South Africa’s innovation agenda is increasingly being shaped not in boardrooms, but in townships, classrooms and community labs where young people were designing practical solutions to everyday challenges.
This was evident at the recent SA Innovation Week hosted by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), in partnership with the SA Innovation Summit (SAIS).
The SA Innovation Week is a platform connecting innovation, investment, research, industry and public-sector priorities in an integrated and collaborative way for meaningful economic impact. Designed as a week-long national programme, SAIW’26 featured provincial innovation engagements across South Africa, providing provinces with an opportunity to showcase local innovation strengths, emerging enterprises and sectoral capabilities.
The event reflected inclusivity, with multiple activities conducted across various provinces, over 85 exhibitors showcasing their innovations, and more than 1 700 attendees participating.
In Gqeberha, the provincial leg of the SA Innovation Week was hosted by the TIA supported Living Lab T3. Through the Living Lab model, T3 links township businesses and youth innovators to enterprise development and technology opportunities. It provides access to skills development, mentorship and real-world testing environments, helping innovators move from concept to viable business.
The T3 Living Lab hosted the Youth Technology Innovation Provincial Competition (YTIPC), a national initiative identifying and accelerating grassroots innovation with real commercial potential. The T3 Hackathon that brought together young developers, engineers and entrepreneurs to collaborate on technology-driven solutions to pressing socio-economic challenges.
The programme focused on practical problem-solving, encouraging participants to design scalable innovations in areas such as digital inclusion, service delivery and community resilience.
Organisers emphasised that the hackathon about building capabilities and fostering collaboration within local innovation ecosystems.
“What we are seeing is a powerful shift from ideas to implementation,” says Wilhela Gie, centre manager at T3 Incubation Hub NPC. “Our role is to bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.
“Young innovators, particularly from township and rural communities, were not just identifying challenges but were building practical, scalable solutions. Platforms like the SA Innovation Week give youth access to mentorship, funding and markets, which are critical to turning innovation into sustainable businesses that can create jobs and drive economic growth.”
The value of the competition extended beyond just recognition. Winning participants were eligible for grant funding of up to R500 000 to develop their prototypes, alongside structured mentorship, incubation support and potential fast-tracking into commercialisation pathways.
This integrated support model reflected a growing understanding that innovation ecosystems need to move beyond ideation and actively enable execution, commercialisation and market access.
Participants worked in multidisciplinary teams, applying tools such as rapid prototyping and solution design frameworks to refine their concepts. Organisers noted that these environments played a critical role in preparing young innovators for real-world commercialisation pathways.
The top 10 finalists showcased solutions spanning climate resilience, healthcare, agriculture, digital marketplaces and consumer safety.
The competition’s top-ranked innovation, Asaka Wear, highlighted how innovation intersected with both sustainability and social need. The product was a reusable sanitary solution made from biodegradable materials, offering a cost-effective alternative to disposable products while addressing issues of accessibility and environmental impact.
The Eastern Cape provincial competition offered a clear illustration of the diversity and relevance of youth-led innovation emerging in South Africa.