This year, North-West University (NWU) students showed their mettle during the on-campus qualifying round of the 2023 Hult Prize competition.
This international competition challenges young people to solve the world’s most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship. Every year, the best team globally receives $1 000 000 in funding to make their idea a reality.
A group of NWU honours students in management science and marketing as well as a group of students from the Enactus student organisation took on the challenge. The qualifying round saw 13 teams competing in the event, sponsored by the NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support department (TTIS) and organised in collaboration with the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (FEMS) and the NWU Business School.
The judging panel consisted of Prof Leenta Grobler, Dr Junior Longweni, Thandi Maretlane and patent attorney Tim Laurens.
“It is a fun challenge for our students, early in the year, to come and demonstrate their pitching skills,” explains Yolande Bullock of the TTIS. “It helps activate our series of entrepreneurship boot camps for student entrepreneurs across the three campuses, which culminate in our own flagship pitching event, Leopards Lair, scheduled for 1 September.”
“The Hultz Prize competition challenges students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset,” adds Lerato E. Mohalajeng from School of Management Sciences. “This is all part of our aim to graduate more potential employers, rather than employment seekers.”
The group Funky Footwear – consisting of Margot van der Merwe, Madelein de Jager, PJ Prinsloo and Le Roux Barnard – was announced the NWU winners.
Funky Footwear will now proceed to the quarter final phase where the Hult Prize judges will review the submissions of the quarter finalists. During the semifinals, teams from across the country will represent their universities at one of the Hult Prize Summits. The winning teams from each of the summits will then earn a spot in the regional rounds – the Global Accelerator – which will take place in Nairobi, Kenya. From there, six lucky teams will then proceed to the Global Finals that will take place in Paris, France later this year.
Mr Hannes Malan, Mr Kanayochi Okeke and the winning team were all in high spirits
Mr Hannes Malan and Mr Kanayochi Okeke
