Entrepreneurship Development Intervarsity Contest Well Underway

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The innovation office, UKZN InQubate, hosted the internal round of the Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition - an initiative of Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) under the Department of Higher Education and Training.

The event comprises five categories - existing general business, new business idea, existing tech business, social impact, and research-based business. In accordance with the EDHE protocols, two winners are selected in each category to proceed to the regional round where they compete against their peers at sister universities in KwaZulu-Natal.

A total of 47 students at UKZN applied to participate and after a screening process, 16 were shortlisted while 14 were finally selected for the internal rounds which is the first stage of the challenge.

Six students progressed to the regional round and will compete against contestants from the Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology and the University of Zululand on 3 and 4 October.

In the existing general business category, Ms Lethimpilo Khambule and Ms Ayavuya Sibisi were selected.

A third-year Law student, Khambule is the founder of Scent Africa which specialises in luxury candles but also offers high quality fragrance diffusers, gel soaps and hand lotions for a variety of settings, including homes, workplaces and restaurants. Sibisi, a third-year Bachelor of Arts student, is the founder of Tropical Paradise which provides delicious smoothies while also offering wholesome options. The business aims to revolutionise healthy eating by addressing the lack of healthy fast food options for students on- and off- campus.

In the new business idea category, Mr Akhona Zungu and Mr Morris Khumalo were selected.

Akhona, a fourth-year BCom (Marketing and Management) student, created UMEET, a student-focused app which allows students to interact with businesses that are on- and off- campus. The app has features that allow students to keep the University community safe by reporting suspicious activities observed on campus.

Morris, the founder of AloeGo, is a third-year Law student. AloeGo highlights healthy living through promoting the commercial use of aloes. The business will be based in Umsinga, a region that has aloes as a natural resource growing in abundance. AloeGo will farm and harvest the natural resource and use it in the production of soap, lotion and juice. The products will aid in eliminating health concerns such as skin problems, acne, skin cancer, and eczema.

In the existing tech business slot, Mr Lungile Radebe, a final-year Bachelor of Law candidate and the founder of Geleza Mzansi, was chosen. The business provides a portal wherein high school learners are able to apply for admission to private Institutions of Higher Education as well as for funding.

The last category is for research-based businesses and here Mr Karan Sunthpaul, a Masters in Architecture student, was selected. Karan’s business provides an alternative building material that is sustainable and eco-friendly. The process of producing the brick is clean and less harmful to the environment than the process for traditional bricks. This business aims to clean up by eliminating plastic waste and alien water plants which are later used in producing the eco-friendly bricks.

Welcoming contestants, UKZN student entrepreneurship manager Mr Khutso Ramontja, said: ‘As the University we are committed to enabling students make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Thank you for choosing to represent the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the competition.’

Ramontja invited student entrepreneurs to participate in the ENSPIRE business training programme from 19 to 23 June, saying those who successfully complete the programme will be offered an opportunity to submit funding applications to UKZN InQubate, and that the successful candidates will be awarded funding to help them grow their businesses.

Prior to announcing the results, Ramontja commended students for presentations delivered. He felt contestants gave it their all, and that very little separated them. ‘You should be proud of yourselves; you certainly brought your A game!’

Words: Simphiwe Gumede

Photographs: Supplied