people who are naturally tech-savvy. The import is to expose youths to new ideas and innovations,” he added.
The showcase event also helps to interpret Government policies and programmes towards capacitating SMEs since the sector-players will have an opportunity to interact with officials who make policies that influence their day to day activities.
Eng Makotose said he was grateful for the support that the SMEs segment continued to receive from the Government. SMEs contribute significantly to the economic growth of both developed and developing countries.
For instance, Germany’s SMEs represent 99 percent of all enterprises, employing 63 percent of the working population and contributing 55 percent of the gross domestic product.
Zimbabwe’s SMEs sector has lately shown immense potential to grow into an integral and key drive of economic growth and industrialisation.
According to a recent FinScope survey, SMEs contributed US$8,6 billion to Zimbabwe’s GDP and employed more than 5,9 million people in 2022.
The SME annual turnover was dominated by agriculture at US$4,6 billion, wholesale and retail (US$4,6 billion), natural resources and mining at (US$1,6 billion), construction at US$915 million, tourism (US$748 million) while the manufacturing sector contributed US$500 million.-herald
