SA innovators solve toughest crises from the ground up - IOL
The SAB Foundation recognized 20 extraordinary South African social entrepreneurs at its annual Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards, backing them with a combined R18.4 million in grant funding and mentorship.
TWENTY South African social innovators have been awarded a combined R18.4 million in grant funding and business support at the 2026 SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards, held in Johannesburg on 15 October.
Executive Director of the SAB Foundation, Sarah Mthintso, said: “What stands out about this year’s innovators is the breadth of the problems they are responding to and the quality of the solutions being developed here in South Africa.
“These are entrepreneurs looking at challenges in healthcare, education, housing, mobility, water, access to finance and economic participation and asking how they can solve them differently. The opportunity is to help those solutions become stronger businesses capable of reaching more people.”
First prize in the Social Innovation Awards was awarded to MagiTech Science for NuvionDerm, an advanced wound-care solution using donated human placental tissue to support natural healing for chronic wounds, burns, ulcers, and surgical wounds.
Second prize went to LolaHouses from Earth and Plastic Waste, developed by Lola Green, which converts locally sourced soil and recycled plastic into affordable, durable homes. Third prize was awarded to BuddyAI, a WhatsApp-based AI tutoring platform providing personalised, multilingual, curriculum-aligned support to Grade 1 to 12 learners.
“NuvionDerm is working to expand access to advanced wound care, LolaHouses is applying local materials and recycled waste to affordable housing, and BuddyAI is making additional learning support accessible through technology that many South Africans already use every day,” Mthintso said. “They are very different innovations, but each responds to a real need in a practical way. That is where social innovation becomes powerful.”
The Disability Empowerment Awards, supported by the Disability Empowerment Concerns (DEC) Trust, recognised innovations that expand access, independence, and economic participation for persons with disabilities.
NAVU Mobility won first prize for the NK Gen-1, an affordable, locally manufactured prosthetic knee for above-knee amputees. Its modular design allows individual components to be replaced, reducing costs while supporting mobility and independence.
Wheels of Change Inclusive Enterprise Hub received second prize for its “Train-Produce-Trade-Sustain” model, which creates economic opportunities for persons with disabilities through skills development in textile production, catering, farming, and wheelchair repairs.
Third prize went to nXtABLED, an entrepreneurship platform and online marketplace connecting disability-owned businesses to customers, funders, and partners.
“The Disability Empowerment Award winners show the range of opportunities that exist to build businesses around greater access and participation,” Mthintso said. “These entrepreneurs are developing commercially viable solutions while responding to barriers that continue to exclude persons with disabilities from full participation in society and the economy.”
Nyameka Mqikela, chief executive of DEC Trust, noted that supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities and businesses developing disability-focused solutions contributes directly to greater economic participation. “Disability should not determine whether someone can build a business or participate fully in the economy.
“The range of innovations recognised this year shows that disability innovation in South Africa is a growing area of entrepreneurship and enterprise. These businesses are creating solutions that can improve access while also creating economic opportunity.”
The 20 recipients will receive 12 months of tailored business development support and mentorship to refine their commercial models and extend the reach of their innovations.
