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

PROMMAC

PROMMAC- LEADS INNOVATION IN THE PROJECT SERVICES INDUSTRY

LEADS INNOVATION IN THE PROJECT SERVICES INDUSTRY

Leading South African multidisciplinary technical services business, Prommac, has been excelling in the petrochemical and heavy industry sectors since 2012 providing mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and welding services in execution of maintenance, shutdowns and turnarounds, as well as construction projects. If this sounds like just another company, think again. For a...

HIRSCH’S

HIRSCH’S - FOUNDED ON TRUST AND SERVICE

FOUNDED ON TRUST AND SERVICE

Hirsch’s has become a name synonymous with service and brand excellence over the years. They have grown into one of the most well-respected and trusted appliance and electronics retailers in the industry in South Africa, and it’s interesting to see how they got there. Allan and Margaret set up their first...

MASICORP

MASICORP -SUPPORTING EDUCATION IN MASIPHUMELELE – REAL CHANGE IS A TEAM EFFORT

SUPPORTING EDUCATION IN MASIPHUMELELE – REAL CHANGE IS A TEAM EFFORT

It all began with a visit to the Masiphumelele township in Cape Town, in 1999, when John and Carol Thompson from the US, were holidaying in South Africa, and ventured inside what was previously known as ‘’Site 5’’. Like most townships in South Africa, Masi (short for Masiphumelele) was established...

TIGER BRANDS

TIGER BRANDS- KEEPING UP WITH THE CONSUMER THROUGH INNOVATIVE PRODUCT OFFERINGS

KEEPING UP WITH THE CONSUMER THROUGH INNOVATIVE PRODUCT OFFERINGS

For more than 100 years, Tiger Brands has produced some of South Africa’s most loved quality brands from culinary favourites like Jungle Oats, All Gold Tomato Sauce and Black Cat Peanut Butter, to personal care products. But as much as these have become staples in local homes, which we are...

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...

RETROVIRAL

RETROVIRAL- That’s The Start Of The Journey

That’s The Start Of The Journey

  I heard an apt soundbite from Tim Ferris on a recent podcast: ‘Your network is your net worth’, and for anyone contemplating starting a business, ‘who you know’ is always greater than ‘what you know’. “My main focus in 2010 was to give myself three months and then if...

MATRIX COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

MATRIX COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (PTY) LTD (MATRIX GROUP) - IS AN INTEGRATED MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS HOLDING COMPANY WITH A FOOTPRINT IN PRETORIA

IS AN INTEGRATED MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS HOLDING COMPANY WITH A FOOTPRINT IN PRETORIA, JOHANNESBURG, CAPE TOWN AND DURBAN IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH COLLABORATIONS WITH AGENCIES IN KENYA AND NIGERIA

We partner with entrepreneurs across Africa who are experts in their fields, supporting them in an enabling, energising collaborative environment. We have partnered with agencies that operate independently and have their own P&L, however, our philosophy is built on principles of seamless collaboration. As such our solutions are agnostic and...

WESGRO

WESGRO-THE CAPE TRADE PORTAL

THE CAPE TRADE PORTAL

Building Resilience Builds CompetitivenessWesgro is the official tourism, trade, investment and film promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape. It serves as the first point of contact for foreign investors and local companies. In addition, this agency attracts and facilitates national and international investment, works to grow the...

SHARKS RUGBY UNION

SHARKS RUGBY UNION- NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE

NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE

Rugby isn’t the same as it was 20, or even 10, years ago. COVID-19 had also left a profound impact on sport. Such are the changes that the Sharks’ competition isn’t always facing them on the rugby pitch on Saturday afternoons. Instead, this team competes against other industries and entertainment...

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...

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,...

YOCO

YOCO-PASSION

PASSION, TALENT AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE SEE YOCO GROW INTO A LEADING AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN A FEW SHORT YEARS

In a few short years since launching in 2015, Yoco has grown into an African technology company that is ready to take on the world. With its focus on creating opportunities for small businesses, breaking down the barriers they face, and helping them to participate fully in a more inclusive...

GIRLS FLY PROGRAM AFRICA FOUNDATION

GIRLS FLY PROGRAM AFRICA FOUNDATION- AVIATION AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY FOR SOUTH AFRICAN GIRLS – UNLEASHING THEIR POTENTIAL

AVIATION AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY FOR SOUTH AFRICAN GIRLS – UNLEASHING THEIR POTENTIAL

In SA, despite the gains girls have made in access and efficiency markers of education, they still lag boys in quality of performance in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Even though, more girls than boys sat the Grade 12 examination in math and physical science, boys outperformed girls...

