At Fairtree, we believe investing is about more than just growing capital. It is also about creating lasting value for the people and communities around us. Guided by our mission to enrich the lives of all our stakeholders, we are committed to building meaningful relationships and investing in initiatives that create lasting impact.

Although Fairtree’s investment reach extends across South Africa and beyond, our roots are firmly planted in the Winelands, where our story began and which we still proudly call home. Our commitment to creating meaningful impact extends nationwide, but we remain deeply invested in the community that has been part of our journey.

From supporting Calling Education through bursaries and financial literacy programmes to building a bike track with the Pedal Project to support trail therapy for young people, these initiatives reflect our commitment to making a meaningful difference.

Through our partnership with Endurocad, we help develop the next generation of South African athletes by providing access to education and skills development.

We are also proud to partner with Paul Roos Gymnasium, Bloemhof Girls’ High School and Somerset College. Schools play an important role in developing future leaders, creating environments where learners can discover their potential and thrive.

Sport has a unique ability to bring people together. It builds confidence, inspires ambition and creates a sense of belonging.

Fairtree supports community cricket through its partnerships with Van der Stel Cricket Club and Spes Bona Cricket Club, while also backing the professional game through its sponsorship of the Paarl Royals.

Together, these partnerships reflect Fairtree’s commitment to the growth and development of cricket, from the grassroots level to the highest echelon of the sport.

We also support Keeping Stellenbosch Healthy, a community initiative led by José Cabral that delivers soccer clinics to children from less fortunate backgrounds across the Winelands, giving them opportunities to learn and thrive through sport. We are proud partners of the

Fairtree DP World Cannondale Racing Team, supporting a programme that combines elite international competition with a commitment to developing the next generation of South African cycling talent.

Fairtree’s dedication to the Winelands extends beyond education and sport to the arts. Through its partnership with the Libertas Choir, Fairtree helps preserve one of Stellenbosch’s most respected cultural institutions and celebrates a proud musical tradition that has enriched the community’s cultural life for decades.

As Fairtree continues to grow, our commitment to the Stellenbosch and Winelands community remains unchanged. Whether through education, sport or community development, we are proud to invest in the region that has shaped our story, and in the people who continue to shape its future.

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SOARING ABOVE THE FYNBOS

Adventure seekers can discover the Elgin Valley from a whole new perspective with Cape Canopy Tour, a thrilling zipline excursion in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve.

Established in 2014 in partnership with CapeNature, this award- winning attraction takes guests more than 1 000m above sea level, combining breathtaking mountain scenery with an adrenaline-filled flight through the fynbos-covered landscape.

The half-day tour begins with a 4×4 drive into the mountains before guests take to the skies on a series of 11 exhilarating zipline slides of up to 300m. Along the route, visitors cross elevated platforms, soar above the Riviersonderend Gorge and navigate a suspension bridge above a spectacular double waterfall.

Suitable for guests aged five to 75, the four- to five-hour outing includes all equipment, training, conservation fees, a return mountain transfer, and the services of two trained Cape Canopy Tour guides. It’s an unforgettable way to explore the natural beauty of the Cape from above.

CALLING ALL HIKERS AND TRAIL RUNNERS

Stellenbosch Trail Fund (STF) is now working with Stellenbosch University to help maintain the hiking and running routes on Coetzenburg, showing that life is not only about mountain biking!

Significant repair work has already taken place and will continue consistently.

STF has also obtained approval from CapeNature to start repair work on the hiking trails inside Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, which are in dire need of regular maintenance.

This expansion of STF’s mountain trail work, which previously focused only on MTB routes, will require additional funding. Please support STF’s efforts by visiting their website here.

STELLENBOSCH ENGINEERS REACH FOR THE MOON

Researchers and postgraduate students from Stellenbosch University (SU) are playing a key role in one of Africa’s most ambitious space projects, contributing to technology that could soon make its way to the moon.

The SU’s Electronic Systems Laboratory (ESL) has been involved in the development of electronics for Africa2Moon, a South Africa-led initiative selected as one of the international payloads aboard China’s Chang’e-8 lunar mission, scheduled to launch in 2029. The mission aims to deploy the first Africa-designed low-frequency radio telescope antennas on the moon’s south pole, paving the way for future scientific discoveries that cannot be achieved from Earth.

Working alongside organisations that include the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (Sarao), the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) and several local universities and space technology companies, the ESL team has helped design the electronic systems that will allow the payload to communicate with the lunar lander.

