Page 19 - DUT 2025 Engagement Report Q2

European innovation systems, and opportunities for institutional collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The ICON at DUT continues its meaningful academic partnership with the University of Seychelles. As part of this collaboration, ICON provides academic support to the university’s Master’s students in Peace and Conflict Resolution. Members of ICON are actively involved in teaching modules, including MPCR104: Research Methods for Peace Studies, which focuses on equipping students with essential research methodology skills relevant to peace studies.
DUT has made history by becoming the first African university to host the 2025 edition of the Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) Urban Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition. The event, launched by the TTI Unit in collaboration with the Innobiz DUT, forms part of a global initiative that connects over 700,000 students and 70,000 faculty and staff from 26 countries. Notably, in the 2024 edition of the competition, one DUT student who is the founder of the streetwear fashion label Enigmatic Cotton, won second place and a R65,000 prize in the Start-up Category.
Through DUT’s collaboration with the Technological Higher Education Network South Africa (THENSA), DUT students participated in an online entrepreneurship programme designed to develop core business competencies. Upon successful completion, two students were selected for an International Study Tour to Ireland in May 2025. Organised in partnership with the Irish Embassy, the tour focused on entrepreneurship and transferable business skills, providing participants with practical international exposure and networking opportunities that are expected to significantly strengthen their leadership capabilities and business ventures.
Innobiz DUT also partnered with the Wadhwani Foundation to roll out the Wadhwani Ignite Programme, an online platform dedicated to entrepreneurship development. Launched in April 2025, the programme engages both staff who are undergoing facilitator training and the current incubation intake.This initiative enriches academic, professional, and entrepreneurial portfolios while enhancing Innobiz’s support mechanisms.
Under the USA USSAVI Online Incubation Programme, 17 out of 34 participating DUT students successfully completed the mini- incubator and earned certification. These students have since advanced to the main incubator, a 12-week programme designed to cultivate practical innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving in a global context. Programme highlights include student teams tackling 35 diverse problem statements, the formation of four additional “B-teams” to address popular challenges, broad inter- university collaboration, and the participation of a highly diverse group of student innovators committed to real-world impact.
Further strengthening global engagement, four DUT students and one staff member were nominated to participate in the prestigious Global Leadership Camp hosted by King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) inThailand in June 2025.The camp offered direct collaboration with international peers, hands- on leadership training, and cross-cultural exposure to Southeast
Asian innovation ecosystems.The experience is set to enhance the participants’ global leadership capacity and entrepreneurial skills.
In alignment with DUT’s commitment to develop “engaged and productive global citizens,” a benchmarking exercise was conducted at Western Sydney University in Australia by colleagues from Innobiz DUT and Real Estate Management. The visit aimed to gain strategic insights into the Smart Agri project, particularly the application of cutting-edge agri-tech and efficient operational models that will inform DUT’s own Smart Agri development initiative.
2.6 INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
2.6.1 Innovation Hubs and Startup Incubators
The innobiz DUT, in collaboration with CSERI, continues to expand its efforts in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. One of the strategic initiatives currently underway includes the establishment of the Juncao Technology Center, based on the Agri-hub located at the Indumiso Campus.
During the second quarter of 2025, innobiz DUT recorded several key achievements.The 2025 incubation intake comprised 81 new incubatees.Approximately R100 million in turnover was generated by operational incubated businesses, including those in incubation, post-incubation, and alumni stages, pending verification during site visits.Around 200 jobs have been created, subject to verification.A total of 557 students were made aware of, trained in, and exposed to entrepreneurship.
In terms of international exposure, 183 students participated in global entrepreneurship programmes.These included 17 students in the USA USSAVI Online Programme, 2 students on an in-person Ireland Thensa Study Tour, 4 students attending the KMUTNB Thailand Leadership Camp, and 160 students in the India Online Wadhwani Entrepreneurship Programme. One student business pitched at the Hult Prize Nationals, and 16 student businesses pitched at the Young African Entrepreneurs Institute (YAEI) ABSA Youth Innovation Challenge for business support, with four advancing to the national level. Twenty-six students participated in the business mentorship programme under enterprise development.
There were 123 DUT entries submitted for the EDHE Intervarsity Competition, while entries for the GISU Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition are currently in progress. Ongoing support was provided to 30 adopted schools through the Agri and Tech for Kids programme. innobiz also partnered with Junior Chamber International (JCI) to host the Smart Cities Hackathon and Conference, which trained 92 students.
The innovation hub remains a dynamic space utilised by students, staff, and partners. It has hosted various sessions including a nursing advisory meeting, strategic innovation meetings, staff workshops, media operations during graduation, and activities related to the YAEI x ABSA Youth Innovation Challenge.
CSERI remains committed to offering pre-incubation and incubation
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