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...

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...

HKLM

HKLM - BLAZING A TRAIL FOR AFRICAN BRANDING

BLAZING A TRAIL FOR AFRICAN BRANDING

“Nineteen years ago, Gary Harwood and I were assigned to a project in Lagos, Nigeria, by the large multinational for which we were working. On the evening of the first day of the project, we sat in the hotel bar enjoying an ice-cold local beer and wondered, what on Earth...

CITI

CITI-TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO

TWENTY-TWO YEARS AGO, THE CAPE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (CITI) SEEDED IT’S VISION OF A FUTURE FIT INCLUSIVE SOCIETY, IN THE WESTERN CAPE, THEN A PREDOMINANTLY AGRARIAN ECONOMY

Using Michael Porter’s cluster theory as a cornerstone of its strategy, CiTi designed interventions to grow, transform and enable a leading digital economy on the continent.   CiTi’s interventions have been acknowledged to have supported South Africa’s charge to the top of the inaugural fDi Africa “Tech Ecosystems of the...

YIEDI

YIEDI -A COMPANY DESIGNED BY ENTREPRENEURS FOR ENTREPRENEURS

A COMPANY DESIGNED BY ENTREPRENEURS FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Just over eight years ago the founder of YIEDI, Jayshree Naidoo and Jay Naidoo her business and life partner, sat across from a branding expert and outlined the vision for the company. They went on to describe a model that they had created, it was still drawn on a napkin...

SKYFIELD MARKETING

SKYFIELD MARKETING-WAS ESTABLISHED TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR EVENT TECHNOLOGIES AND DIGITAL EVENT BRANDING. THE COMPANY SERVICES MOSTLY ADVERTISING AGENCIES

WAS ESTABLISHED TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR EVENT TECHNOLOGIES AND DIGITAL EVENT BRANDING. THE COMPANY SERVICES MOSTLY ADVERTISING AGENCIES, EVENTS COMPANIES AS WELL AS LARGE CORPORATES

Event WiFi RentalsEvent venues often do not have adequate WiFi to service their visitors and this is where SKYFIELD will assist. At indoor events, the venue may have a fiber line but it is overloaded and slow, exhibitors often need to have fast WiFi to demonstrate their products or do...

RESPEK NATURE

RESPEK NATURE-PLANTS SPEKBOOM

PLANTS SPEKBOOM, A CO2 CAPTURING INDIGENOUS SUCCULENT, ON TRACTS OF DENUDED LAND NEAR GRAAFF-REINET AND IN THE LARGER KAROO REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA. LAUNCHED IN AUGUST OF 2020, RESPEK IS A BLENDED DIGITAL AND BOTANICAL CARBON OFFSET PROGRAMME.

The hardy spekboom is considered a pioneer species within the Karoo thicket biome. This means that the plant itself can assist in the regeneration of the indigenous brush, with many other species benefitting from its shade and the nutrients it brings into the soil. As a succulent, spekboom is the...

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...

TYMEBANK

THE DIGITALLY SMART BANK FOR ALL SOUTH AFRICANS

With more than 4.5 million customers acquired since launching in February 2019, TymeBank is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital banks....

AUREX CONSTRUCTORS

AUREX CONSTRUCTORS - HAS BEEN PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CONSTRUCTION

HAS BEEN PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CONSTRUCTION, TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT SERVICES TO BLUE-CHIP CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE ENERGY SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS

With experience in oil & gas, mining & metallurgy, infrastructure, petrochemical and clean power our team of experts perform structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, piping, platework (SMEIPP), tank, fabrication and management services for projects of all sizes and complexities within the company’s two business units, Construction and Turnarounds & Maintenance. The...

FINCLUSION GROUP

WHO ARE THE FINCLUSION GROUP?

FINCLUSION GROUP IS ENHANCING FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN AFRICA BY COMBINING A WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT OFFERING WITH TOP OF THE LINE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF THOSE TRADITIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE FORMAL FINANCIAL SECTOR. Finclusion Group is a diverse team of fintech professionals and entrepreneurs. They are passionate about...

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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