Four SU MEng students also joined the project, developing key electronic and communication systems while balancing their postgraduate studies. Their work forms part of a technology demonstrator that will undergo testing before the flight-ready model is built.

For the ESL, the project continues a legacy of more than three decades of South African space engineering. Established as the development facility for South Africa’s first satellite, Sunsat, the laboratory has since contributed to numerous satellite, robotics and autonomous systems projects while training generations of engineers.

If successful, Africa2Moon will eventually deploy 55 lunar antennas – one for each African nation – creating the first African radio telescope array on the moon and opening a new frontier for both African science and space exploration.

The post Spring 2026 News & Reviews: Part 3 appeared first on Stellenbosch Visio.

The entrance way to Apex Stellenbosch, just off the busy Koelenhof Road, isn’t what you’d expect – at least, not yet. It’s a construction site in action; trucks rumble past, cranes groan, dust lifts into the blue morning sky. And then, through the pines, an unexpected view opens.

In front, the vibrant, bustling community of Kayamandi. Behind, the hazy, familiar line of the Stellenbosch mountains. And between them, an innovative blended-learning school. It’s built in what was once a wine cellar – the past repurposed into something new.

Inside, it’s an oasis of order amid the non-stop movement around it. Bright, clean, filled with light. A large photograph of proudly smiling children in bright blue uniforms draws your eye. The sense of pride is clear.

But the story behind this remarkable school doesn’t begin here.

ANSWERING THE BIG QUESTION

It begins, explains Jana du Plooy, founding CEO of Apex Education, with a seemingly simple question: how do you make the high-quality education every child deserves accessible in a resource-constrained system? The organisation had already seen great success at a no-fee high school it had started in Eersterivier, in collaboration with the

Western Cape Education Department. But that success brought pressure as demand swiftly grew, while resources did not. And then the pandemic hit.

“Like other schools, we started teaching virtually. But what we discovered surprised us. Many children, whether they were at home learning online or whether they were physically at school, still performed consistently.”

When most schools returned to ‘normal’, Apex took stock of what had worked and what hadn’t. “With the traditional in-person model, you need more space, more teachers … and more money,” says Jana. “But much of a teacher’s time isn’t spent on teaching – it’s admin, marking, behaviour management. Every time you add more children, you need more teachers and classrooms – increasing the costs but not necessarily improving the learning experience.”

THINKING BIG WITH BLENDED LEARNING

The answer was rethinking how classrooms work around teachers – with integrated blended learning. Combining face-to-face teaching and online or digital activities like this isn’t new. Most schools use it in some form.

“Our model,” emphasises Jana, “had to be very intentional – the role of teachers, the design of the classes, the use of facilitators, the way the lesson is delivered, how the children learn. The technology isn’t an add-on; it’s embedded. But to keep innovating and expanding, we needed a place to strike out on our own. Stellenbosch became that place. Kayamandi – one of the first townships in South Africa with widespread fibre connectivity – was a natural fit.”

With support from private donors, the land alongside Kayamandi was purchased and, in 2024, Apex Education’s first low-fee private high school opened its doors to a group of Grade 8s.

It’s projected to be at its full capacity of 1 800 children within two years. And, with a goal of serving 10 000 children across South Africa annually within 10 years, this school in Stellenbosch is set to be the blueprint for many more.

STEPPING INSIDE THE CLASSROOMS

A space with so many children and the distraction of screens could feel chaotic. On the other hand, they could be overly controlled – numbers in a system. It doesn’t take long to realise it’s neither.

That’s where Sanrie van der Westhuizen, the head of blended learning, comes in. “At Apex Stellenbosch, there are three adults to 100 children,” she explains as we walk through the tidy school grounds with their views of Kayamandi and the mountains. “One teacher and two trained facilitators, all underpinned by technology.”

Although 100 learners may sound like chaos, it’s anything but. I’m struck by the spacious, light-filled classrooms, the buzz of young people engaged in their tasks. Bright blue blazers hang from chairs. Books share desk space with laptops and headphones. Adults calmly move through the room, ready to step in when needed.

DESIGNED WITH INTENTION

Sanrie explains that Apex has built its own online platform, with more than 4 000 lessons tailored for South African children.

“We didn’t just take anything we found online. Lessons should reflect the children we serve, not international content. They are designed by teachers around the country, standardised so that every child gets the same quality as a starting point.”

