Siyavuya Gwanya
Company: Opexa
I am Siyavuya Gwanya, 20 years of age. I grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. I am currently studying towards an LLB in Law at the University of the Western Cape and I am a Co-founder and CEO of a small company called Opexa. I have been involved with Entrepreneurship and business for a very long time, I am self-driven and passionate person. I am also a Sales Director of a Finance Company. Opexa is a small startup company started at the University of the Western Cape to start empowering other student Entrepreneurs and later reaching out to all entrepreneurs by doing incubators focused in all fields. The company was established in February after we noticed the lack of support the institution has for student entrepreneurs and how entrepreneurship was lacking in the institution.
Sinekhaya Manciya
Company: Snezar
Sinekhaya Manciya is a young black man with unique dreams and considers himself as an entrepreneur, game changer, leader and influencer. Born and bred in Daveyton, Johannesburg, he draws inspiration from a number of South Africans who come from a similar background and making big leaps in entertainment, fashion, entrepreneurship and business. Some of these guys include Sibusiso Leope(Dj Sbu), Billy Guy Bhembe, Vusi Thembekwayo, Phuti Mahanyele, Inga Gubeka, Trevor Stuurman, Khanyi Dhlomo and many other influential people of varying industries.
My career as an entrepreneur began back in high school when I developed a T-shirt brand/ clothing line and sold cellphone accessories. Snezar Timepiece is the new addition to my business ventures.
About Snezar: Snezar Timepiece is inspired by my love and passion for Africa, and its potential for economic growth through entrepreneurship, arts and social innovation.
Birthed from an insatiable desire to create something truly unique and inspired by a number of entrepreneurs, artist, leaders and billions who successfully built impact driven businesses.
We offer unisex, minimalistic and well-designed bamboo watches made from authentic environmentally friendly materials. Our products are for those who love and value high aesthete timeless pieces, it’s an Afro-contemporary product that speaks to the heart of Africans. Ours is not to just sell bamboo timepieces but the value of time.
I put emphasis on the value of time as it played an instrumental role in my overall personal development. I don’t just sell bamboo timepieces; I sell time, art, luxury and unique. Snezar Timepiece credits you with 86,400 seconds everyday, which can be invested into pushing your passion, bringing dreams into reality and breaking boundaries to create a transformed and economically equitable society.
Jemma Van Breda
Company: Unity South Africa
My name is Jemma van Breda, I am a fresh 20 year old who has just said goodbye to the teenage years. I am currently studying my third year in a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication at Varsity College with an average of 92%. I’ve been running my business, UNITY, for a year and a half now from sunny Durban. I’m a creative, a writer, a dancer, an academic and an all-round uncontrollable lover of urban regeneration, tourism, collaboration and all things creative, new and challenging.
I believe in the power of the collective, the systems theory in motion. I have learned that utilizing the power of diversity and human touch brings upon great and wonderful things. Being a creative myself, I understand the need to collaborate – to push yourself and learn from others (lifelong learning has always been a priority of mine). You will never know everything and very often, we learn the greatest lessons from those who are younger than us, or older than us or a group of both. Therefore, I deeply respect the strength and power of social media, the Internet etc. has to connect individuals globally and bring about great change and understanding.
I am a dancer at heart (I always will be) and so, being young and hungry for innovation I decided to start my own business so that I can dance my entire life – meeting extraordinary people and learning life’s greatest lessons in doing so. At the same time I am pursuing a degree in business and communication (two things I could never live without) at Varsity College whilst living in South Africa in the midst of beautiful beaches, crazy creatives and a family I love more than anything.
UNITY is an organization unlike any other. Being a multi-faceted, ever-growing culmination of talent, people and creativity – it is one of the first of its kind to exist in South Africa. When people ask us, “What is UNITY?” often, it is difficult to describe due to its unique, dynamic and interactive nature. In essence, UNITY was created to provide a platform for skills development, connectedness and exposure for artists in and around South Africa (KZN to be specific) through the use of video and social media. It was born out of a very real need to limit artistic brain drain in our youth and give artists, creatives of all kind, a reason to stay in South Africa (therefore partnering greatly with tourism).
Through workshops, open classes, video production/content creation and social media – the work created in our space is used not only to develop those in contact with it but, also to provide global exposure with our international contacts (The North Hollywood Arts District, London Dance and New York Film Academy etc.) thus, promoting sustainable artistic employment and collaboration. By adding the element of video partnered with a millennial mindset and tech-savvy generation, the strength of the rand does not dictate our global appeal as online platforms become our greatest asset, breaking borders chronologically, culturally and geographically instantly.
