INNOVATE™ South Africa

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE™ South Africa

South Africa is a country rich with innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. INNOVATE™ South Africa is a showcase of all the innovators and thought leaders who are making a positive difference across the region, reinforcing South Africa’s position as a growing hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.

INNOVATE™ South Africa is a unique 350+ page premium coffee-table book featuring the top home-grown innovators and innovation enablers who are shifting the landscape across South Africa. INNOVATE™ South Africa is also available as an e-book and an online platform, representing a network with a common goal of ensuring the region’s top innovators connect and succeed. In the spirit of innovation, the book is embedded with augmented reality video, delivering true convergence of offline and online platforms, enabling the book to literally come alive in your hands, much like Harry Potter’s newspaper!

For further information please contact Anne Kirkpatrick: [email protected]

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

RETAIL CAPITAL

RETAIL CAPITAL-TURNING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT INTO A FUNDING LIFELINE

TURNING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT INTO A FUNDING LIFELINE

Retail Capital was born in 2011 as an idea on a white napkin. Those drawings became the framework of what ended up being the first Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) product for businesses in South Africa. Driven by a deep passion to support the SME sector, Retail Capital has since innovated...

TARSUS ON DEMAND

TARSUS ON DEMAND-ACCELERATING ISV GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION

ACCELERATING ISV GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION

We are living in an era where hybrid and multi-cloud business environments are on an increase, and this has put the spotlight on the critical role ISVs play. Now is the time for Independent Software Vendors to capitalise on the great opportunities presented to them through assisting consumers to efficiently...

LE AFRIKA

LE AFRIKA - DISCOVER THE HEALING POWER THAT IS CHANGING THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS AROUND THE WORLD!

DISCOVER THE HEALING POWER THAT IS CHANGING THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS AROUND THE WORLD!

The world is woke… going back to our roots. The new buzzword is #gogreen in terms of health and wellness.   And we’ve been fortunate and blessed with the opportunity of being a part of this new era, introducing and promoting Le Afrika sustainably sourced 100% natural products with their...

EVERYDAY SPEAK

EVERYDAY SPEAK CREATIVITY WILL MAKE THE 21ST CENTURY AFRICA’S CENTURY

CREATIVITY WILL MAKE THE 21ST CENTURY AFRICA’S CENTURY

Founded in 2017, by Melusi Tshabalala (creative professional, entrepreneur, author, speaker, humourist, language & culture activist), Everyday Speak is a culture, dialogue, language activism, advertising and design company. Driven by the ethos – Creativity can make the 21st century Africa’s century – Everyday Speak develops ideas and solutions that touch...

Bank Zero

A SIMPLE YET ADVANCED DIGITAL BANK, FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS

Bank Zero is a unique and powerful App-based bank with Zero fees and a patented secure card. It caters for both individuals and businesses. Digital, social and financial connectedness is a reality and it’s also a very human trait. Bank Zero supports this directly in its innovative design. By friending...

2U

2U’S- BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE

A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE

FOUNDED IN 2008 IN MARYLAND WASHINGTON DC, 2U, INC. SET OUT TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST ONLINE EDUCATION AND THEY’VE BEEN DEFYING THE ODDS EVER SINCE. ALSO AROUND THE EXACT SAME TIME AND COINCIDING WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE MOOC REVOLUTION, GETSMARTER WAS ALSO FOUNDED. Early on in the industry,...

DAILY MAVERICK

DAILY MAVERICK- SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Innovation is the lifeblood of Daily Maverick – from its origins as a print magazine featuring long-form current affairs, to its current form as a digital news publisher with more than five million unique visitors every month.   Founded by Editor-in-chief Branko Brkic and CEO Styli Charalambous in 2009, eagle-eyed...

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S

THE FLAMING HEART OF NANDO’S -WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

WE ARE PROUD TO COUNT OURSELVES ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST LOVED EXPORTS

The story of Nando’s is well-known to South Africans who grew up alongside us in our relatively new democracy. In 1987 two friends shared a meal at a humble Portuguese eatery in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. Here they were inspired by the taste of the African Bird’s Eye Chilli, a spice that...

BAZ ART

ART SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS -BAZ-ART CREATES PUBLIC INTERACTION THROUGH URBAN ART

Co-founders Alexandre Tilmans (Sales, Marketing and Financial Director) and Melissa Cucci (Operations and Art Director) started the company in 2016 with the vision to make South Africa a flagship and main actor in the public art and marketing sector....

