SB Card: A Game-Changer in Digital Networking Solutions

PIC CAPTION: Micaelyn Maharaj, founder of SB Card is passionate about how his smart business card solution is making a difference to Africa's professional networking market. Image: Supplied / SB Card

Networking is the lifeblood of any business and business cards are an essential tool for building, developing, nurturing and maintaining good relationships. However, in today’s increasingly digital world, paper-based business cards are becoming awkward compared to the smooth, graceful integration a digital business card has. This is where Micaelyn Maharaj, founder of SB Card sees an opportunity to change the professional networking market with his smart business card solution that uses NFC technology. Micaelyn, who recently won the AfricArena Most Promising Entrepreneur Award at the AfricArena Johannesburg Summit 2025 edition shares his founder success story with AfricArena’s Jabulile Sonya Ngwenya. 

Inspired by his own personal challenges in keeping up to date with paper-based business cards, and losing potential money on the table, Micaelyn decided to tackle a problem that was affecting him by creating a smart business card solution that would ensure he would never lose important contact details again and miss key business opportunities. 

Recounting his founder journey to date, he shares that in addition to his own challenges, SB Card started from spotting a problem and creating a solution for it. “It really started from spotting a simple gap. I was at a business event and saw how clunky and outdated the whole “here’s my business card” thing felt. People were either running out of cards, losing them, or just blending in. Nothing felt memorable.” 

“That mix of frustration, timing, and curiosity is what really sparked the idea,” he says. Micaelyn put his head down and got to work, bringing his vision to life through SB Card, which he describes as “a smart, contactless business card that helps people share their details instantly - just with a tap or scan. No app needed, no paper wasted.” He adds that there is more to it for, “beyond just sharing contact info, it’s packed with powerful features like CRM integration, auto follow-ups, and two-way connection—so it’s not just about making a first impression, it’s about building real relationships that last.” 

And on top of it, he continues, “at the same time, we were coming out of covid, and everything was shifting to contactless. People were way more aware of hygiene, more open to digital tools, and ready for smarter ways to connect. That’s when it clicked - what if we created a way to make sharing your info instant, contactless, and actually cool?”

Micaelyn tells AfricArena that he realised there was a need for his product at a networking event. “I watched people fumble around with paper business cards - some didn’t have any, others ran out, and most of them ended up tossed or forgotten. I handed someone my smart business card, they tapped it, and their eyes lit up like, “Why doesn’t everyone have this?” That moment stuck. It was so simple, but it made me realize how outdated the old way was - and how much smoother and more memorable the experience could be with a smarter solution. That’s when it clicked: we weren’t just selling a card, we were fixing how people connect.”

Micaelyn recalls that launching a startup in 2020, just as the pandemic went global was a wild journey. “Everything was shifting to digital, and people were suddenly way more open to contactless solutions. That gave us a window to introduce our smart business cards as a better, safer way to connect. But at the same time, starting up during that chaos meant dealing with delays, uncertainty, and a lot of learning on the fly,” he says. “We had to stay flexible, adapt fast, and find ways to build with very limited resources. Looking back though, it pushed us to be sharper and more creative. It wasn’t easy—but it was the perfect time to build something that fit into the “new normal.”

He brought his parents on board as his co-founders, making it a true family friendly startup and he says having this structure and support system in place works well for him. “We balance each other out really well,” Micaelyn says. “Where I might be all ideas and momentum, my parents bring structure and calm to the table. It’s been a huge help having someone to share the wins, the chaos, and the “what now?” moments with. Having that kind of support makes a massive difference, especially in the early stages.”

Micaelyn shares that even with having his parents onboard as co-founders, it did not mean that he easily had access to funds. “We started with almost nothing, just a few thousand rand from our own pockets and a whole lot of grit,” he laughs. “Everything was super scrappy in the beginning. We used what we had, figured things out as we went, and reinvested every bit of revenue back into growing. No fancy office, no big budget—just passion, late nights, and the drive to make it work.” 

The rewards of those late nights and the startup bootstrapping mindset have paid off handsomely. “Our most recent business achievement has been growing our customer base significantly and expanding our product range. We've hit over 1,500 sales and we are on track to double this number in the second quarter of 2025 and we’ve launched in new markets outside of South Africa, and introduced more smart tools to help people connect - like our Smart WiFi Connect and Smart Review cards,” Micaelyn shares. “On top of that, we’ve been named the “Most Promising Entrepreneur” at AfricArena, selected as one of the Top 100 businesses in KZN 2025 through the Bambelela Programme, won Technology Business of the Year at the KZN Youth Business Awards 2023, and placed as Runner-Up at the Abu Dhabi Investor Meet 2024.” 

“It’s been a big step forward for us—both in terms of recognition and real growth,” Micaelyn tells AfricArena.  

