Female inventors and entrepreneurs were the big winners at the first EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge, a student entrepreneurship initiative across South Africa’s 26 public universities with prize money totalling more than R1-million.
Women took the five top spots and seven positions in the Top 10.
Mpho Kotlolo from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) was named the EDHE Absa Top Student Innovator of the Year and received R500 000 for developing age-appropriate ARVs for children living with HIV/AIDS.
In second spot, and winner of R250 000, was Nondumiso Nkosi – from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University – who is the founder of HepaSure Diagnostics, an analytical assay for Hepatitis B, addressing a critical need in regions in South Africa where the disease is endemic.
The University of Limpopo’s Qetello Baloyi was in third position and took home R150 000 for inventing smart panty liners which detect infections.
Other award-winning projects included a process to reduce CO2 emissions during the manufacture of cement; reasonably priced, high performing prosthetic knees; a bioprocess that produces a powerful natural compound that transforms waste into opportunity and size adjustable school shoes.
Beyond the substantial cash prizes, winners also gain access to comprehensive business development support, including ongoing mentorship, potential market access through Absa’s procurement networks, and connections to industry partners.
The EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge is targeted at current students and recent alumni of public universities to develop and commercialise innovative solutions to societal challenges while fostering entrepreneurship.
It’s key purpose is to develop innovative solutions, that address major issues in South Africa, such as healthtech, greentech and fintech.
Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) is a programme of Universities South Africa (USAf) and integrates entrepreneurship into higher education curricula and helps unlock and develop young talent to drive economic growth in the country while creating employment opportunities.
Dr Edwell Gumbo, director: entrepreneurship at USAf, explains that EDHE’s mission is to ensure that knowledge does not end in publications only but finds expression in new ventures and new industries that boost the economy and create employment.
“We want to ensure that entrepreneurship becomes an integral part of the educational experience across all the faculties. Universities must be, and are increasingly, low risk sand boxes for innovation.
“Within our universities, lies unharnessed intellectual capital, cutting edge research, state-of-the-art laboratories and multidisciplinary enterprises. These assets make universities uniquely positioned to incubate early state ideas without the pressures and risks associated with the open market,” he says.
“In the Global North, there is the concept that new startups were founded in the garage – think of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezoz; often in their parents’ garage. But we know that realistically, and with the current economy, South African students come from households where the garage does not exist and doesn’t have the necessary resources.
“Our universities have to be the garages that enable our innovators to thrive. Students can test their prototypes; researchers can convert intellectual property into commercial possibilities and interdisciplinary teams can collaborate on solutions that shape society. Universities are not only silos of knowledge generation but they are also the birth places of enterprises that can transform our economy.”
Dr Edwell Gumbo paid tribute to the 20 EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge finalists, competing for the Top 10 spots, who were chosen from 644 successful entries.
“It is not a cliché to say that you are all winners. There are 1,1-million students at South African public universities and you are in the Top 20 which is a remarkable achievement. Your stories and successes have already inspired us and this is just the beginning of your journey.”
Clement Motale, managing executive: GMCA strategic transformation and partnerships at Absa, comments: “This year’s Challenge theme – Entrepreneurship for Sustainability – speaks to the broader situation we find ourselves in right now; there is climate and economic uncertainty, rising inequality, digital transformation and global health challenges. Innovation can provide solutions for some of these.”
The EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge Top 10 are:
- Mpho Kotlolo (TUT) ARVs for children living with HIV/AIDS. (EDHE Absa Top Student Innovator of the Year, R500 000).
- Nondumiso Nkosi (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University) founder HepaSure Diagnostics, a pioneering diagnostic assay for Hepatitis B, addressing a critical need in regions where the disease is endemic. (R250 000).
- Qetello Baloyi (University of Limpopo) founder Zus Nana (R150 000) which have developed smart panty liners which detect infections.
- Amohetsoe Shale (Stellenbosch University) founder the NAVU Group, who design affordable, high-performing prosthetic knees for amputees. (R100 000).
- Charne Verster (UCT) co-founder and CEO of Smart School Shoes, GPS-enabled, size-adjustable school shoes for children in under-resourced communities. (R50 000).
- Dr André Valkenburg (Stellenbosch University) founder of ReSurfify, which uses an innovative bioprocess that converts virgin or waste vegetable oils into eco-friendly ingredients. (R25 000).
- Darryl Nyamayaro (UCT) founder iDini, a digital platform transforming funeral insurance with policy tracking, artificial intelligence support and flexible payments.
- Tebogo Phasha (University of Pretoria) co-founder Kalafo, which provides mining companies with a device that produces proactive data analytics that predict the chance of silicosis.
- Ayabulela Binase (Nelson Mandela University) co-founder of the NanoLAMP Diagnostic Field Kit, designed for early detection of viral pathogens that affect common bean crops in South Africa.
- Siphumelele Mzolo (University of Johannesburg) co-founder of MXene-based Cement Clinker, a more sustainable cement alternative.