Two student entrepreneurs from the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT) innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation have secured first and second place at the Mr Price Foundation Bindzu Youth Fund KZN Bootcamp, demonstrating the potential of student-led businesses to drive innovation, sustainability and job creation.
Held on 20 and 21 October 2026, the competition brought together 20 young entrepreneurs. Luyanda Majozi, founder of streetwear fashion brand Enigmatic Cotton, claimed first place and R90 000 in prize money, while Thokozani Buthelezi, founder of sustainable agribusiness Myco-Feeds, secured second place and R50 000.
Both entrepreneurs are part of the innobiz DUT student entrepreneurship incubation programme, which provides mentorship, business development support and opportunities to grow their enterprises.
Luyanda Majozi.
Majozi, who hails from Gomane in Impendle, west of Pietermaritzburg, described his victory as an honour and a proud moment for himself and the Enigmatic Cotton team, which employs five people permanently.
He said the achievement affirmed the hard work invested in building the business and strengthened his belief in its vision.
“I was extremely happy and grateful! At that moment, I knew this was the beginning of something even greater for Enigmatic Cotton. It was a reminder that our vision is bigger than where we started,” he said.
Majozi credited the two-day bootcamp with strengthening his entrepreneurial skills and preparing him to pitch his business confidently. The opportunity to engage with industry experts and fellow entrepreneurs also provided valuable lessons.
He believes Enigmatic Cotton stood out because of its business model and its commitment to addressing real-world challenges, particularly fast fashion and textile waste. Demonstrating the impact the business has already made in communities across KwaZulu-Natal was also central to his pitch.
The R90 000 prize will support the business’s expansion, with plans to invest in production equipment and improve manufacturing capacity to meet growing demand.
“Our priority is acquiring additional machinery to strengthen our production capacity. As we scale, we aim to create more employment opportunities while expanding our reach into new markets across South Africa,” he said.
Over the next 12 months, Majozi also hopes to strengthen the brand’s market presence and secure more institutional and corporate clients.
He highlighted the role of innobiz DUT in his entrepreneurial journey, particularly through mentorship, business development programmes, networking opportunities and platforms to showcase his business.
“Through innobiz DUT, I’ve gained access to entrepreneurship development programmes, mentorship, business networking opportunities and platforms to showcase our business. These experiences have strengthened my pitching skills, business strategy and confidence as a young entrepreneur,” he said.
Thokozani Buthelezi.
Buthelezi, who hails from Bronkhorstspruit, east of Pretoria, founded Myco-Feeds, a sustainable agribusiness that uses discarded agricultural waste to create a growing medium for cultivating nutritious oyster mushrooms.
He attributed his success in part to the training and preparation he received through innobiz DUT, particularly in business pitching and the Lean Canvas Model, which helps entrepreneurs develop and communicate their business models.
The experience gave him an advantage during the bootcamp, where he competed against entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas.
“I never thought that I was going to make it to the top three, because some of the guys had great innovations that they were working with, but I was just so delighted when I realised I had made the top two. I couldn’t believe it,” he said.
The R50 000 prize comes at an important time for Myco-Feeds, which currently employs two people and is preparing to meet demand from prospective large retail contracts.
Buthelezi said limited production capacity had previously prevented the business from meeting demand, and the funding would help increase its capacity and accelerate its growth.
“This injection of funds is coming at the right time as we’ve been in the process of raising more money to grow our business because we currently have large retail contracts that are lining up for our product but due to our production capacity we could not keep with the demand, so the R50 000 will come in handy to help us be in a better position to meet this demand,” he said.
He believes the sustainability and social impact of Myco-Feeds contributed to its success, while the bootcamp reinforced the importance of continuous learning and sharing experiences with other entrepreneurs.
Buthelezi also acknowledged the support he received from innobiz DUT, particularly its mentorship, training and business development assistance.
Speaking on behalf of innobiz DUT, Business Support Coordinator Thintani Dlamini congratulated both entrepreneurs, describing their achievement as a reflection of their dedication, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to building sustainable businesses.
“Their success reflects the potential of DUT student entrepreneurs to develop innovation ideas, solutions and sustainable businesses because what we want to achieve as a University is to produce sustainable student business that will contribute positively to economic development, not business that will fall apart along the way,” Dlamini said.
He highlighted the Centre’s role in supporting student entrepreneurs through mentorship, advisory services, training, workshops and access to business opportunities and markets.
As the next step in their entrepreneurial journeys, Majozi and Buthelezi will participate in a six-month incubation programme offered by the Mr Price Foundation. The programme will provide further mentorship, business training and workshops ahead of the national finals competition, expected around June 2027.
Their success highlights the value of student entrepreneurship support in helping young innovators turn ideas into viable businesses, create employment and contribute to economic development.
Congratulations to Luyanda Majozi and Thokozani Buthelezi on this outstanding achievement. Their success reflects the spirit of innovation, resilience and impact that DUT continues to nurture among its students.
Pictured: Thokozani Buthelezi and Luyanda Majozi with the cheques displaying their winnings from the Mr Price Foundation Bindzu Youth Fund KZN Bootcamp competition.
Photo: Supplied.
Samkelo Mtshali
