Three young South Africans – Wendile Mpofu, Gift Mabena and Bafokeng Mofokeng – have been selected as the country’s leading eco-innovators in the 2025 PachiPanda Challenge, earning their place in the Africa-wide finals.
Their solutions address urgent challenges around food security, sustainable energy access and water resilience under the theme: “Nourishing Tomorrow: Innovations for Food, Energy and Water Security.”
To ensure these solutions remain sustainable beyond the pitch event, the top nine finalists will join an incubation programme funded by Nedbank and implemented by Indalo Inclusive South Africa NPC. The programme provides technical and financial resources, including expert mentorship and capacity-building workshops, to help transform tech-driven ideas into commercially viable, ecologically sustainable and socially inclusive enterprises.
“These young innovators are not just solving environmental problems; they are building the foundations of South Africa’s green economy,” says Keabetswe Mabe, GM: sustainability and shared value at MTN South Africa. “Their solutions strengthen the food–energy–water nexus, stimulate green SMEs, and open pathways for future jobs.
“This is exactly the kind of youth-led innovation our country needs to drive a meaningful just transition and unlock inclusive economic growth.”
Maluta Netshaulu, head: social impact portfolio development at Nedbank, adds: “The PachiPanda Challenge gives young people a platform to shape business solutions that will define South Africa’s sustainable future.
“Wendile, Gift and Bafokeng show how youth-led thinking can help tackle food insecurity, energy instability and water stress.”
Rest Kanju, director at Indalo Inclusive NPC, says: “These eco-innovators are turning ambition into enterprise. Their work strengthens the SME ecosystem, drives job creation and builds community-rooted solutions.”
Wendile, Gift and Bafokeng will represent South Africa at the Africa-wide round of the PachiPanda Challenge, where they will compete against peers from across the continent. Their success already stands as a testament to the power of youth-led eco-innovation, the impact of collaborative support and the promise of a more sustainable and secure future for Africa.
Wendile Mpofu: Transforming African farming through carbon-smart technology
Taking top honours, Wendile Mpofu, founder of Carbonsmart Solutions Africa, has developed a tech-enabled regeneration platform that supports smallholder farmers facing declining soil fertility, unpredictable rainfall and limited access to markets and finance. Her solution integrates digital soil monitoring, precision-input management and access to carbon markets, enabling farmers to measure and improve soil carbon while earning income from verified carbon credits.
Gift Mabena: Climate-ready, mobile-first farming tools for every smallholder
Placed second, Gift Mabena, founder of AgriAdapt, has built a mobile-first platform designed to help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change with practical, accessible and affordable digital tools.
Bafokeng Mofokeng: Bringing transparency and intelligence to South Africa’s e-waste sector
In third place, Bafokeng Mofokeng impressed judges with his Circularity Verification Platform (CVP), a hardware and software system addressing inefficiencies and lack of transparency in the e-waste recycling sector.