He shares that he hasn’t raised any external funding yet. “We’ve been fully bootstrapped and running off our own revenue since day one. Everything we’ve built so far has been fueled by sales, a lot of late nights, and reinvesting every cent back into the business. It’s been super rewarding because it’s forced us to be lean, focused, and really close to our customers.” 

However, that is soon to change as given the growth spurt SB Card is experiencing, Micaelyn says, “We’re looking to raise around R3 million in 2026. The funds will mostly go towards scaling, so building a stronger team, improving our tech, and ramping up sales and marketing. We also want to invest in more inventory and launch in a few new regions where we’re already seeing demand. A portion of it will be set aside for product development too - we’ve got a few cool ideas we want to bring to life that could really shake things up in the space.”

Passionate about what he does at SB Card, Micaelyn says what gets him up every morning is the fact that he is building, creating and proving a real solution for people. “We’re not just selling a product - we’re solving an everyday problem in a way that feels fresh, useful, and actually makes people’s lives easier. “I love that we’re helping people show up better, make stronger first impressions, and connect faster. That moment when someone taps your card and goes, “Whoa, that’s cool”—yeah, that never gets old,” he smiles. “Plus, building something from the ground up, with a team that believes in the vision…it just hits different.”

Working in the tech industry, Micaelyn says while no two days are ever the same, “there’s definitely a rhythm” to his days. He kicks off each day by checking his messages, emails and catching up. During this time, he says he “makes sure nothing urgent slipped through. Then it’s straight into team check-ins or calls - keeping everyone aligned is super important when you’re building fast.” The bulk of each day he says, “is spent either working on product stuff, meeting with partners, or thinking through growth ideas. Sometimes I’m out at client meetings or events, showing off the product and getting real feedback.”

Despite his busy schedule, he ensures he “always carves out time to unplug - no laptop, no noise.” This time he says is valuable as “that quiet time is where a lot of our next moves get shaped, with lots of coffee and bike rides in between!”

Micaelyn says winning the AfricArena Most Promising Entrepreneur Startup Award really boosted his team’s morale. “Winning the AfricArena Startup Award was such a huge boost for us. It gave us validation - not just from the judges, but from the wider startup community too. It showed us that what we’re building actually matters and has potential beyond our little corner of the world. It also opened a few doors. More people started reaching out, new opportunities popped up, and it gave us a bit more confidence when talking to partners and potential investors. But more than anything, it reminded us that we’re on the right track—and that’s priceless when you’re in the thick of building.” 

Pioneering a new product for professional networking is not without challenges. One of the biggest challenges Micaelyn says he and his team has is “educating people about our product and why they need it. We're in a space that mixes tech, networking, and a bit of lifestyle - so getting people to shift from traditional business cards to smart, digital ones took a lot of patience and storytelling.”

Another challenge he shares, and one which many founders can identify with is “doing a lot with very little. Like most startups, we had to stretch every cent and still show up like a big brand. We got creative with content, relied on word of mouth, and built strong relationships instead of spending on big ad campaigns.” 

Micaelyn says he and his team achieved this, especially as the funding winter hit “by staying close as a team, learning quickly from our mistakes, and always keeping the bigger picture in mind. It’s been tough, but it’s also been one hell of a ride.”

This teamwork mindset helped him immensely as he implemented the wise advice one of his mentors gave him, “Don’t try to do everything yourself.” He tells AfricArena this advice just stuck with him. “As a founder, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have to wear all the hats. But my mentor reminded me that building a great business is about building a great team. Trusting others, letting go a bit, and focusing on what you’re actually good at—that’s where the magic happens.” 

“The funding winter hit hard, but it also forced us to get creative and sharpen up. We doubled down on building real value for our customers and focused more on generating revenue than chasing funding. We also spent more time building partnerships and most importantly, we listened closely to our users,” he says. And he shares a nugget of wisdom, “When you're not sitting on a pile of funding, customer feedback becomes your best compass.” 

A big dreamer and a bold visionary, Micaelyn lights up when thinking about SB Card’s future plans. “Right now, we’re focused on growing steadily and making our solution even better. We’ve got a few new features and products in the pipeline that we're really excited about - things that’ll make networking and connecting even smoother and smarter.” 

“In the long run, we’re also looking to expand into more countries across Africa and hopefully build a team that reflects the continent’s crazy potential. Long-term, the goal is to be the go-to platform when people think of digital identity and smart connections. One step at a time though, always learning, always building.” 

His last words of advice to founders is: “Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you start - just get moving. In our space, tech meets networking and things change fast. Start small, test often, and listen to your users like your business depends on it because it actually does. Don’t be afraid to do things that don’t scale in the beginning. Those early scrappy moments teach you a lot. And lastly, surround yourself with people who get the vision, because you will need that support when things get tough, and they will.” 

For more information about SB Card, visit their website at www.sbcard.co.za

To find out more about AfricArena and our upcoming events, visit our website at www.africarena.com