Investec honours young innovators
SANDOWN - Investec hosted their third annual Junior Innovators Competition gala and prize giving on 9 October in Sandown, with grade 10 to 12 pupils from all over South Africa being rewarded on their inventive business ideas developed through the Junior Innovators Competition.
The initiative, which was launched in 2012 by Investec and Junior Achievement South Africa, is built on teaching high school pupils the benefits of entrepreneurship. Over the last 23 weeks, hundreds of high school pupils from schools across the country have participated in JA South Africa Mini Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Academy Programmes, gaining access to skills on how to manage their own small businesses. Based on the strength of their proposed business ideas, 45 pupils in Grades 10 to 12 were invited to participate in the final phase of the competition at Investec.
Setlogane Manchidi, head of Corporate Social Investment at Investec, said the programme encourages learners to realise their entrepreneurial flair. It also seeks to recognise pupils who have demonstrated promising entrepreneurial potential. Mentorship is a key part of this. During the final week, nine JASA alumni members are on-hand to mentor the finalists and assist them in refining their business ideas by exposing them to the basics of business, microeconomics, business ethics and ways of improving their entrepreneurial potential.
Commenting on the Junior Innovators Competition, Linda McClure, managing director of Junior Achievement South Africa said, “South Africa needs to continue to foster a generation of entrepreneurs who will become active participants in the economy. With its practical nature, Junior Innovators seeks to confirm that among our youth, there are potential job creators as opposed to job seekers.”
The big winner on the night was Tsakane Sono whose ‘Heating Kettle Bottle’, a battery powered kettle and water bottle, took first prize at the gala. She received a R60 000 bursary which she plans to use to study a business-related degree after high school. She said, “I feel out of this world. Knowing that I am walking away with R60 000 towards my studies means that I can really do something with my life. Maybe one day my idea could be on the shelves.”
Second and third place prizes were awarded to Kate Kekana from Sandtonview Combined School for her ‘Take Away-inator’, a solar powered machine that detects and removes smells from water, and Sesethu Mngcina from Sophumelela Secondary School, for her ‘Personalised Plug’ which is a uniquely designed plug cover.
