EDHE ABSA Entrepreneurship Innovarsity 2026
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), a programme of Universities South Africa (USAf), hosts the 8th annual EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026, previously known as the EDHE Entrepreneurship Intervarsity.
The Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE), a programme of Universities South Africa (USAf), hosts the 8th annual EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026, previously known as the EDHE Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity. USAf is the voice of 26 South African universities. This flagship competition is funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). For the seventh year, this InnoVarsity is hosted in partnership with the SAB Foundation.
Alignment of the InnoVarsity with the EDHE theme 2026 – Entrepreneurship in Action: From Vision to Implementation. From Policy to Impact
The EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 aligns with the EDHE 2026 theme by providing a national platform where student entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas and academic research into viable, scalable businesses that generate measurable social and economic impact.
The competition aims to attract businesses that exist to solve critical global challenges such as climate change, health, resource depletion, food shortages, environmental sustainability, and social inequality. It seeks ventures that can scale efficiently, maximising their positive impact while remaining financially sustainable.
The EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 is a platform designed to identify, recognise and showcase the top student entrepreneurs at South Africa’s 26 public universities. The primary objectives of the InnoVarsity are:
- To identify the top student entrepreneurs at each university;
- To identify the top student businesses at each university;
- To encourage universities to support student businesses and entrepreneurs better.
The competition is designed with four distinct categories, providing opportunities for diverse groups of innovative students to participate and benefit. The competition invites studentpreneurs to submit their entries in one of the following categories:
- Category 1: Existing Business – Tech – Designed for businesses that primarily create and develop innovative technology.
- Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact – Focuses on businesses that leverage research, innovation, and technology to address social, environmental, or community challenges while generating profit.
- Category 3: Existing Business – General – Invites businesses with a proven track record of success, established products or services, and align with one or more of the 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Category 4: Commercialisation of Academic Research. – Targets Master’s or PhD entrepreneurs who transform scientific and technology-driven experimental academic research into viable commercial ventures. Research should have been accepted by an authorised South African academic or research institution.
- Category 5: Innovative Industries – Focuses on ideas that challenge the status quo, break conventional boundaries, and demonstrate transformative, future-focused thinking.
The EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 invites university students aged 18 to 35 from all 26 South African public universities to participate. Registered undergraduate and postgraduate students from all disciplines are eligible, whether they study full-time or part-time. However, MBA students are not eligible to participate. University staff members may only enter under the Commercialisation of Academic Research category.
To qualify for participation, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or postgraduate student at one of the 26 South African public universities at the time of submission. Both full-time and part-time students are eligible.
- Maintain good academic standing, as verified by their university’s EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators.
- As the owner, founder, or controlling shareholder of an existing business competing in one of the categories, participants must be primarily responsible for its operation. Each business may only be represented by one participant in the competition.
- Business in the Technology, Social Impact and General categories must have been operational for at least three consecutive months before the competition entry.
- Entrepreneurs with both registered and unregistered businesses are allowed to submit their entries.
The EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity provides an exceptional platform for student entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and gain well-deserved recognition. Here are key reasons why student entrepreneurs should consider participating:
- Exposure: The competition offers student entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their innovative ideas to a wider audience, potentially attracting media attention, investors, and customers.
- Networking: Participants can connect with fellow entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders, fostering valuable relationships and gaining industry insights.
- Feedback: Student entrepreneurs receive constructive feedback on their businesses and presentations, helping them refine their strategies and operations.
- Funding opportunities: The competition provides student entrepreneurs with funding opportunities to further develop their ideas and transform them into successful ventures.
- Skills development: Participation enhances pitching and presentation skills, which are essential for long-term business success.
- Recognition: Winning the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity boosts credibility, making it easier to attract investors, customers, and strategic partners.
- The competition has successfully received submissions from 26 universities since its inception in 2019, with 1155 entries, 1545 in 2020, 1468 in 2021, 1682 in 2022, 1266 in 2023, 599 quality existing businesses in 2024, and 779 existing businesses in 2025.
