Nano and Micro-Size Business

Definition

A Micro Enterprise under the PNG SME Policy 2016 is a business with assets valued below K200,000 and an annual turnover under K200,000. These enterprises are usually below small-scale, owner-operated, and employ fewer than five people, serving local communities with basic goods and services.

1. Mama Bank Informal Sector Award

Recognizes women entrepreneurs operating in the informal economy who demonstrate resilience and innovation. It celebrates their transition toward formal business structures and their contribution to grassroots economic empowerment.

2. MiBank Market Meri Award

Honors women-led enterprises that excel in marketing and brand-building. The award highlights creative strategies that drive customer engagement and expand market reach, reflecting MiBank's emphasis on storytelling and consumer trust.

3. Mama Bank Janet Sape Resilience Award

Named after visionary founder Janet Sape, this award celebrates resilient women entrepreneurs who overcome challenges to build sustainable businesses. It underscores leadership, perseverance, and the ability to inspire others in the SME sector.

4. City Hub Entrepreneur Award

This recognition celebrates dynamic entrepreneurs who harness the power of CT Hub’s collaborative ecosystem to scale their ventures. It highlights startups and small businesses thriving within CT Hub’s exclusive network, where creativity and technology converge to drive sustainable growth. By spotlighting innovators who transform ideas into impact, the award underscores CT Hub’s role as a catalyst for entrepreneurship, innovation, and market expansion in today’s competitive landscape. This category is restricted to micro and SME enterprises physically located within CT Hub, Waigani, NCD.

5. Goodman Fielder Food Services Award

This award celebrates small-scale, community-driven, and highly adaptable food service providers who play a vital role in local economies and culture. It highlights enterprises such as Chef Services, where independent chefs offer catering for events, private dining, or specialty cuisine workshops, Food Delivery businesses, often small outfits using motorbikes or bicycles to connect local restaurants or home-based kitchens with customers and Home-Based Kitchens, that produce baked goods, traditional meals, or specialty items for community sale.

6. People’s Choice Category

The People’s Choice is a community‑driven recognition designed to spotlight emerging start‑ups and nano‑enterprises whose impact is felt at the grassroots. This category celebrates resilience, ingenuity, and the ability to turn small beginnings into meaningful market presence. It is open to the following business types and industries:

  • BBQs & Grills — Food & Beverage / Street Food Services, focusing on prepared meals and informal dining that bring communities together.

  • Merchants — Retail Trade / Micro‑Commerce, covering vendors of clothing, shoes, and household essentials, aligned with retail and distribution.

  • Waste Management — Environmental Services / Public Utilities, involving collection, disposal, recycling, and sustainability practices that safeguard communities.

  • Fitness Hubs — Health & Wellness / Sports & Recreation, including gyms, training centers, and wellness facilities that promote physical health and community vitality.

The People’s Choice Award is reserved for nano and micro‑entrepreneurs whose annual earnings remain below K200,000. To qualify, businesses must demonstrate at least two consecutive years of consistent presence in the marketplace, proving resilience, credibility, and sustained community impact.