A printed workbook accompanies online work, both to practise the skill of writing and for learners to work at home even if they have no access to electricity or computers. It’s an approach that reflects the deep understanding of the community for whom the school is working.

But the difference isn’t the content. “For us, the learning is data-driven, allowing for responsive teaching,” says Sanrie. Each lesson contains several check-in points and quizzes, which are continuously monitored by teachers via the system’s dashboard. Any challenges are addressed immediately. “Every single day is an intervention day.”

Sanrie emphasises that this isn’t about keeping teachers out of the loop; far from it. It’s about empowering them by freeing up time to actually teach. “Instead of marking 100 scripts or handing out papers, they can focus on connecting with learners. On educating and guiding them to success. That’s what we’re all here for.”

Jana is clear: their work doesn’t stop at their schools. “We exist to improve education for every child in South Africa, so we cannot gate-keep knowledge,” she says. “What we learn here, we’ll make available for free. If we have extra resources, we’ll share them. This isn’t about ‘intellectual property’; it’s about educating children.”

CLASSROOM CULTURE COMES FIRST

But education is about more than just lessons on a laptop. “You can’t take a dysfunctional school and think learning’s going to take place just by adding technology,” cautions Sanrie. “We work very hard on school culture and good values, and teaching the learners about having a growth mindset – and reflecting it ourselves.”

This is a culture rooted in the seemingly small things: structure, punctuality, respect for the space, pride in wearing school uniforms,

addressing each other with kindness and respect. Everything contributes to an environment that fosters learning – and helps to form people who will carry this culture into the world.

Apex learners are now outperforming provincial averages in both language and maths. Not because only high-achieving children are accepted – any child living close by can join – but because the blend of tech and the human touch is allowing the school to close the gap that makes equitable education so difficult. And the success is starting to attract attention beyond South Africa’s borders, as Apex is being approached by educators from as far away as South America and Singapore who are looking to Stellenbosch for a blueprint.

A PLACE OF BELONGING

It’s all happening here, alongside Kayamandi – meaning ‘sweet home’ – a thriving community that’s been part of Stellenbosch since the 1930s. It’s framed by the school’s buildings, visible from the classrooms. Many staff members are local. The property is planted with indigenous plants and saplings. Rather than turning its back on the community, the school is part of it.

“From the municipality right through to the Kayamandi community and people of Stellenbosch, it’s clear that a lot of good people care deeply about what happens to the kids,” says Sanrie. “They want them to excel and are willing to support that. We even have private donors sponsoring children or contributing towards the school.”

What stays with me is not the technology or even the model. It’s the children – engaged and fully immersed in their work – the bright classrooms, the focused teachers. It’s also the balance between technology and humanity, structure and flexibility, past and future.

As I leave, the construction site no longer feels out of place; it feels like part of the picture. The bumpy road is less like a detour and more of a link. Kayamandi and the mountains are part of the same frame. And, in the midst it all, the school just fits. 

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WISH YOU WERE HERE was founded by sisters Nicole and Michelle Greeff. Both have marketing degrees from Stellenbosch University and their shared love of travel and collecting souvenirs from each destination sparked the idea for the brand. Inspired by the nostalgia tied to their journeys, they began creating their own souvenirs with a South African twist.

“After our studies, both of us travelled and began collecting souvenirs wherever we went, from a ceramic tile in Portugal to an I Love Uluwatu mug,” says Nicole. “Some were undeniably cheesy, others genuinely special, but all of them held memories of a place and a moment in time.”

They wanted to move away from the familiar concepts of fridge magnets and keyrings, creating souvenirs they would not only want to buy and collect, but also wear themselves. “We wanted to create pieces that feel special, but also playful and fun. We drew on the nostalgia of the classic ‘I  NY’ souvenirs and reimagined them through a South African lens,” says Michelle.

Cape Town was a powerful starting point for them, but never a fixed reference. They agree that the city’s rhythm – vibrant, bold, playful and full of contrasts – shapes how they think about their designs. “Our collections are intentionally fluid; they’re snapshots of a moment lived in South Africa.”

Working with a local Cape Town team and mill for all their fabrics allows the sister duo to stay close to the process and responsive to change. “I think we tried on 50 shirts and drove to the fabric mill and back more than 50 times before we found the perfect fit,” says Nicole. “All our pieces are designed for an audience looking for something considered, wearable and current. We wanted the marketing to echo that same energy: fun, quirky and bold.”

