‘Eco’-student entrepreneurs triumph at ‘Innovathon’
- Wits University
Dynamic student teams wowed judges, presenting innovative solutions to pressing social and environmental issues.
The inaugural Innovathon on Social Entrepreneurship competition, a collaboration between the Amrut Foundation and Wits University, showcased top-tier innovation, with the two winning teams securing R20,000 each to bring their eco-friendly ideas to life.
The winning teams are:
- EcoBurn Solutions: Lesego Shareen Olebile and Phenyo Matau proposed a biogas solution aimed at providing energy to rural households (Photo: left)
- Eco Cane Innovations (ECI): Charissa de Gouveia and Shamira Pillay presented a biodegradable alternative to polymer plastics (Photo: Right)
The challenge is much more than a hackathon. It originated from a conversation between the Executive Director of the Amrut Foundation, Hemang Desai, and Associate Professor Rodney Genga, Director of the Academic Development Unit (ADU) in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) at Wits. The Amrut Foundation is a main funder of bursaries for students in EBE.
“Innovation is at the heart of this challenge. Our goal was to create a program that goes beyond just providing funding, one that makes a lasting impact on the country, especially in an economy where employment is a challenge and where innovative solutions are needed to address major issues,” says Genga.
“It is built as a multidisciplinary co-curricular activity, running over six months and provides students with an experiential learning experience to translate their brilliant ideas into a commercial entity that can make a difference in society.”
Best of the best
On the day of the hackathon, students from each company pitched their ideas to a panel of judges from academia, big business and the NGO donor community. Says Desai: “The participants showed exceptional innovation and critical thinking and demonstrated a deep understanding of social entrepreneurship. The incisive and constructive feedback from the judges enriched the learning experience of each team.”
“I’m impressed with the creativity and impact of these solutions. We are excited to see what the future rounds will bring at the University of the Free State and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.”
Looking ahead, all winning teams from the preliminary rounds will compete in the grand finale, with the opportunity to win a prize of R200,000. “Social entrepreneurship lies at the heart of Amrut Foundation’s vision for a sustainable economic future in South Africa,” added Desai.
The Wits teams who presented in the inaugural challenge were:
EcoBurn Solutions: Lesego Shareen Olebile (MSc Chemical Engineering) and Phenyo Matau (MSc Chemical Engineering)
Maemu Mathopa: Anzatshilidzi Masakona (BSc Civil Engineering)
Eco Cane Innovations: Charissa de Gouveia (MSc Chemical Engineering) and Shamira Pillay (MSc Chemical Engineering)
Guardian: Boitumelo Rachoshi (BSc.Eng in Aeronautical Engineering)
KNT Energies: Keratile Teka (BSc Civil Engineering) and Nnete Teka (BSc Information Engineering).
Tlowedi Tutoring Solutions: Pule Ramodisa (MSc Civil Engineering) and Nerissa Chinsamy (MSc Civil Engineering)
Streamline Voyagers: Tshepo Ndaba (Bsc Aeronautical Engineering) and Lance Bonginkosi Kings (BSc Mechanical Engineering)
HydroLogic Solutions: Acuman Gcabashe (MSc Chemical Engineering) and Sphamandla Xulu (MSc Civil Engineering)