DUT’s INNOBIZ HOSTS INTENSE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETITION AT EDHE INTERVARSITY 2024 KZN REGIONAL ROUNDS.
The innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation this week played host to a successful 2024 edition of the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Intervarsity Entrepreneurship KZN Regional Rounds as student entrepreneurs from four universities pitted their entrepreneurial wits against each other.
Held in collaboration with the Durban University of Technology, this year’s EDHE Regional Rounds also saw an esteemed line up of partners including the Department of Higher Education and Training, University Capacity Development Programme, Universities South Africa, Allan Gray Orbis Foundation and the SAB Foundation link up to back the popular entrepreneurship contest.
Top honours were up for grabs in four categories in the competition, namely the Existing Business: Social Impact, Existing Business: General, Existing Business: Tech, and the Existing Business: Research Based Business categories.
Winners from each category will head to the EDHE National Finals, penciled in for Johannesburg in late November 2024, where they compete with their counterparts from 26 universities coming from six other regions across South Africa where the Student Entrepreneur of the Year will walk away with a whooping R100 000 in prize money.
Joining the hosts, the Durban University of Technology, were the three visiting institutions Mangosuthu University of Technology, University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Zululand who all descended upon DUT’s Indumiso campus, in the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial capital Pietermaritzburg, for the entrepreneurial festivities.
Spread over two exciting days and held at innobiz’ state of the art Innovation Hub, this year’s Regional Rounds saw around 20 student entrepreneurs from the four universities deliver compelling pitches to a panel of adjudicators boasting wealth of experience in entrepreneurship.
This year’s
The first day’s proceedings kicked off with a warm welcome to the guests delivered by the Deputy Vice Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement: Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola Professor Nemavhola also encouraged the entrepreneurs and the audience to be inspired by the stories of entrepreneurs such as Limpopo-born entrepreneur Ludwick Marishane, the inventor of DryBath, a waterless bathing lotion to circumvent water shortage challenges, and Nigerian-American entrepreneur Tayo Oviosu who founded the Paga mobile payment platform in developing economies such as Nigeria and now boasts over 50 million users.
Pictured: Prof Nemavhola DUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement officially opening the KZN Regional Rounds
“We can learn a lot from the young man who invented the DryBath, and I want to emphasise that we don’t need millions to start. All we need is a problem and an idea and the willingness to do hard work. Oviosu’s success is a testament of how entrepreneurship can solve pressing social issues, we can all learn from Oviosu,” Professor Nemavhola declared.
With one of the calls in DUT’s ENVISION 2030 strategy map spurring the DUT community to become an engaged university that uplifts communities and transforms lives, Prof. Nemavhola called for the transformation of lives through innovation.
“That has been our vision as a University and I want to encourage all those who are part of this programme and say that your presence signals your commitment to entrepreneurship and your readiness to take the first step towards building the future
“Like Ludwick and Tayo, I want to encourage you that you do not vast resources to start, all action, positivity and resilience which is important as we move forward,” Prof. Nemavhola remarked.
He further encouraged the student entrepreneurs to see the EDHE Regional Rounds as an occasion that we propel them to have big dreams, to start small and to never stop believing in their vision.
“It is important because even those two gentlemen, Tayo and Ludwick, who did whatever was possible with the passion that they have were able to develop and produce something from which all of us are now benefitting.
“Let me remind you of the words of Nelson Mandela, a man who needs no introduction, who emphasised that it always seems impossible until it is done. You are the ones who will turn the impossible into reality, you are builders, the dreamers and creators of tomorrow,” Prof. Nemavhola added.
Mr. Sandile Shabalala, Senior Student Engagement Officer at EDHE, commended the student entrepreneurs, hailing them as incredible innovators, with enough courage to stand in front of an adjudication panel and an audience to present their business ideas to get reviews that will assist in making their businesses better.
“This is also about showcasing entrepreneurship at their universities, the support that they are receiving from their universities,” Mr. Shabalala alluded.
