Empowering South African students to tackle plastic waste
A Waste Innovation Challenge (WIC) has been launched for South African students to design commercially viable start-ups that convert plastic waste into green economic opportunities.
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A first-of-its-kind Waste Innovation Challenge (WIC) has been launched aimed at mobilising students and recent graduates across all 26 public universities to design commercially viable start-ups that convert plastic waste into green economic opportunities.
The challenge is through a partnership with the Mr Price Foundation and Universities South Africa (USAf), through its Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) programme which is to strengthen the development of student entrepreneurs and advance the strategic pillars of entrepreneurship development, education, and skills development.
South Africa generates more than 2.5 million tons of plastic waste annually (WWF), much of which ends up in landfill.
The Waste Innovation Challenge is a response to this crisis by equipping young innovators to create market-ready solutions that reduce pollution, support the circular economy, and stimulate youth-led enterprise development.
Through this partnership, the Mr Price Foundation, a national non-profit organisation dedicated to tackling youth unemployment through education, skills development and entrepreneurship programmes, will support in funding a national rollout and technical coordination, while the EDHE programme will lead a national recruitment, university mobilisation, academic support, and ecosystem alignment across campuses.
Octavius Phukubye, executive director of the Mr Price Foundation, said the partnership reflects their commitment to empowering youth through relevant, future-focused learning experiences.
“South Africa’s waste challenge presents an incredible opportunity for young innovators to build businesses that are both profitable and planet-positive. By supporting this initiative alongside USAf, we are investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs who will shape a more sustainable, inclusive green economy,” said Phukubye.
Dr Edwell Gumbo, director of Entrepreneurship at USAf, said they were proud to partner with the Mr Price Foundation to scale their mission of developing young entrepreneurs across the university sector. “This challenge is designed to unlock student innovation while addressing one of the country’s most pressing environmental threats. By equipping students with the skills, mentorship and support they need, we are helping shape a more sustainable and economically inclusive future,” said Gumbo.
Over six months, participants in the Waste Innovation Challenge will progress through a structured development journey that includes a national call for applications across all public universities, hybrid training early next year of 400 students and recent graduates, focusing on design thinking, waste systems, green technologies, and product development
There will also be an intensive in-person boot camp in May for the Top 20 projects and a national demo day showcase.
The programme aims to accelerate high-potential ideas into viable enterprises capable of measurable environmental impact, job creation, and broader ecosystem growth within universities.