Female inventors and entrepreneurs emerged as the dominant winners at the first EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge, South Africa’s largest student entrepreneurship initiative spanning 26 public universities. The competition, which offered over R1 million in prize money, saw women secure the top five spots and seven out of the Top 10 positions.
🥇 Top Student Innovators and Their Solutions
The top three winners focused on critical health-tech innovations, demonstrating significant potential for societal impact in South Africa.
| Rank | Winner & University | Innovation / Company | Prize Money |
| 1st | Ms. Mpho Kotlolo (Tshwane University of Technology) | Age-appropriate ARVs (antiretrovirals) for children living with HIV/AIDS. | R500,000 |
| 2nd | Ms. Nondumiso Nkosi (Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University) | HepaSure Diagnostics: A pioneering analytical assay for Hepatitis B in endemic regions. | R250,000 |
| 3rd | Ms. Qetello Baloyi (University of Limpopo) | Zus Nana: Smart panty liners designed to detect infections. | R150,000 |
Other highly ranked innovations included:
- Ms. Amohetsoe Shale (Stellenbosch University): Affordable, high-performing prosthetic knees for amputees.
- Ms. Charne Verster (UCT): Smart School Shoes (GPS-enabled, size-adjustable) for children in under-resourced communities.
💡 Purpose and Impact of the Challenge
The EDHE Absa Innovation Challenge targets current students and recent alumni, encouraging them to develop and commercialize innovative solutions to major societal challenges in areas like healthtech, greentech, and fintech.
- EDHE Mission: The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) program, run by Universities South Africa (USAf), aims to integrate entrepreneurship into higher education, ensuring that knowledge translates from publications into new ventures and industries that drive economic growth and create employment.
- The ‘University Garage’: Dr. Edwell Gumbo (Director: Entrepreneurship, USAf) emphasized that universities must serve as the “garages” for South African innovators—safe, low-risk environments with intellectual capital and state-of-the-art facilities where students can test prototypes and convert intellectual property into commercial possibilities.
- Absa’s View: Mr. Clement Motale (Absa) highlighted the competition’s theme, “Entrepreneurship for Sustainability,” stating that innovation can provide solutions to global issues like climate uncertainty, inequality, and health challenges. He stressed that entrepreneurs should be driven by the purpose of solving critical societal challenges.
Beyond the cash prizes, all winners gain access to comprehensive business development support, including mentorship, potential market access through Absa’s procurement networks, and connections to industry partners.
The Top 10 Finalists
The finalists were chosen from 644 successful entries across the country, showcasing the depth of unharnessed intellectual capital within South African universities.
- Ms. Mpho Kotlolo (TUT): ARVs for children living with HIV/AIDS.
- Ms. Nondumiso Nkosi (Sefako Makgatho): HepaSure Diagnostics (Hepatitis B assay).
- Ms. Qetello Baloyi (UL): Zus Nana (Smart panty liners).
- Ms. Amohetsoe Shale (Stellenbosch): NAVU Group (Affordable prosthetic knees).
- Ms. Charne Verster (UCT): Smart School Shoes (Size-adjustable, GPS-enabled shoes).
- Dr. André Valkenburg (Stellenbosch): ReSurfify (Bioprocess converting vegetable oils into eco-friendly ingredients).
- Mr. Darryl Nyamayaro (UCT): iDini (Digital funeral insurance platform).
- Mr. Tebogo Phasha (UP): Kalafo (Proactive data analytics for mining safety).
- Ms. Ayabulela Binase (NMU): NanoLAMP Diagnostic Field Kit (Viral pathogen detection for common bean crops).
- Ms. Siphumelele Mzolo (UJ): MXene-based Cement Clinker (Sustainable cement alternative).
