Students shine at entrepreneurship workshop

Students from the University of Cape Town (UCT) were some of the big winners at the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA) entrepreneurship workshop held recently.

Vuyo Hlongwane and Charlote Mohale were selected by their peers as worthy recipients of the most financially viable business award and highest growth potential innovation award, respectively. Funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and supported by key industry partners, this regional workshop brought together 30 aspiring entrepreneurs from publicly funded universities across the Western Cape, which included UCT, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), University of the Western Cape (UWC), Stellenbosch University (SU), and the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Hlongwane is the founder of Caelix Bio Diesel, while Mohale is the founder of Early Bird Testimony Academy (EBTA). Speaking to UCT News, Hlongwane reflected: “It was a real honour because the recognition came from a group of talented entrepreneurs who had spent the week challenging, supporting and learning from one another. Every business at the workshop addressed a meaningful problem – so to be recognised for financial viability was especially encouraging. For Caelix, it was validation that a renewable energy business can be both sustainable and commercially viable. Caelix is edging closer to investment grade readiness.”

Dreams

He added: “Our vision is to build a renewable energy company that makes reliable, affordable energy accessible to more South Africans. While we have already begun making an impact through solar energy, we are also developing biodiesel solutions that convert waste cooking oil into clean fuel. In the future, we see Caelix growing into an integrated clean energy business that helps households, businesses and communities reduce energy costs while contributing to a more sustainable future.”

Mohale’s peer-to-peer tutoring and mentorship programme connects high school learners with top university students through their services. “It started from my mother’s sacrifice. My mother as a single and unemployed mother of four spent R700 of our South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant on my extra maths classes, despite us depending on the R2 000 per month.

“That sacrifice made me standout. Today, I am a third-year medical student and impacting the lives of others because of it. I matriculated with seven distinctions but realised most children in my village never get that chance,” said Mohale.

Today, EBTA has reached more than 3 000 learners, placed over 1 000 students into university, employed 54 tutors, generated more than R450 000 and won R25 000 for first place in South Africa for social impact at the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) competition in 2025. The company charges only R200–R250 per month, which is about 80% lower than traditional tutoring costs.

“My peers saw my struggle and still believed in my future. That moment gave me hope.”

Mohale described the recognition by her peers as validation of the impact she’s making. “It made me cry, and I couldn’t contain my tears. There was a time I never thought I’d make it. Growing up on a SASSA grant in a village, you learn to keep your dreams small. But my peers saw my struggle and still believed in my future. That moment gave me hope. Realising my story might help someone else hold on means everything to me.”

Looking forward, she said: “I will close the legal gaps in EBTA, launch our fully user-friendly portal system for our learners, scale to more than 5 000 learners, and employ hundreds more students. Long-term, I want to build an institution that ensures no child’s future is determined by their parents’ pay cheque, while finishing medical school and never forgetting where I came from. We look forward to scaling in neighbouring countries, eventually scale in Africa and globally, building the future of the neglected communities. I am very grateful to the UCT Careers Service and Nadia Waggie for the great work and opportunities.”

Hlongwane concluded, saying: “The workshop challenged me to think more critically about our business model, refine our strategy and test our assumptions. Just as importantly, it connected me with a network of innovators who continue to share ideas and support one another. Experiences like this build confidence and equip entrepreneurs to create businesses that are both impactful and investment ready.”