As sisters building a new brand together, Nicole and Michelle have been creatively in sync for as long as they can remember, with their ideas, tastes and curiosities naturally overlapping. Working together has always felt inevitable. “For years, we dreamt of building something of our own, where our creative juices could collide. What we’ve created through Wish You Were Here is fun and exciting, and exactly what we’ve always dreamt it would be.”

Their ideas start simply, from scribbling on a piece of paper to refining concepts during a walk after their nine-to-five jobs. These brainstorming sessions, however, reach their peak once their community joins in. “We’re big believers in collaboration, so we rope in friends and creatives we trust. You can’t build something meaningful on your own.”

Looking ahead, Wish You Were Here aims to become more physical and experiential, ultimately creating its own presence in Cape Town that feels as personal as its founders.

“We want to exist where people are having the best time of their lives: at a party, walking down Kloof Street, sitting at a favourite spot with a glass of wine, going for a swim or exploring the city. Our goal is for both tourists and locals to buy a Wish You Were Here piece in a moment they want to remember – a souvenir tied to a feeling, not just a place.” V

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Joined by an electric Beetle and an electrically converted Suzuki Carry, these innovative machines offer visitors and media a hands-on glimpse into how electric transport is being thoughtfully adapted for African realities – long distances, sparse charging infrastructure and abundant sunshine.

The journey itself captured headlines in 2025 (with the arrival in Stellenbosch on 16 October after 17 days on the road), but Recharging Hope goes far deeper. Filmed on location across multiple countries, the series chronicles the real grit of the expedition: technical experiments, roadside problem-solving, breakthroughs under pressure and unfiltered lessons from the road.

Produced by videographer and expedition team member Lewis Seymour, who documented every twist and turn alongside the riders, the documentary reframes electric mobility as an African-led opportunity rather than an imported concept. It celebrates the continent’s landscapes, communities and ingenuity while exploring scalable, locally relevant clean-energy solutions for transport.

“This documentary captures the reality behind innovation,” says Professor Thinus Booysen, founder of Stellenbosch University’s Electric Mobility Lab. “It shows not only what worked, but what didn’t – and why that matters. Recharging Hope is about learning in public, sharing knowledge and accelerating the transition to sustainable mobility in ways that make sense for Africa.”

The project stems from a powerful collaboration between SU’s Faculty of Engineering and Kenyan electric mobility company Roam, testing the Roam Air motorcycle – designed and built in Africa –over extreme long-distance conditions powered solely by solar energy.

Episodes of Recharging Hope will be released weekly on YouTube following the premiere. Keep an eye on the Recharging Hope channels and Stellenbosch University’s updates for full access.

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ABOUT HALF A CENTURY AGO, forward-thinking anatomy professor JF Kirsten began assembling a teaching collection at the Tygerberg campus of Stellenbosch University (SU). Inspired by the great medical museums he had visited abroad, he imagined a South African counterpart that would support anatomy teaching and preserve rare specimens for study. What began as a modest collection expanded steadily and became an essential learning resource for generations of medical students at SU’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Fifty years later, that same vision has evolved into Africa’s largest and most technologically advanced Medical Morphology Learning Centre (MMLC), a transformation that Prof. Karin Baatjes, vice-dean of Learning and Teaching, calls “a catalyst for future-ready health professionals”. The MMLC, which launched in August 2025, marks a new chapter in medical education at Stellenbosch. As universities worldwide rethink how to prepare students for increasingly digital and data-driven healthcare systems, Tygerberg has taken a characteristically integrated approach. Within the Biomedical Research Institute, the centre blends the rigour of traditional cadaver-based teaching with immersive technologies: virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems, interactive 3D tables and precision 3D printing.

The result isn’t a replacement of tradition, but a reimagined way for students to explore the human body. Now tactile, visual and analytical learning converge in a single adaptive space. “The aim is to reimagine health sciences education and to transform the way students connect with the complexity of the human body,” says Karin.

A visit to the centre, which houses more than 1 300 human specimens, is a fascinating experience and a lesson in biology. There’s a wide range of specimens featuring complex internal structures and highlighting the intricacies of the human body. There are also examples of pathologies: gallstones, the effects of diabetes, tuberculosis, cirrhosis and smoking.

Karin provides tangible anecdotes of how VR and AR systems can be used. Virtual reality involves a screen, headsets and a remote control to select what a person wants to observe.

