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UCT studentpreneurs lead the way in innovation

11 November 2025 | Story Supplied. Photo University of the Western Cape. Read time 3 min.
Six visionary ventures from UCT were named national finalists in the 2025 EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity and ABSA Innovation Challenge.
Six visionary ventures from UCT were named national finalists in the 2025 EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity and ABSA Innovation Challenge.

South Africa’s student entrepreneurship scene is thriving, with six visionary ventures from the University of Cape Town (UCT) named national finalists in the 2025 Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity and ABSA Innovation Challenge. Hosted by the EDHE, these competitions serve as launchpads for scalable, sustainable innovation.

UCT continues to lead in student entrepreneurship, having earned titles such as National Student Entrepreneur of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022) and Entrepreneurial University of the Year. This success is driven by Careers Service within the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), in collaboration with UCT’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, including faculties, the GSB Solution Space, the Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking Afrika (d-school Afrika), Research & Innovation, and student-led platforms like the UCT Entrepreneurs Society.

“At UCT, we foster an entrepreneurial mindset. Our students are encouraged to think critically, act ethically, and innovate boldly. The EDHE and ABSA platforms give them the visibility and validation they deserve, and we’re proud to walk this journey with them,” said Nadia Waggie, UCT’s entrepreneurship intervarsity coordinator.

Meet UCT’s EDHE Finalists

Now in its seventh year, the intervarsity competition celebrates student-led ventures that merge innovation with impact. This year’s theme, “Entrepreneurship for Sustainability”, inspired solutions to real-world challenges:

  • Lesedi Dikhoba (PhD): IWASHCARS – a digital platform connecting car owners with mobile car wash providers, promoting convenience and micro-entrepreneurship.
  • Thando Mzimela-Ntuli (BSocSci): UniMark – a one-stop digital hub for student services, empowering over 1.2 million students nationwide.
  • Malehu Charlote Mohale (MBChB): Early Bird Testimony Academy – an online tutoring and mentorship platform, offering affordable academic support from top-performing university students.

Accelerating impact

Launched in June 2025, the ABSA Innovation Challenge accelerates student-led solutions to systemic issues, offering over R1 million in prizes. UCT’s finalists include:

  • Darryl Nyamayaro (PhD): iDini – a digital platform transforming funeral insurance with policy tracking, artificial intelligence support, and flexible payments.
  • Charne Verster & Genesis Team (PGDip Entrepreneurship): SmartSchoolShoes – GPS-enabled, size-adjustable school shoes for children in under-resourced communities.
  • Sikozile Ncembu (PhD Chem Eng): A diagnostic platform using SNAP-tag technology for early, affordable cancer detection tailored to African healthcare systems.

Shaping the future

These six changemakers exemplify the power of student-led innovation to address pressing societal challenges. As they head to the EDHE Nationals, they carry the aspirations of communities and institutions striving for transformation.

Follow their journey. Support their vision. Celebrate their impact.

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Curriculum Change Working Group 17 Aug 2016
PhD examines complex governance systems in Kosi Bay It was the timely intervention of a far-sighted early mentor, Professor Dianne Scott, in Philile Mbatha's honours year at the University of KwaZulu-Natal that changed the course of her life. 26 May 2016
Professionalisation the tonic for municipalities' dysfunction Violent service protests across the country reflect the disjuncture between the needs of civil society's poorest and local government's roll-out of resources and services. It's a topic close to Phindile Ntliziywana's heart. One of UCT's five New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) participants, Ntliziywana's PhD examines how the public service, specifically local government, can be improved. 17 May 2016
'Why do we still aspire to whiteness?' Zuziwe Msomi, an nGAP* lecturer in the Centre for African Studies, is interrogating racial identity in post-apartheid South Africa. 16 May 2016
Sadiq Toffa, the nGAP scholar with a commitment to transformative knowledge The New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) is an initiative funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in partnership with individual universities that recruits young scholars into permanent academic positions at South African universities. 03 May 2016
"Bold" Mpolokeng believes in the beauty of her dreams When Kentse Mpolokeng took up an nGAP* lectureship in anatomy at UCT at the beginning of this year, she was fulfilling a career ambition that she had spelled out to an interview panel years ago. But it almost didn't happen. 15 Apr 2016
Ad hominem academic promotions 12 Apr 2016
New online course in postgrad research writing 06 Apr 2016
Transforming UCT 23 Mar 2016
Inspiration on the cards at Teaching and Learning Conference 11 Mar 2016
Commerce EDU staff on disruption of Senate
Released: 13h20, 12 November 2015 12 Nov 2015
Statements on disruption of senate meeting on 9 November 2015 11 Nov 2015
UCT Senate meeting disbands after disruption
Released: 18h00, 9 November 2015 09 Nov 2015
Academic Development Programme: Student success, not just access 27 Jul 2015
Teaching in the digital age 27 Jul 2015
Transformation: Vibrant student spaces needed 13 Apr 2015
A word from the dean 01 Dec 2014
Commerce EDU 'like family' 22 Sep 2014
EDU is where dreams are made true 04 Sep 2013
Tsotsitaal on the table 22 Jul 2013
UCT hosts ground-breaking conference on language among urban youth 09 Jul 2013
Pioneering development programme underpins commerce students' success 29 Apr 2013
News in pictures 11 Feb 2013
IsiXhosa course graduates honoured 17 Jan 2013
IsiXhosa course a useful tool, say students 05 Nov 2012
Hard work pays off for champion teacher 14 Aug 2012
Multilingualism in Class: a Transformation Strategy? 04 May 2012
Hard work pays off for champion teacher 08 Jan 2012
Innovative teacher wins Stella Clark Award 22 Aug 2011
UCT wins multilingualism awards 04 Apr 2011
isiXhosa course in demand 15 Dec 2010
Xhosa course in demand 03 Dec 2010
Teacher's dedication takes her to the stars 05 Aug 2010
Pithy pointers for PhDs 26 Apr 2010
PhDs get pointers 23 Apr 2010
Three teaching collaborations get the nod from CHED 29 Mar 2010
Xhosa course growing bigger 04 Dec 2009
Role model wins Stella Clark award 24 Aug 2009
Role model wins Stella Clark award 20 Aug 2009
Appointments 11 May 2009
Fifty-eight UCT staffers complete isiXhosa course 17 Dec 2008
Milestones 23 Jun 2008
Thetha msebenzi thetha 30 Nov 2007
Notes from Council 29 Oct 2007
Speaking many languages 07 May 2007
R1.3 million boost for multilingualism 20 Apr 2007
Notes 11 Dec 2006
Once, twice, thrice capped 11 Dec 2006
CPUT carries the day 12 Jun 2006
A lifeline to learners 24 May 2006
Masithethe isiXhosa, zihlobo zam! 23 Mar 2006
Changing the mainstream 13 Mar 2006
Stop press 04 Jan 2006
Researcher programme three years old and going strong 21 Nov 2005
Multilingualism revisited 17 Oct 2005
Campus highlights 03 Oct 2005
Paying for health education: a new formula necessary 23 May 2005
Tribute to Stella Clark 04 Apr 2005
Oldest brand of denims helps student numeracy 27 May 2003
Party of five for Harvard 07 Apr 2003
Diary: 9 December 2002 onwards 09 Dec 2002
GSB teaches graduands to AIM high 10 Jul 2002
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