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Entrepreneurs shine during Unisa’s Start-Up Day

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When authentic, bold ideas from young, passionate start-ups meet real-life complex challenges, only magic happens. That is what the Unisa Catalyst Programme is about - customer discovery, a journey that puts customers, conversations and real customer insights at the centre of innovation in real time.

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Unisa’s Start-Up Day Catalyst

The main aim of the programme is to challenge start-ups not to just make assumptions about what the solutions to complex challenges are, but to put in the work and validate those assumptions. The blueprint of building solutions in isolation or assuming what customers need is slowly becoming obsolete; the notion of let’s build, they will come/buy has led to start-up global statistics of 9 out of 10 start-ups fail.

However, talking to a customer and listening first and later building based on their insights is taking over. The mission of the programme is to actively work on innovative ideas with commercialisation in mind, using a rigorous customer discovery approach to unlock insights that could transform entire industries.


The Catalyst Programme

During the Research and Innovation Week, the Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation (DITTC) hosted a Start-Up Day which showcased 12 start-ups who participated in the inaugural Unisa Catalyst Programme.

The session was facilitated by Alice Nichols from Boston, an international expert and instructor of catalyst. This initiative is one of its kind and a flagship programme that UniVentures is offering under the Start-Up Academy programme. The Start-up Academy programme is the training and development platform of the UniVentures program, which offers tailored-made venture-build training programmes to equip the early start-ups to move their innovative idea to an impactful solution.  

The participating start-ups were encouraged to let go of their initial product ideas and how they approached them, and instead explore complex problems, pains and potential gains of their future customers.

Using well-known customer discovery tools, each of the 12 start-ups individually interviewed at least 20 potential customers over a period of time. Participants had to test their assumptions, refine their hypotheses and, most importantly, define and redefine the problem, not the solution. This would lead to them understanding who the customer is and articulating a value proposition they need. Each step was a crash course in pattern recognition powered by facts, feedback and fearless inquiry.

Start-Up Day was about celebrating and showcasing the journey these start-ups went through during the programme. This was solidified through a session where certificates of completion for the start-ups from the university were also showcased.


The Start-Ups from the programme

The start-ups came from different industries and different parts of South Africa, some presenting in person, some online. The order of the day was showcasing brilliant ideas that were sparked by enquiring minds who saw gaps in their societies and presented the following innovations:

  • Digital Track Tech by Khutjo Mohlola: A self-powered smart security light that merges lighting, surveillance, and real-time community alerts into one wireless device.
  • Digitisation of Public Health by Mokwati Ramphisa: A digital platform aiming at tackling inefficiencies in public healthcare that impact both workers and patients.
  • Mental Health for South Africans by Annemari Eloff: Personalised therapy connections, planning to scale using an AI-powered 24/7 support chatbot.
  • Green Tech Solutions by Clint Morar: Fighting fuel costs with sustainable alternatives, offering Bio-LPG and Biodiesel that compete with marine diesel prices.
  • Suite Law by Thobile Mbambo: Affordable legal help, offering a digital platform connecting SMEs and middle-income individuals to vetted attorneys for everyday legal needs - affordable, accessible and on demand.


Teams in progress

  • Smartpay: an inclusive payment system by Joyce Nonkoyana
  • FlyConnect by Chad Lucas
  • MK Beach Lockers by Mzamiseni Kuthulawoni Zondo
  • Pluc by Ndivhuwo Vhuatsha
  • uMakhi by Thokozani Sibeko
  • Tweak My Price by Zanele Sidliki

Whether through transforming healthcare, giving access to green fuel sources, improving safety or making justice more affordable, these innovators are proving that customer discovery is a necessity behind real innovations.

* By Matshego Njumbuxa, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation

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Publish date: 2025-05-28 00:00:00.0

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