Life-changing ideas were in the spotlight at the recent South Africa Campus Round, which is the first phase of the global Hult Prize competition, known as the “Nobel Prize for students” hosted by Stellenbosch University’s (SU) LaunchLab. The event was hosted for SU’s ecosystem of entrepreneurship, where six out of twenty registered SU teams pitched/presented business solutions aimed at both commercial success and positive social impact.

The teams addressed issues such as mobility, infrastructure, safety, and sustainability, showing how entrepreneurship can solve real-world problems and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Pitching to a panel of expert judges, teams were assessed on how they articulated the problem they were solving, the viability and scalability of their business model, and the strength of their potential for a sustainable impact.

After intense presentations and probing questions from the judges, three teams distinguished themselves as standouts:

• NAVU Mobility, founded by Amohetsoe Shale presented a venture aimed at providing affordable and flexible prosthetics, addressing real gaps in accessibility and urban transport with a fresh, scalable approach.
• Resurfify, represented by Jody Harvey, showcased a solution centred on the development of sustainable biosurfactants, biodegradable, non-toxic alternatives to petroleum-based surfactants, using an innovative bioprocess that converts virgin or waste vegetable oils into eco-friendly ingredients.
• SafeGuard Technologies founded by Tumelo Mokoena pitched a safety-focused venture, designed to protect vulnerable individuals and communities, leveraging technology to deliver real-world impact.

Last year was the first time SU LaunchLab participated in the Hult Prize, where one of SU spin-out companies made it to the top eight globally. “We’re excited for these three teams to carry the baton forward for us, and we expect one of them to be flying the Matie flag high at the global finals again this year!” said Brandon Paschal, Head of LaunchLab and Deputy Director of Spin-outs and Funds at SU.

To fully begin their journey, NAVU Mobility and ReSurfify, being the top two finalists, will now advance to the Hult Prize National Competition, taking place from 27 to 28 March 2026 at Workshop 17 Watershed in Cape Town. Here they will compete with the best campus teams from across South Africa. After this competition, successful ventures will compete in the regional round and ultimately, the Hult Prize Global Finals, where the winning team takes home one million dollars in seed funding to scale-up.

The Hult Prize is the world’s largest student competition for social entrepreneurship, run in partnership with the United Nations.