“The VR systems allow users to explore anatomy in 3D. A student can use the hand-held controls and pull up any anatomical aspect, like the musculo-skeletal or the cardiovascular system. If they’re exploring the cardiovascular system, they can pull up the heart and literally immerse themselves in its structures and specific vessels. As they go, infographics will come up to explain what they’re seeing.

“Using the goggles and headset, they can lean forward and look inside the heart’s chamber. They can revisit the anatomy of a heart valve, showing the actual contractions – how the valve opens and closes and how the blood flows. They can also zoom in and isolate small details of the heart,” Karin explains.

“Then, as students become more senior, they start looking at pathologies and linking the science with treatment modalities. They can click to look at a heart with a pathology and superimpose it on a non-diseased heart to understand how the pathology is impacting the functioning of the heart. And they can do this over and over again, without any risk to a real-life patient.”

On how the touch-table works, Karin continues, “Using a software programme called Primal Pictures™, we have a life-sized table with which students can interact. For example, if they’re looking at the musculo-skeletal system and want to only look at muscle and bone, they can remove the other organs to focus just on that.

“The VR systems allow students to explore anatomy in 3D, to perform virtual dissections, manipulate anatomical structures in real time and examine internal systems from multiple perspectives. They can even simulate clinical procedures. We all see things differently. These systems allow students to turn and twist things around and zoom in wherever they need to, all at their own pace.”

The 3D printer enables the MMLC to print any organ to give a sense of its size, proportions and other aspects. “For instance, in the orthopaedics department, before doing a hip replacement, a surgeon can 3D print a hip joint to get a sense of how it feels to hold the whole specimen in their hand and plan the surgical procedure more precisely.

“Anatomy students can take their time and get hands-on experience, and medical professionals can use the VR to analyse pathology and plan surgeries before they happen, and repeat manoeuvres over and over again without the pressure of having a real-life patient under their care. We want students to be able to grasp and retain knowledge so they can apply it in the clinical space.”

The MMLC’s story goes back almost 50 years, starting in the mid- 1970s as the Anatomy Museum at the Tygerberg Campus. In the early 2000s it expanded to include pathology material and became the Medical Morphology Museum. It was Karin and faculty leadership that drove its transformation from museum to learning centre.

“We were very intentional with the name. We didn’t want to call it a museum because a museum is a static place where you just look at objects. We wanted people to know upon arrival that it’s an immersive space, not just for looking and walking past. Importantly, we want to instil respect and appreciation for the human body.”

The MMLC already supports multiple academic programmes in medicine and the allied health sciences, and welcomes high school groups for guided tours. It also holds regular themed exhibitions linked to public health awareness, such as a recent World Heart Day exhibition that featured artworks on scientific specimens.

Amber Anderson, MMLC coordinator and an MSc Anatomy candidate at the university, explains why she’s excited about the new incarnation of the centre. “It’s a living classroom. Every day I see first- year students discovering the body for the first time, postgraduates conducting research and high school learners getting inspired to pursue careers in health sciences.”

On future plans, Karin says the centre will continue to expand in line with the FMHS’s Vision 2040, which aims to position Stellenbosch as a leader in transformative, inclusive and globally connected health sciences education. “The goal is to ensure the MMLC becomes a hub for lifelong learning that benefits not only SU students, but also the wider community.”

Karin believes Stellenbosch stands abreast with the best globally in terms of innovative, blended education. “The MMLC demonstrates that anatomy education doesn’t need to choose between traditional dissection and modern technology. They can be combined. It won’t be static. As technology changes, we’ll adapt.”

Karin, who spent time in the former museum as an undergraduate student, is thrilled at how it’s evolved. Prof. Kirsten had a vision that lasted this long, and people in the faculty are continuously strengthening it. V

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THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT Stellenbosch that sparks entrepreneurship. Maybe it’s the culture of curiosity or the way people here are constantly creating and building. Students turn hobbies into startup ventures; academics commercialise ground- breaking research that has the power to impact thousands of lives.

This is exactly how EasiShop began: two curious students from Stellenbosch University (SU), a programming project and a simple goal to save money on groceries.

Officially launched in May 2025, EasiShop is a fast-growing digital platform that helps find the best prices for groceries by comparing prices across various retailers, making it easier than ever to shop smart in an economy where every rand counts.
Tinashe Madanire, a BCom student from the Economic and Management Science Faculty at SU with a background in programming, started building a tool to compare grocery prices in the vicinity. It was a personal project and a practical tool that aimed to solve an everyday problem.

