Student entrepreneurs’ innovative approach to uplifting their local communities wins them a spot at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards Semi-Finals.
The winners of last night’s pitch competition that saw six of South Africa’s top student entrepreneurs vying for first and second place in the SA finals of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) have been announced.
In first place is Penwell Silinda from the University of Mpumalanga. He is an information technology student whose business, SMARTD APP helps to revolutionise how rural communities access essential services.
In second place is biomedical technology student Tumisho Thobejane of Vaal University. Her business Fooddabletacklesfood waste and hunger by partnering with fast-food chains to turn excess food into meals for those in need.
Reflecting on his win last night, Silinda says, “This is a huge milestone for our company and is not just a win for us but also for the communities we serve. By joining GSEA, we’ve gained valuable feedback and mentorship that will help elevate our business to the next level. Today, 40% of SmartD app users stem from connections made through GSEA, proving the power of this platform to transform dreams into reality. The biggest lesson I have learnt as an entrepreneur is if you have an idea, then just start. Don’t wait for funding—create something with what you have. And if you fail, you’ll learn valuable lessons.”
Silinda is from Mpumalanga and was born in the rural community of Kamaqhekeza. He says his entrepreneurial journey has been driven by a desire to bring change to underserved areas, focusing on innovative solutions that benefit society. SmartD was designed to revolutionize the way rural communities access essential services. The dream is to have groceries, fresh food and rides accessible to people living in the most remote areas. SmartD creates a vibrant digital marketplace that fosters economic growth and convenience by connecting local vendors, delivery drivers, and customers. With its user-friendly interface and reliable services, SmartD is bridging the digital divide and transforming rural communities into thriving hubs of activity.
Thobejane entered GSEA because of the fantastic opportunity it offered to share the story of Fooddable and connect with other entrepreneurs passionate about making a difference. She says, “It’s not just about winning, but about learning, growing, and exchanging ideas that can help me take our social enterprise to new heights. Winning is a huge recognition of the hard work we’ve put into Fooddable and its mission.”
To help reduce food waste from fast food chains, Fooddable creates tokens that can be redeemed for meals at partnered restaurants. Anyone can buy the tokens and can be given to someone in need or saved for personal use. Fooddable then pays the restaurants their share of the token value. This helps to reduce food waste, provide meals to those in need, and support local businesses. Thobejane serves as Chairperson of the Student Women Economic Empowerment Program (SWEEP) initiative at VUT. Her work has earned recognition, including the EDHE Best Student-Run Social Business Award (2023) and the VUT Flagship Award (2024).
In a very close competition, third place was awarded to Gad Ben-Schachar Schwartzman of the University of the Witwatersrand, as an astronomy and astrophysics student he founded Shinrin AI Solutions, which offers tailored AI solutions and expert guidance to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world challenges. He says, “Winning at the SA final helps to bring Shinrin AI Solutions a step closer to achieving our goals of democratizing access to artificial intelligence. Our goal is to make artificial intelligence as accessible as possible. I entered GSEA to gain access to its incredible network and meet like-minded people who I know will help me grow as an entrepreneur.”
The GSEA is an international competition that recognizes and supports exceptional student entrepreneurs who own and operate businesses while pursuing higher education. Participants benefit from mentorship, media exposure, business services, and networking opportunities, both locally and globally. The program is globally competitive, attracting over 1,100 applications annually, with only the top two South African entrants advancing to the quarter-finals in Pakistan in February 2025. From there, the top three contestants will advance to the global finals, which will be held in Cape Town later in May.
After receiving hundreds of entries, the six finalists competing for the option to represent South Africa at the Quarter Finals in 2025 were
- Penwell Silinda of Nelspruit (University of Mpumalanga – IT)
SmartD is a revolutionary mobile app designed to revolutionize the way rural communities access essential services.
- Siyabonga Mkhatshwa of Mpumalanga (University of South Africa, BA in environmental management)
Changan modern wear
Modern African fashion
- Navhani Tshikosi of Roodeport (University of Witwatersrand – Bachelor of Sciences in Civil Engineering)
Assisting students and graduates with affordable services from transportation, storage and fridge rentals.
- Tumisho Thobejane of Gauteng (Vaal University of Technology – Biomedical Technology)
Fooddable
Tackling food waste and hunger by partnering with fast-food chains to turn excess food into meals for those in need
- Lesedi Monnanyane of Northern Cape (Stellenbosch University – Sustainable Development)
Sky High Kaila Enterprise
Combatting climate change by providing sustainable energy solutions, creating job opportunities for young people, and restoring both our land and air.
- Gad Ben-Schachar Schwartzman of Gauteng (University of the Witwatersrand – Astronomy and Astrophysics)
Offering tailored AI solutions and expert guidance to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world challenges.
Judging this year’s participants were Gaynor MacArthur, EO Cape Town President; Jonothan Kohler, EO Johannesburg President; Wesley Naidoo, EO Durban President; and Dana Pretorius of Founders Foundation.
Through cash prizes and mentorship, GSEA, sponsored this year by Founders Foundation – a not-for-profit offering innovative Accelerator Programmes to entrepreneurs, enables student startups to scale their operations and build connections that often lead to further investment and growth. The top three winners received prizes worth over R300 000. This includes cash prizes of R25 000 for the first prize, R10 000 for the runner-up and R7 500 for the third prize, free legal advice, marketing strategies, airtime vouchers, and more.
The top 10 finalists from around SA have been paired with EO mentors, who are experts in their fields and/or run $ 1 million businesses, namely Nicola Nel, Muhammed Seedat and Thokozani Nhlapo and will all receive prizes sponsored by LAMY pens, Promobasket, DigiCape, The Networking Company and more.
The program’s focus on empowering change-makers aligns well with the innovative spirit of South African entrepreneurs, contributing to its success in the region. To learn more about the GSEA competition and participants, visit: http://gsea.org/.
News desk
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