As part of the 2025 Unisa Innovation Festival, Dr Lardo Stander, an economic entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of the Tshwane Economic Development Agency, will judge renewable energy pitches by Unisa students who are finalists in the Tshwane Youth Innovation Challenge.

The pitches offer transformative solutions and visionary thinking from across the academic landscape and will present low-cost, green energy solutions for informal and low-income housing, drive awareness and encourage the use of solar energy.

The 2025 Unisa Innovation Festival will take place from 18 to 20 November 2025 at the university’s Muckleneuk, Science (Florida) and Sunnyside campuses.

Attendees can expect a diverse array of activities, including engaging poster presentations, immersive exhibitions and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of Unisa’s state-of-the-art laboratories. The Crucible and Forge innovation pitching sessions will spotlight bold ideas and entrepreneurial energy. Further, the Postgraduate Student Showcase will highlight emerging research and fresh academic perspectives from the next generation of scholars.

• Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025
• Time: 13:00 - 16:30
• Venue: Exam Hall 1B, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building, Muckleneuk Campus

Meet the speaker

Dr Lardo Stander

"Everything is economics, and that is all there is to it," believes Stander.

With over 15 years’ experience in government administration, the private sector and the academic sector, Stander has developed strong expertise in economic policy and research, economic modelling, data analysis and insights into systems of governance. As a Divisional Head at the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, he leads a team of economists and researchers to provide strategic intelligence and advice on economic development, investment promotion and strategic economic planning. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Pretoria, where he also lectured and published several papers on economic growth, monetary economics and political economy.

Stander is passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation, and has supported various initiatives and projects to foster a vibrant and inclusive local economy. He is also the former President of the South African Association for Energy Economics, where he promoted the exchange of ideas and knowledge on energy issues. He is keen to make a positive impact on the economic and social well-being of communities.

Furthermore, Stander is a

• board member of the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone.
• member of the City of Tshwane Energy Task Team.
• former Steering Committee member of the New Higher Education Institutions for the Department of Higher Education and Training.
• former Co-chair of the City of Tshwane’s Economic Recovery Task Team.

Click here to see the programme and to register for the 2025 Unisa Innovation Festival.

* Submitted by the Directorate of Research Support