“It was really just a challenge for myself at first,” says Tinashe. “But the more I worked on it, the more I realised that this could actually help other people. I shared it with a few friends and family and the response was immediate.”

That spark of encouragement was enough to get the wheels turning. Soon Tinashe was joined by co-founder Tendai Katiyo, also a BCom student at SU, who saw the bigger picture – that this wasn’t just a useful tool; it could become a business with real impact.

“Tendai brought a fresh perspective and believed in the vision,” says Tinashe. “We both saw that EasiShop could be more than a price comparison tool; it could help people feel empowered about their everyday purchases.”

Tinashe’s natural aptitude for entrepreneurship runs deep. Originally from Zimbabwe, he moved to South Africa in Grade 5 and grew up watching his parents build small businesses alongside their full-time jobs.

“My parents always had something going on the side,” he explains. “From them, I learnt to be resourceful, to work hard and to always look for ways to stretch every rand.” That firm foundation, paired with the energy and ecosystem of Stellenbosch, has created the perfect space for a side project to evolve into something greater.

“There’s something about Stellenbosch that makes you want to build,” says Tinashe. “The student community, the innovation spaces, the other entrepreneurs. It’s honestly like being surrounded by people who believe in creating something out of nothing.”

Getting users wasn’t easy at first. The duo spent a significant amount of time convincing people to try yet another new app and then getting them to share feedback. It took time, persistence and a lot of listening.

“We had to figure out how to communicate our offering very clearly,” says Tinashe. “Tendai played a big role in helping to shape our brand, marketing and overall user experience.”

The team leaned into social media to build momentum at the beginning of 2025. They launched their Instagram account in April 2025 and began creating relatable, informative content. The results were staggering. In less than a month of launching, they hit 2 100 registered users. After launching on socials, EasiShop easily reached 4 000+ followers on Instagram, with TikTok proving to be another major growth channel.

“The feedback we get from users has been incredibly motivating. People are telling us how much they are saving and how useful the app is to their lives. That lets us know we are solving a real problem.”

EasiShop has a simple mission, but the duo’s vision is bold. “Eventually, we want users to be able to shop across all the listed retailers and get one delivery package at their door,” says Tinashe. “That’s the long-term goal: to create a one-stop, affordable grocery shopping solution.”

In the short term, the team is focusing on three things:

• Building partnerships with retailers to unlock greater value for both users and stores.
• Launching a WhatsApp integration tool to make EasiShop more accessible for all users.
• Refining the app constantly, based on real-time feedback.
• When asked what advice he’d give to other young entrepreneurs, Tinashe is quick to respond.

“Just start. That’s the best advice I can give. You don’t need the perfect plan or full funding. If you have an idea, work on it. Speak to people, test it out and let it grow from there. Even something small can turn into something meaningful.”

EasiShop is proof that a successful business idea can start anywhere, even on a laptop in a student residence. With grit, purpose and a clear sense of their target audience, Tinashe and Tendai are showing just how far one simple idea can go. V

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The GraySwan Charitable Trust embodies this ethos. Through initiatives such as Walk with a Purpose, they focus on empowering children and communities in South Africa. Something as simple as a pair of school shoes can restore dignity, inspire confidence, and open a world of opportunity for a child walking to school barefoot. These acts of kindness reflect the same principles we bring to investing: care, foresight, and responsibility.

At this year’s Stellenbosch Visio Women’s Event, each guest was invited to become part of this story. Every lady received a pair of school shoes to personally pass forward to a child in need. By doing so, GraySwan extends the circle of generosity and create a ripple effect of hope and opportunity.

This is GraySwan’s brand in action; boutique, personal, and invested in more than numbers. Just as they help their clients grow and protect their wealth, they also seek to grow dignity, opportunity, and impact in the communities around us.

GraySwan believes in wealth with purpose. They invest in a better tomorrow, so their clients Sleep Well At Night.

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A quiet revolution has been unfolding on the Stellenbosch University (SU) campus. Not in lecture halls or leafy courtyards, but inside glass-walled co-working spaces and labs, where students, researchers and entrepreneurs build companies from scratch. One of them is Este Burger.