KNIFE CAPITAL

KNIFE CAPITAL - IS A SOUTH AFRICAN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FIRM FOCUSING ON INNOVATION-DRIVEN VENTURES WITH PROVEN TRACTION

IS A SOUTH AFRICAN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FIRM FOCUSING ON INNOVATION-DRIVEN VENTURES WITH PROVEN TRACTION

Established in 2010 as the incarnation of the South African venture capital division of ‘Here Be Dragons’ – a privately owned emerging market investment group founded by internet entrepreneur and cosmonaut Mark Shuttleworth. By leveraging knowledge, networks & funding, Knife Capital accelerates the international expansion of entrepreneurial businesses that achieved...

FRIENDS AND ALLIES, SCALLYWAGS CLIMBING

FRIENDS AND ALLIES

CLIMBING IS A WELCOMING SPORT AND A UNIQUE AND DIVERSE WAY OF LIFE, WHICH IS A REFLECTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT CHOOSE TO SPEND THEIR TIME HERE

This journey all started with a boo boo. The excitement of climbing and over doing it leads to cuts, scrapes and worn down finger tips. With the psyche high to continue climbing I mixed a concoction of ingredients that I thought would help nourish my tender tips and treat any...

RECO

RECO-ONE DREAM

ONE DREAM, ONE APPLICATION, ONE VISION

Reco. Was founded in 2017 with only one dream, one application. one vision, and that is to create a tool to enhance and help financial advisors’ workflow. Our core vision expanding to providing solutions to complete the circle with, technology – Insurance and telecommunication to businesses and organisations.   The...

CREATING KLEIN JAN

CREATING KLEIN JAN - CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

CREATIVITY IN THE KALAHARI

When Michelin star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen first laid eyes on Boscia House, a one-hundred-year-old farmhouse situated at the beautiful Tswalu Kalahari in the Northern Cape, he saw the vastness of the region as a canvas on which to create something special. Worlds away from the beautiful waters...

IMIZIZI

IMIZIZI- Redefining People Management In Africa

Redefining People Management In Africa

We look after the engine of your business because your people are what makes a difference. We help our clients to improve their performance and accelerate their growth by having a holistic view of their business and finding unique solutions customised for their environment. We have outstanding People Management capabilities...

KUDOTI

KUDOTI- A TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM THAT ENABLES FMCG BRANDS TO TRACE THEIR WASTE MATERIAL

A TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM THAT ENABLES FMCG BRANDS TO TRACE THEIR WASTE MATERIAL, PROVIDES REALTIME DATA FOR BETTER DECISION MAKING AND IMPROVES SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL PROCUREMENT

Kudoti was founded in 2019, offering a tailored solution based on our clients sustainability goals and offers an end-to-end solution from developing strategy with our clients, implementation thereof, and right through to tracking and tracing and reporting, enabling brands to become fully circular through real-time data. Unlike solutions from outside...

THE RED & YELLOW SUCCESS STORY

THE RED & YELLOW SUCCESS STORY- INSPIRING THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S BUSINESS LANDSCAPE THROUGH CREATIVITY

INSPIRING THE FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S BUSINESS LANDSCAPE THROUGH CREATIVITY

As industry leaders in the South African marketing landscape, Red & Yellow Creative School of Business has been producing some of the most creative thinkers in advertising, communications, and design for the past 28 years. Driven by a commitment to deliver industry-ready graduates who can meet complex problems and challenges...

RAILRUNNER

RAILRUNNER - NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION

NECESSITY IS ONE OF THE DRIVERS OF INNOVATION, INITIATED BY CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES, FACTORS OF INFLUENCE, ECONOMIC REQUIREMENTS AND JUST A DESIRE TO WORK BETTER AND SMARTER

With the rapid growth of the logistics industry, it became necessary to develop systems limiting the handling of cargo to speed up the delivery process. During the 1990’s the late Harry Wicks, of Buffalo, NY, USA developed and patented early RailRunner concepts for a bimodal transportation system designed to take...

THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY SOC LTD (SANRAL)

THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY SOC LTD (SANRAL)- IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO TRANSFORM THE PUBLIC SECTOR

IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO TRANSFORM THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ROADS AGENCY SOC LTD (SANRAL) WAS ESTABLISHED IN APRIL 1998 BY AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT, AS AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY COMPANY OPERATING ALONG COMMERCIAL LINES AND AT ARM’S LENGTH FROM GOVERNMENT

WITH A MANDATE TO FINANCE, DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN THE NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK OF OVER 22 000 KM, SANRAL LEADS THE WAY ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN A POST-COVID SOUTH AFRICA.   Innovation is at the forefront of SANRAL’s agenda in the infrastructure development space. In recent years the Agency has increasingly...

INC.AFRICA

INC.AFRICA -WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

WHY AFRICA’S INNOVATION STORY MUST BE TOLD AND WHY INC.AFRICA IS WRITING THE NARRATIVE

Why are there so many books about Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in online book stores and libraries, but so few of the innovators redefining Africa? “All you have to do is Google an African innovator and almost nothing pops up,” says researcher Nnamdi Oranye, who is also...

DISCOVERY

DISCOVERY - CAN A COMPANY REALLY MAKE PEOPLE HEALTHIER?

CAN A COMPANY REALLY MAKE PEOPLE HEALTHIER?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were already a priority on the global health agenda, responsible for 70% of deaths at a significant and escalating cost to the international economy. The pandemic has magnified the importance of addressing lifestyle-related risk: global research demonstrates that more than 50% of COVID-19...

CARRICK WEALTH

CARRICK WEALTH -SOMETIMES

SOMETIMES, THE MOST INNOVATIVE IDEAS ARE ALREADY CLOSE TO HOME

“Innovation” has become a buzzword in businesses the world over. It evokes images of tech bros playing foosball in the office, of millennials taking team calls through AirPods while on the treadmill, and of AI-enhanced systems that can solve problems better than humans. Certainly, a business keeping up with tech...

NAYLOR AND CROY PHYSIOTHERAPY

NAYLOR AND CROY PHYSIOTHERAPY- SMARTS FOR SPORT

SMARTS FOR SPORT

Young girls can dare to dream big and aspire to greatness. Rene Naylor has 130 caps as part of the Springbok Rugby’s medical and management team. While Naylor is a physiotherapist, she is also a motivational speaker taking her story to girls and boys from all walks of life in...

CARBON1

CARBON1-PIONEERING SOUTH AFRICA’S DIGITAL MARKETING TRANSFORMATION

PIONEERING SOUTH AFRICA’S DIGITAL MARKETING TRANSFORMATION

Let’s start at the beginningBack in 2009, Programmatic ad buying was in its infancy locally, despite its success being celebrated internationally. This spurred on the birth of Mark1, a company that would go on to pioneer technology and data-driven media buying in the South African market. Fast forward to 2020,...

EOH

EOH-DIGITAL CONVERGENCE AND INNOVATION ENABLING GROWTH

DIGITAL CONVERGENCE AND INNOVATION ENABLING GROWTH, EFFICIENCY, AND OPTIMISATION. THE CUTTING EDGE OF DIGITAL CONVERGENCE

Technology is to the world as oxygen is to the blood. The world through its people and systems have become immersed in technology, in some form or other, by virtue of its enablement and efficiency. The path forward is predicated upon greater complexity due to converging technologies and an increased...

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The Publisher

Debbie Ihlenfeldt

Debbie has extensive experience in the advertising and media industry with a strong emphasis on purpose-driven communication. Aside from working alongside many multi-nationals and homegrown South African organizations, she has also helped shape communications at various NGOs within the healthcare sector. Debbie has a wide network and is a master at coordinating messaging and aligning... click to read more

Anne Kirkpatrick

Anne has a rather unique ability to connect people and their projects.  For the last 30 years she has immersed herself in the business of recognition and, besides a slight detour to run a media monitoring company in the mid-nineties, has devoted much of her career to recognising and rewarding talented individuals and their remarkable... click to read more

The Publisher

Debbie Ihlenfeldt

Debbie has extensive experience in the advertising and media industry with a strong emphasis on purpose-driven communication. Aside from working alongside many multi-nationals and homegrown South African organizations, she has also helped shape communications at various NGOs within the healthcare sector. Debbie has a wide network and is a master at coordinating messaging and aligning... click to read more

Anne Kirkpatrick

Anne has a rather unique ability to connect people and their projects.  For the last 30 years she has immersed herself in the business of recognition and, besides a slight detour to run a media monitoring company in the mid-nineties, has devoted much of her career to recognising and rewarding talented individuals and their remarkable... click to read more

Other Ecosystems