Investec hosted Grade 10 and 11 scholars from across the country showcasing their entrepreneurial potential at the Junior Innovators Competition in Sandown from 2-5 October.
The aim of the competition is to recognise, reward and challenge South Africa’s young future business leaders. The competition puts young entrepreneurs to the test to create and present an innovative business idea that can make a real difference in society.
Head of CSI at Investec and one of the judges of the competition, Setlogane Manchidi said, “A country such as ours, mired in a whole host of social challenges, requires highly innovative solutions. Thus we ought to encourage youngsters who live in those contexts and environments to think very differently about those challenges. It is through programmes such as these that we inculcate not only the mindset of thinking entrepreneurially but acting entrepreneurially in pursuit of sustainable solutions to real everyday challenges.”
The competition welcomed 200 written entries from learners across the country, who had either completed a 20-week Junior Achievement South Africa (JA South Africa) flagship entrepreneurship programme or a 12-week enterprise programme.
The top 30 candidates were then shortlisted to attend a week-long programme in Johannesburg with industry professionals. On the last day of the competition, 10 youngsters were selected to present their ideas to a board of judges for the final round.
Ashley Chipandu of Lamula Secondary School in Meadowlands was crowned the champion entrepreneur and won a bursary worth R60 000 for her studies. Her proposed idea was to create a Bluetooth earpiece, which should be connected to the shoe of a visually impaired individual. Using electronic waves, it notifies the user of obstacles ahead and how to avoid them.
Communications coordinator at JA South Africa, Deidre May said the competition helps expose schoolchildren to the business world, builds their confidence and assists them to pitch their ideas. Young entrepreneurs learn about every facet of creating a business from product costing and selling to marketing and business management.
Ashna Sewparshad (17) came on an all-expenses-paid trip from Durban to present her product – a lipstick with a flashlight on the end. “Through this competition, I have learnt confidence in myself and my ideas as well as presentation and marketing skills.” She and many other competitors said they developed an interest in becoming entrepreneurs after school one day.
