MOBILE APPLICATIONS DOMINATE BCC INNOVATION DAY AS STUDENTS PITCH SOLUTION-DRIVEN IDEAS

A trio of the Buffalo City Campus' most innovative students have secured their spots in the institutional finals of the first-ever WSU Innovation and Intellectual Property (IP) Day, which began at the Potsdam Site on Tuesday, August 6.

The day's events featured at least 11 innovators, both staff and students from various disciplines, pitching their ideas to a packed audience that included WSU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Internationalization, Prof. Nosisi Feza, Universities South Africa (USAf) CEO Dr. Phethiwe Matutu, representatives from the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), and members of the Department of Science and Innovation's National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), who served as the adjudication panel.

In her passionate welcoming address, Feza urged students to explore innovative solutions that could improve the world for everyone.

"When you're innovative, you can't be normal or just like anybody else—you have to be a little bit crazy because you're always trying to come up with clever solutions to change the world," Feza remarked.

She also encouraged students to be vigilant, aware, and to pounce on the proverbial "window of opportunity" that often arises amid challenges.

A total of six winners were announced that day, three of whom will represent BCC in the finals following the completion of campus-based competitions, also taking place in August.

The winners are:

• - Kgaugelo Mmakola – Zenzele APPLY (Qualified)
• - Itumeleng & Mohale – VarsiTrade (Qualified)
• - Philasande Mathafeni – Fair-Trade Chain (Qualified)
• - Dr. Samuel Abedije – KoliMonty
• - Abongile Loyiso Bakubaku – eGraduate Finder-App
• - Matopi Sidinana – Pulse Connect

WSU IT graduate Philasande Mathafeni and his business partner, third-year HR student Thulisiwe Matyobeni, were one of the qualifiers following their recent qualification as one of the Top 15 Finalists during the MTN ENACTUS Digital Innovation Challenge held in June 2025.

Their innovation, the Fair-Trade Blockchain Marketplace, addresses significant gaps faced by smallholder and rural farmers, including a lack of access to verified, secure, and fair-value digital marketplaces.

"Using blockchain technology, AI chatbots, and integration with government verification technologies, the platform allows farmers to safely trade their produce, livestock, and agricultural tools while ensuring trust and traceability throughout the supply chain," said Mathafeni.

A key theme throughout the competition was the importance of intellectual property and the need for innovators to patent their ideas. In this context, USAf CEO Dr. Matutu provided an analysis of the status of Technology Transfer in South Africa, highlighting the progress made since the enactment of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Act in 2008.

“We have seen a steady growth in new technologies, the number of licenses executed annually, and the emergence of start-up companies. However, it is concerning that the majority of revenue generated from Technology Transfer activities comes from less than a quarter of our universities," she noted.

Matutu concluded by emphasizing that Technology Transfer Offices are critical infrastructure for Technology Transfer at universities and that more skills development is needed for these offices to function effectively.

By Thando Cezula