- In 2022 and 2023, winners were granted international business visits to Switzerland, allowing them to explore potential partnerships.
- Each year, winners benefit from a business coaching and mentorship programme sponsored.
- Over the past seven years, R1 387 500.00 has been awarded to 60 startups with high-potential businesses.
- Our finalists serve as a valuable pipeline to various funding stakeholders, including the SAB Foundation, Hult Prize, EO Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, and many others.
The EDHE Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators play a vital role in advancing student entrepreneurship across South Africa’s 26 public universities and supporting students in participating in the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity. As communication channel between EDHE and their respective institutions, they fulfil a range of responsibilities, including:
- Promoting the competition: They actively promote the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity within their universities, encouraging student entrepreneurs to participate.
- Assisting with entries: They guide students through the competition submission process, ensuring all entries are complete and compliant with the requirements.
- Reviewing applications: They assess student applications to ensure they meet the competition criteria and approve successful entries for internal university rounds.
- Preparing students for pitching: They facilitate relationships with industry experts available to support students in refining their business pitches and enhancing their presentation skills.
- Hosting internal rounds: They organise internal university rounds where students pitch their businesses to a panel of judges. Successful contestants then advance to the regional rounds.
- Conducting due diligence: They verify businesses advancing to the regional rounds by checking legitimacy, ownership, and compliance with the competition’s Terms and Conditions.
The adjudication process will evaluate key factors, including the innovation, sustainability, and scalability of each business. Adjudicators will be carefully selected based on specific criteria to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the competition. Auditors approved by EDHE will oversee adjudication of the regional and final rounds to maintain transparency and integrity.
During the adjudication process, judges will consider various factors when evaluating business presentations according to specific criteria for each category specified in a separate document.
The EDHE team, led by the Director for Entrepreneurship at Universities South Africa (USAf), oversees the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026. The Senior Student Engagement Officer at EDHE manages this flagship project and reports to the Project Manager for Entrepreneurship at USAf.
Supporting team includes the competition’s Advisory Committee and the EDHE Community of Practice for Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators. EDHE and partners are responsible for setting competition rules, terms and conditions, defining adjudication criteria for each category, and appointing judges and auditors for the Regional and Final Rounds.
Additionally, reviewing entries and the coordination of Internal Rounds fall under the responsibility of university Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators within their respective institutions and regions.
Category prizes:
- Category 1: Existing Business – Tech – R100 000.00
- Category 1: Existing Business – Tech 1st Runner Up – R40 000.00
- Category 2: Existing Business – Tech 2nd Runner Up – R20 000.00
- Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact – R100 000.00
- Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact 1st Runner Up – R40 000.00
- Category 2: Existing Business – Social Impact 2nd Runner Up – R20 000.00
- Category 3: Existing Business – General – R100 000.00
- Category 3: Existing Business – 1st General Runner Up – R40 000.00
- Category 3: Existing Business – 2nd General Runner Up – R20 000.00
- Category 4: Academic Research Commercialisation – R100 000.00
- Category 4: Academic Research Commercialisation 1st Runner Up – R40 000.00
- Category 4: Academic Research Commercialisation 2nd Runner Up – R20 000.00
- Category 5: Innovative Industries – R100 000.00
- Category 5: Innovative Industries 1st Runner Up – R40 000.00
- Category 5: Innovative Industries 2nd Runner Up – R20 000.00
Overall prize:
- Studentpreneur of the Year 2026 – R400 000.00
Total prize money: R1 200 000.00
The terms and conditions of the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity, outlined in a separate document, are grouped into Key Definitions, Eligibility for Existing Businesses, and General Conditions related to the competition.
- For further information and to receive assistance submitting your entry, please visit edhe.co.za and locate the contact information for your university’s Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator.
Masterclass Recordings
Application Guidelines
Contact Details
Calls and messages are only answered between 08:00 and 17:00.
Mr Sandile Shabalala
(Senior Student Engagement Officer)WhatsApp
+27 78 1032 519
EDHE ABSA Entrepreneurship Innovarsity 2026 Gallery
Panel Discussion
Choir
Audience
Group Photos
Registration & Venue
Sandile
Speakers
How it Works?
The EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 officially launches on 16 April 2026, with entry submissions open for 5 weeks until 15 May 2026. The competition comprises four stages: the Entry Period, university Internal Rounds, Regional Rounds, and finishes at the National Finals in Gauteng on 26 November 2026.
2026 COMPETITION TIMELINE
Step 1: Entry Period
- Date: 16 April 2026
- Time: 10:00 – 14:00
- Format: In-person and live streamed to YouTube
- Location: University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga
- Target audience: Student entrepreneurs, university staff, university executives, EDHE CoP for Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators, EDHE Studentpreneurs CoP, and general students (150 in-person attendees).
(B) Entries open: 16 April – 22 May 2026 (5 weeks)
To participate, visit the EDHE website at www.edhe.co.za and follow the instructions below to register and submit your entry.
- Read the criteria and terms & conditions.
- Register your account and login.
- Confirm that you have read the criteria and terms & conditions.
- Choose one of the four categories.
- Complete, save and submit the entry form. You may save your progress and continue on another day. However, once submitted, you are not allowed to make any further changes. The submission deadline is 22 May 2026 at 23:59.
- After submission, expect a response from your university’s Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator by 5 June 2026.
(C) Activation University Drive: May to June 2026
Following the launch, the activation university drive will visit one university per region, across the six EDHE regions: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Central, Northern, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape. The institutions selected in each region will consider their capacity to host and prioritise those universities that are previously disadvantaged. The focus is to increase visibility and participation, particularly from universities that have previously shown low involvement.
| Date | Activation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-13 May 2026 | UP_EDHE Activation University Drive | ||
| 19-20 May 2026 | SPU_EDHE Activation University Drive | ||
| 2-3 June 2026 | UFH_EDHE Activation University Drive | ||
| 9-10 June 2026 | CPUT_EDHE Activation University Drive | ||
| 16-17 June 2026 | UKZN_EDHE Activation University Drive | ||
| 23-24 June 2026 | UNIVEN_EDHE Activation University Drive |
(D) Entries selection period: 1 – 5 June 2026 (1 week)
The Student Entrepreneurship Coordinators from South Africa’s 26 public universities review entries during the selection process to ensure they meet the competition requirements and category criteria. They also approve successful entries to contest at the university’s Internal Round on specific dates between 8 – 26 June 2026 (3 weeks). To check your entry status, log in to your submission account. If you have not received feedback by 5 June 2026, visit the InnoVarsity web page to find your university’s Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator’s contact details and follow up accordingly.
Step 2: Internal Rounds
University Internal Rounds: 8 – 26 June 2026 (3 weeks)
Accepted contestants will be shortlisted and invited by their university’s Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator to pitch their businesses during the Internal Round. The Student Entrepreneurship Coordinator will provide details on the event’s date, time, and format. Judges will select 2 winners from each category to proceed and represent their university at the Regional Round from 20 July – 28 August 2026 (6 weeks).
Step 3: Regional Rounds
Regional Rounds: 20 July – 28 August 2026 (6 weeks)
Contestants from various universities within the specified regions listed below will pitch their businesses to a panel of expert judges. The panel will select 1 winner per category to advance and represent their region at the National Finals on 26 November 2026.
The regions are as follows:
| Date | Region | Hosting university | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 – 22 July 2026 | Gauteng | Sefako Makgatho Health Science University (SMU) | UJ, TUT, UP, WITS, SMU |
| 28 – 29 July 2026 | KwaZulu-Natal | Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) | UNIZULU, DUT, UKZN, MUT |
| 4 – 5 August 2026 | Northern | University of Limpopo (UL) | UNIVEN, UL, UMP, UNISA |
| 11 – 12 August 2026 | Eastern Cape | University of Fort Hare (UFH) | NMU, RU, WSU, NMU, UFH |
| 18 – 19 August 2026 | Western Cape | Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) | UWC, CPUT, UCT, SU |
| 25 – 26 August 2026 | Central | Sol-Plaatjie University (SPU) | CUT, SPU, VUT, NWU, UFS |
Step 4: National Final Round
(A) Bootcamp: 15 – 16 Oct 2026
The Bootcamp will take place in Gauteng and aims to provide the 20 finalists with a comprehensive two-day in-person experience designed to enhance their business and pitch skills.