Dr. Edwell Gumbo, Director of Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa, told the contestants that although it was a competition with a winner in each category, the student entrepreneurs should know that by virtue of being in the Regional Rounds they were already champions because they had been brave enough to tackle entrepreneurship in addition to their full-time responsibilities as students.
Pictured: Dr. Edwell Gumbo, Director of Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa giving his message of support
“What I know about entrepreneurship is that you are problem solvers. Our world, our society, has so many problems and challenges and you have taken a stand of saying you are not going to be an observer, but you are going to be a solution driver, an implementer,” Dr. Gumbo said.
He also lauded the entrepreneurship coordinators from the various universities for creating the conducive environment that allows the entrepreneurial ecosystem to thrive.
Following a highly intense pitching session over the two days in which the student entrepreneurs delivered solid pitches, and thorough deliberations by the auditor and the adjudicators, the most awaited moment of the occasion finally arrived with the announcement of the winners.
MUT’s Andile Mkhize, founder of Agrivalue, won in the Existing Business: Tech category, with University of Zululand’s Anga Mzozo, of AL Winery, emerging victorious in the Existing Business: Social Impact category while UKZN’s Ayavuya Sibisi won in the Existing Business: General for her Tropical Paradise Smoothies Bar.
DUT’s Ms. Humeira Hassan, founder of Aquagreen Technology, walked away as the winner of the Existing Business: Research Based Business category following her convincing pitch of her business which has a special focus on cultivating microalgae for benefiting the environment and green economy.
Pictured: KZN Regional Round Winners. From left, Humeira Hassan, founder of Aquagreen Technology; Andile Mkhize, founder of Agrivalue; Ayavuya Sibisi, founder of Tropical Paradise Smoothies Bar
“I am very excited to win and I hope that this business materialises, I love to teach about algae and its environmental benefits and if anything, I hope people learn about algae and what it does for the environment and how it can improve the green economy,” Ms. Hassan explained.
With her sights now firmly set on doing well at the EDHE National Finals, Ms. Hassan said that the coming weeks would be dedicated to working more on polishing her pitch and delving deep into the research and the feedback from fellow researchers.
Pictured: Humeira Hassan during her pitch presentation
Ms. Nontokozo Ngcobo, innobiz DUT Centre Manager, lavished praise on Ms. Hassan in the aftermath of her victory for her incredible win at the EDHE KZN Regional Rounds.
“Your outstanding pitch and innovative business concept truly impressed the judges, and we couldn’t be prouder of your achievement. Securing your place as one of the four KZN winners to compete at the national competition in November is a fantastic accomplishment.
“We have no doubt that you will represent DUT with distinction and continue to shine on this exciting journey. We were particularly excited to hear about the judge who was so impressed with your business that they committed to helping you operationalize and scale your operations for international markets. This is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and the potential of your venture,” Ms. Ngcobo said.
She added that the office of the DVC: RIE, Prof Nemavhola and the entire innobiz DUT team would rally behind Ms. Hassan and support her in every step of the way as she now prepares for the national competition. “We have a lot of work ahead of us as we prepare for the Nationals,” Ms. Ngcobo added.
There was consensus amongst the four universities to now shift focus from being competitors to now being a united team representing KwaZulu-Natal heading to the EDHE National Finals by sharing ideas and working in unison to give the province the best possible chance of success.
Ms. Ngcobo also commended the work done by the EDHE saying that it had done in making some of the work of the various entrepreneurship centers easier.
She also hailed the adjudicators for their interventions and willingness to offer advice and business opportunities to several student entrepreneurs whose business pitches had left an impression on some members of the judging panel. “We appreciated the positive feedback that you gave to the student entrepreneurs and your genuine interest in supporting the businesses of the student entrepreneurs,” Ms. Ngcobo said.
Pictured from left to right: innobiz DUT Centre Manager, Ms. Nontokozo Ngcobo, and DUT’s National Finalist and KZN Regional Round Winner, Humeira Hassan
Author: Samkelo Mtshali
Photography: Khulasande Tshayile, Khonzinkosi Magcaba