We are striving to create a sustainable platform for artists of every kind. We see an organization built on the grounds of gentrification and urban regeneration operating in an area of the CBD that needs a catalyst for tourism and engagement. We envision a location overspilling with creativity from its outlook right through to the heart of the building.
Our vision is to have a UNITY home with all four walls open to graffiti artists to be promoted on social media (thus limiting vandalism in other streets).
We hope to have a room for every type of artist: an editing suite, rehearsal studio and creation station with non-linear elements such a bean bags, non-conforming walls and desks. We want to create an online community and physical cultural movement, therefore, requiring immense growing support by the people of South Africa
Since inception, UNITY has been a project for the people by the people of South Africa.
Keaton Harris
Company: InforMED
Keaton is a 23-year-old, 2nd Year Medical Student at Stellenbosch University. Having already completed his BPharm Degree (Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian and Top All-Rounder) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in 2016, he was one of 21 (the only South African) chosen from 8650+ international applicants for Young Sustainable Impact (YSI). This was where he Co-Founded the startup InforMED Global and where he won the Earthpreneurs International Startup/Pitching Competition in Oslo, Norway in 2018. A past Vice-President and subsequent President of the University of the Western Cape’s Association of Pharmacy Students (UWCAPS), Keaton has featured in the 2018 Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans Under 35, The 2018 Top 100 Influencers within the SADC by the Young Independents, and sports his own published life story within the Salesian Life Choices Book entitled ‘From Victim to Victor’ (Link found here: http://www.lifechoices.co.za/30-stories/keaton-harris). Keaton is also an Abe Bailey Scholar, 2018 Kectil Leadership Scholar for Developing Countries, 2019 Kectil Program Mentor, Golden Key Honour Society Member, Participant of the 2019 Stellenbosch University/KU Leuven Think Tank, 2019 Global Engagement Summit (GES) delegate, CTO and CMO of Screen2Care Ltd, all whilst participating in diagnostic, food, clothes and sanitary drives in underprivileged communities & maintaining an 85+% average for his MBChB studies.
InforMED has developed an offline mobile language translation application which aids the healthcare professional (HCP) in creating a more refined differential diagnosis prior to the physical exam. The HCP and the Patient each choose their own respective languages, followed by a list of statements which can be translated from the HCP to the patient – giving the patient the opportunity to respond in their own language. The patient’s answers are then translated back into the HCP’s language of choice with the opportunity of follow up questions being present, specifically if the HCP needs more specific information.
Through now having a better idea of what is wrong with the patient, the HCP can then refine diagnostic testing procedures (saving money as all possible tests do not have to be performed to figure out what can be wrong with the patient), streamline waiting times in densely populated diseased populations as well as promote a sense of trust between the HCP and patient which maximizes desired patient outcomes through enabling them to understand their condition in their chosen language, and take ownership of their treatment.
In many cases, such as that with relief work, time isn’t just money, it is someone’s life. Through being able to refine the amount of time allocated to each patient whilst maximizing the quality of care they receive, the potential to save more lives increases dramatically.
Spoen Green
Company: The Oxpecker Trail Run
I was born in KwaZulu-Natal and raised on our family farm. I went to boarding in Pietermaritzburg and then went on to Stellenbosch University. It was at Stellenbosch where the idea for The Oxpecker Trail Run came about and of course there was no time to waste before getting this idea into motion.
Being a farm girl, I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors and having an active lifestyle – trail running was a good way for me to express this. Thus, with the help of another farmer – who’s also a Green, and goes by the name “dad”, I became the race organizer of the Oxpecker trail run, 5 years ago.
Since starting the Oxpecker trail run in 2015 the race has grown from a humble 500 runners in one event to 3000 runners over three events.
The races contribution to the local community has become invaluable. Projects worth mentioning include the women’s knitting and crochet project, providing support to local taxi drivers, as well as providing employment for over 100 local people over the duration of planning and hosting the race.
Day to day you’ll find me on the banks of the Tugela river, farming, welcoming guests at our lodge and experimenting in the kitchen as well as trying to pass my degree.
So, cup of tea in hand, if I had to ponder about what it is that guides my decisions in this process I would have to say that authentic and organic experiences are core to what I do. This was never about financial gain for me, but more about a love and passion for working with my family, showcasing our beautiful area, being in the countryside and having a good time! Come run our race and you’ll see what I mean!
