Page 34 - CSERI Annual Review eBook

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
DUT-CSERI TEAM UBUNTU FIBRE WINS 2021
YOUTH INNOVATION CHALLENGE
CSERI student-preneurs, Muzi Mhlongo and Phumla Mnguni made DUT-CSERI proud by scooping first prize in the Innovate Durban’s Youth Innovation Challenge 2021 Awards held at the Botanic Gardens Visitors Centre, Durban.
The Centre for Social Entrepreneurship partnered with Innovation Durban in hosting the Youth Innovate Challenge (YIC). The YIC is Innovate Durban’s Flagship Programme that includes all KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) students from various institutions such as UKZN, DUT, Mangosuthu University of Technology, and eThekwini TVET Colleges, giving them an opportunity to come up with innovative solutions and turning them into businesses.
The CSERI trained Muzi Mhlongo, Phumla Mnguni and other DUT students in a four-day workshop, focusing on innovation and design thinking, capacity building, business plan development, and pitching training.
The goal of the workshops was to train and prepare students for the Youth Innovation Competition finals that took place on 10th November 2021. The theme was ‘Responding to Crisis’ with a view to addressing some of the global challenges that became more relevant during the unrest and pandemic.
From left: Muzi Mhlongo, Nobahle Mkhwanazi, Phumla Mnguni, Snelisiwe Hlongwane, Dr. Poppet Pillay and Xolani Mthembu.
VIRIDIAN/LAUNCH LEAGUE UK’S “LET’S TALK FINANCING PLAY-TESTING” WORKSHOP
The Centre was one of four Incubators/Entrepreneurship Hubs in South Africa to participate in the development of the new material for supporting Start-Up in Finance. The planning and session were held during November and were facilitated by Mr. Thobani Banda the Centre’s Finance Officer. Four SMMEs at different levels of growth were invited to participate in the session and the Centre was invited to participate in the review workshop with Viridian/Lauch UK.
32 CENTRE FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENUESHIP RAPID INCUBATOR