News

Environmental Responsibility aligned with Commercial Viability Urobo Biotech wins big at SWEAT Africa 2026. On 14 February 2026, under the main tent at Bertha Retreat between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, Africa’s most promising biotech and hardtech founders took to the stage for the final of the SWEAT Africa Pitch Competition. With a winner-take-all R100 000 cash

Inside SWEAT Africa 2026: The Festival Redefining Africa’s Innovation Future Inside SWEAT Africa 2026: The Festival Redefining Africa’s Innovation Future Over 440 participants from 15 African countries and 22 countries globally gathered in Stellenbosch on 13–14 February for SWEAT Africa 2026. These included 150+ founders, 100+ students, 50+ investors, 50+ researchers, and 90+ ecosystem builders

Rooted in Science, Driven by Impact: Thee Naturals BioTech’s Bet on Indigenous Innovation Rooted in Science, Driven by Impact: Thee Naturals BioTech’s Bet on Indigenous Innovation At SWEAT Africa 2026, amid conversations about scaling deep tech and building globally competitive biotech ventures, Kedumetse Bertinah Seru brought the discussion back to first principles: solve the right

SWEAT Panel: Building and Funding Globally Competitive African Ventures SWEAT Panel: Building and Funding Globally Competitive African Ventures On 14 February 2026, Day 2 of SWEAT Africa’s debut festival, an inspiring panel turned the spotlight on a question central to innovation: what does it actually take to build ventures that endure? True to SWEAT’s outdoor,

From Research to Reality: How SAMRC Helps Health Innovations Reach the Market Great health innovations don’t fail because of weak science. They fail because the path from research to real-world impact is complex, underfunded, and often poorly understood. This SWEAT side gathering, hosted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), opens that path up

Ping-Pong and Connections: OneBio Brings Biotech & Beers to SWEAT Not all meaningful connections at a ecosystem gathering happen in panel rooms or pitch sessions. Sometimes, they happen over a burger, a cold beer – and a fiercely competitive game of table tennis. That’s the thinking behind Ping-Pong Competition and Connection, a SWEAT side event

How to Start a Company: A Sweat-Equity Reality Check for Student Founders For many student founders, the jump from classroom ambition to building a real company can feel like a leap into the unknown. What starts as a great idea often runs headlong into messy realities: customer discovery, product validation, team dynamics, and relentless execution.

Rhea: Bringing lab-quality soil testing to the farm, in minutes When soil health goes unchecked, farmers pay the price – in wasted inputs, degraded land, and stubbornly low yields. Rhea is tackling this challenge head-on by making fast, affordable, and actionable soil testing accessible to smallholder farmers across Africa. Founded by Soinato Leboo and Priscilla

Startup Spotlight: VideoMed at SWEAT Africa As Africa’s healthcare systems grapple with long waiting times, geographic barriers, and overstretched public facilities, VideoMed is offering a pragmatic, scalable alternative. The digital health startup will be showcasing its connected primary care platform at SWEAT Africa, joining a new wave of founders rethinking access to essential services across

R100,000 Cash Prize Up for Grabs at SWEAT Africa Pitch Competition Africa’s boldest biotech and hardtech founders will take centre stage this February as SWEAT Africa launches its inaugural Pitch Competition, offering a winner-take-all cash prize of R100,000. The competition forms part of the first SWEAT Africa festival, taking place 13–14 February 2026 at the