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.
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.
Categories
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.
NWU EDHE Representative:
Annelie Steenkamp
016 910 4499