Focus areas:
- Session 1: Ideation, Empathy Map and Developing a Minimum-Viable Product
- Session 2: Business Flow Canvas
- Session 3: Commercialisation Fundamentals
- Session 4: Marketing and Branding Basics
- Session 5: Pitching and Pitch Deck Design
- Session 6: Pitching and Presentation Skills and Practice
(B) Mentorship Programme: 19 Oct – 20 Nov (5 weeks) & 30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026 (1 week)
Each national finalist will have the opportunity to engage in a one-on-one consultation with a business coach, with each session allocated 1 hour per finalist. This dedicated time will enable finalists to receive personalised guidance and feedback, ensuring they are well-prepared for their business presentations at the National Finals. Finalists will be allocated 5 weekly sessions between 19 October – 20 November 2026 (5 weeks) to prepare for the finals and 1 final session between 30 November – 4 December 2026 (1 week) to review their participation at the finals and receive further guidance from their mentors.
(C) National finals: 26 November 2026
National finalists will compete in the National Finals for a chance to win R400 000.00 and the coveted title of EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 Studentpreneur of the Year. The following day, 27 November 2026, EDHE will host the prestigious EDHE Awards 2026, where the category winners will be announced, along with the national Studentpreneur of the Year.
Step 5: Business Incubation
March to November 2027
The 5 category winners will receive nine months of structured post-award support from February 2027 to November 2027. This support includes post-competition business mentorship, business integrated learning engagements, and an international learning exchange opportunity. A specialised webinar series will also be introduced to profile winners and expert contributors, providing insights to inspire future competition entrants. The post-award programme aims to support long-term business sustainability and national impact.
Support for the Top 5 category winners (post competition) – The top 5 winners will receive support over 9 months, March – November 2027, which will include:
- March – July 2027
- Ideation: Refine idea and pitching based on judges’ feedback.
- Business growth plan: idea to commercialisation or commercialisation to market.
- Funding: Refining business model, commercialisation and funding pathways.
- August – November 2027
- Access to markets: market linkages and introductions from various partners to potential clients or industry collaboration opportunities.
- Access to networks: expand founder team network with introductions to industry leaders.
- Learning Exchange: visits to academics, researchers and industry partners with innovations and/or business systems relevant to founder innovation and developing founder leadership skills.
- On-going
- Mentorship: monthly contact sessions with assigned mentor on identified focus areas, group mentorship through webinar series where winners share their learnings.
- Partner incubation support: additional support for identified areas.
- Business learning engagements: through EDHE events and partners.
| Activity | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Launch Marketing | March 2026 | ||
| National Launch | 16 April 2026 (1 day) | ||
| Entries Open | 16 April – 22 May 2026 (5 weeks) | ||
| Activation University Drive | May – June 2026 | ||
| Entries Closed | 22 May 2026 | ||
| Entries Evaluation and Shortlisting by University Coordinators | 1 – 5 June 2026 (1 week) | ||
| University Internal Rounds | 8 – 26 June 2026 (3 weeks) | ||
| Regional Rounds | 20 July – 28 August 2026 (6 weeks) | ||
| National Bootcamp | 15 – 16 Oct 2026 | ||
| Mentorship Programme | 19 Oct – 20 Nov (5 weeks) & 30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026 (1 week) | ||
| National finals & Awards | 26 – 27 November 2026 | ||
| Business Incubation | February to November 2027 |
News Headlines
South African universities unite to launch EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026 at the University of Mpumalanga
V4CWebAdmin2026-04-16T11:29:58+00:00April 16th, 2026|0 Comments
South Africa’s leading student entrepreneurship platform takes a significant step forward today as the Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme, an initiative of Universities South Africa, officially launches the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity ...