EDHE Award 2024

  • Date: 21 & 22 November

The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Programme of Universities South Africa (USAf), supported by The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the University Capacity Building Programme (UCDP), is hosting the national EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals on the 21st  of November, followed by the prestigious EDHE Awards 2024 on the 22nd of November 2024. The event will be hosted at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg, Gauteng.

The annual EDHE Awards event is aimed at announcing and celebrating the 24 national finalists in the 6th annual EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity and recognising the remarkable contributions of other key contributors to entrepreneurship development in higher education. These include the 6th annual Deputy Vice-Chancellor Award for exceptional institutional support for entrepreneurship development in 2024, and the 3rd Entrepreneurship Learning & Teaching Excellence Award.

The national EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Finals will be held on Thursday the 21st of November where 24 finalists will pitch their businesses. The four category winners will be announced the following day at the EDHE Awards event on Friday the 22nd of November, one of whom will be the ultimate winner and awarded the national EDHE Studentpreneur of the Year 2024. The university of the winner for the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024 is also announced and awarded.

Students from all 26 public universities participated in the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024. The number of successful submissions in the competition has grown consistently over the years, from 1155 in 2019 to 1545 in 2020, 1468 in 2021, and 1682 in 2022, 1,266 in 2023.

This year, the competition received 1667 registrations, and 599 of those were successful entries from student entrepreneurs across the 26 public universities, excluding the Business Ideas Category for 2024. The Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators accepted a portion of the 599 successful entries to participate in the internal rounds within their universities through an online evaluation process. 165 contestants advanced to represent each of the 25 universities that participated at the regional rounds from 5 August to 4 October 2024. 23 finalists from the 6 regions will compete to walk away with prize money to the value of R100 000.00 and the coveted title of national Studentpreneur of the Year 2024 at the national finals on 21 November 2024.

The EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity is a platform designed to identify, recognise and showcase the top student entrepreneurs at South Africa’s 26 public universities and to encourage universities to better support student businesses and entrepreneurs.

24 finalists from the 6 regions will compete to walk away with prize money to the value of R100 000.00 and the coveted title of national Studentpreneur of the Year 2024 at the national finals.

The competition categories are:

  • Category 1: Existing Business – Tech
  • Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact
  • Category 3: Existing Business – General
  • Category 4: Research-Based Businesses

For the sixth year, the noteworthy contributions of key staff members to entrepreneurship development in higher education are recognised through several awards, i.e.:

  • The four category winners of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024 and the overall winner and EDHE Studentpreneur of the year 2024;
  • Winning university of the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024;
  • Sponsored prizes from the SAB foundation for the Social Impact and Research-Based Businesses Category winners;
  • The coveted special EDHE DVC Award in recognition of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor who has facilitated exceptional institutional support for entrepreneurship development in 2024;
  • EDHE Rising Star DVC Award in recognition of remarkable progress in support of entrepreneurship development in 2024;
  • Recognition of contributions by the national Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of the EDHE Communities of Practice (CoPs) in 2024, i.e.;
  • Studentpreneurs CoP (only students);
  • CoP for Student Entrepreneurship (staff supporting student entrepreneurship);
  • CoP for Entrepreneurship Learning & Teaching;
  • CoP for Entrepreneurship Research;
  • CoP for Entrepreneurial Universities; and
  • CoP for Economic Activation Office.
  • A special recognition to the EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators
  • A special recognition to the EDHE SWEEP Coordinators
  • A special recognition to the EDHE Economic Activation Offices – EAO’s

Thursday 21 November: EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity (by invitation only)

Time: 10:30 – 18:00

Audience: 200

Audience composition: stakeholders in the higher education and entrepreneurship development space, support professionals in entrepreneurship development, student entrepreneurship coordinators from universities, and other leaders at South African universities, EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finalists and previous winners, private sector stakeholders including the EDHE partners, and media representatives.

  • 8:30 – 9:00, Finalists registration
  • 9:00 – 10:00, Guests arrival & registrations
  • 9:00 – 10:00, Judge’s briefing
  • 9:00 – 10:00, Finalist briefing & dry-run (compulsory)
  • 10:30 – 11:20, Opening Session 
  • 11:25 – 12:25, Category 1: Existing Business – Tech
  • 12:40 – 13:50, Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact
  • 13:50 – 14:40 Lunch (registered guests only)
  • 14:40 – 14:40, Category 3: Existing Business – General
  • 15:55 – 16:35, Category 4: Research – based businesses
  • 16:45 – 17:00, Closing
  • 17:10 – 18:00, Judges’ final deliberations

Friday 22 November: EDHE Awards event (by invitation only)

Time: 11:30 – 17:30

Audience: 250 guests (by invitation only)

Audience composition: stakeholders in the higher education and entrepreneurship development space, executives and other leaders at South African universities, The Department of Higher Education and Training, EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finalists and previous winners, private sector stakeholders including the EDHE partners and funders, and media representatives.

  • 10:30 – 11:30 Arrival & registrations
  • Starters served
  • 11:30 – 13:00, Opening Session
  • 13:00 – 13:30, Recognition Awards
  • Recognition of the contributions by the Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of the national EDHE Communities of Practice
  • Certificates of Recognition – institutional Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators and SWEEP Coordinators of 2024
  • 13:30 – 14:10, Main Course served
  • 14:10 – 14:30 Reflections on the pioneering EDHE Economic Activation Offices & Certificate of Recognition – Institutional Economic Activation Offices of 2024
  • 14:30 – 15:00 The Learning and Teaching Excellence Awards
  • 15:00 – 15:20 The EDHE DVC – and Rising Star Awards
  • 15:20 – 15: 35 Dessert served
  • 15:35 – 16:10, Entrepreneurship Intervarsity Awards
  • 16:10 – 16:30, Closing
  • 16:30 – 17:00, Winner photo’s and interviews
  • Departure

A comprehensive program will be shared closer to the event date.

The dress code for the EDHE Awards is business formal.

A Special Message from the 2023 Studentpreneur of the Year!

Contact Details

https://www.facebook.com/reel/9155100254511057

EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity 2024 Photos & EDHE Awards 2024 Photos