The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Competition is currently underway virtually. The purpose of this competition is to identify the top student entrepreneurs in the South African public universities, recognise and showcase their businesses, and invite investments into this cohort of student businesses.

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) had over 15 student entrepreneurs participating in the internal rounds of the competition where students presented their business ideas to a panel of judges. The panel included mentor and business consultant Mbuso Ngcobo, DUT entrepreneurship coordinator Jacob Adedeji, NYDA District coordinator Jabulani Dladla and innobiz Business Support Officer Xolani Mchunu.

Dr Harry Swatson welcomed all the participants and judges to the programme and explained the purpose of this programme and what this stage of the competition entails. He further expressed hopes of the businesses not only operating for profit but also addressing the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs).

“The businesses should address issues such as poverty, good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy and life on land,” said Dr Swatson.

innobiz Business Support Advisor, Thobani Thusi shared an overview of the competition and further shared words of gratitude to all the students who participated in this competition and their hard work towards ensuring proper presentation of their business ideas and constantly improving.

“This year we received over 100 applications for this competition, and we are now at 20 businesses who will be pitching to be shortlisted to represent the Durban university of Technology (DUT) in the next stage of the competition,”added Thusi.

Sandile Shabalala, EDHE Senior Student Engagement Officer also shared a few words during the programme, highlighting that the number of applicants is higher this year than the previous year, particularly entries from female owned businesses. Shabalala also highlighted that DUT has been ranked in the top 3 universities (of the 26 public universities) that successfully submitted participants this year.

“Congratulations to the Durban University of Technology for this achievement, I would also like to congratulate all the students who made it to this stage of the competition, and we are looking forward to see you in the national finals,” said Shabalala.

The panel of judges will thoroughly assess the pitch presentations and select eight students who will be moving on to the next stage of the competition, where they will pitch against other students in the KZN region. Winners of that round will represent their universities in the National Finals, set to take place in Gauteng in November 2022.

Pictured: Student entrepreneurs at the EDHE Intervarsity Competition.

Nontethelelo Mzizi