An electronic engineer with a Master’s degree in biomedical engineering, Este is the CEO of Biocode, a health-tech startup developing diagnostic tools that detect hidden vascular damage. The company was founded by Professors Resia Pretorius, Anna-Mart Engelbrecht and Willie Perold and is based on research conducted at SU.

Este is part of a new generation of academic entrepreneurs who are turning research into real-world impact. Her journey began not in a traditional lab, but at LaunchLab, SU’s business incubation hub.

“I was shifting from research into entrepreneurship and it was all very new to me,” she says. “I had passion but little business experience.

LaunchLab gave me structure: workshops, mentoring, bootcamps. It rewired my brain towards business thinking.”

Today, Biocode’s pioneering micro-clot test (discovered in Resia’s blood lab and patented by SU) is licensed to laboratories in the United States, Switzerland and Germany.

Originally developed in response to Long Covid, the test detects tiny blood clots – emerging biomarkers of vascular damage and chronic inflammation – that are often missed by traditional tests. As research deepens, its potential applications are widening to include a growing list of chronic conditions, from cardio-vascular disease to cancer.

Earlier this year, Biocode took another leap forward with access to LaunchLab Ceribio, a specialised biotech laboratory and extension of LaunchLab’s services. “The new lab gives us the advanced facilities we need to scale up and develop new products,” says Este. “It enables a total commercial mindset. It’s a game-changer for our growth.”

A DECADE OF IMPACT

Este, as the CEO of Biocode, is one of dozens of SU students, staff and alumni who have launched companies through LaunchLab, the university’s award-winning business incubator.

Over the past decade, LaunchLab has helped nurture more than 250 startups – ventures that have collectively raised over R800 million in investment and now generate more than R1billion in annual revenue. Among these is CubeSpace, a space-tech company transforming the global satellite industry, and a frontrunner to becoming Africa’s first university spinout unicorn (a startup valued at more than US$1 billion).

“Our job is to nurture startups from the first spark of an idea through to investment and growth,” says Brandon Paschal, deputy director of Spinout Companies and Funds, who heads up LaunchLab. What began as a student pitch competition in 2011 has since grown into Africa’s leading university incubator, recognised twice by UBI Global.

“It started with a simple idea,” says Brandon, who joined LaunchLab in 2015. “Back in 2011, the university threw together a lunchtime pitch competition at the Neelsie – just to see what would happen. We had little entrepreneurial focus on campus, so the thinking was: let’s go to grassroots level and see what’s out there. The volume and quality of ideas made us realise: there’s something here.”

That seed grew quickly. Within two years, LaunchLab had evolved into a structured support ecosystem. By 2013 it was formally established, operating from a 400 m2 basement under the Admin A building.

“We were right next to the Rooiplein, bang in the middle of campus. We had this small sign on the door and people started walking in. The guys from Freedom of Movement, just graduated, were some of the first. Soon researchers joined. Ideas were turning into businesses. Interest and excitement were building. A movement was waking up.”

Two years later, LaunchLab and six startups moved into a revamped 1200m2 warehouse near the Facilities Management Building and, within four months, the space was buzzing with founders, mentors and hot-desk energy.

“Today we support three types of entrepreneurs,” Brandon says. “University spinouts where SU holds equity, student-founded startups based on original ideas, and external entrepreneurs who want to embed in the LaunchLab ecosystem.” Over time the community has expanded to include high-growth ventures like Spatialedge, ButtaNutt and MellowVans in addition to spinout companies like CubeSpace, Biocode and Fluorobiotech – entrepreneurs drawn to the culture, connections and credibility the space offers.

In parallel, LaunchLab has partnered with corporates such as Nedbank, Santam, Mercedes-Benz and MultiChoice to run 11 innovation challenges, offering students and founders exposure to real-world problems and market opportunities.

“Our programmes range from student idea accelerators to spinout support and fund management. Our model is sector-agnostic, but tuned to help university-born ventures thrive, especially in complex fields like agri-, health- and green-tech,” Brandon says.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: INNOVATION AT SU

Anita Nel, chief director of Innovation and Commercialisation, says LaunchLab is an essential piece of the university’s innovation puzzle. It operates under Innovus, the technology transfer and commercialisation office. Innovus manages the continent’s largest university-owned IP portfolio and plays a strategic role in helping research escape the lab and reach the market.

“Having a fully fledged incubator on campus changes everything,” says Anita. “You can’t really commercialise university research without infrastructure that supports early-stage ventures. LaunchLab provides that: not just office space, but legal scaffolding, mentorship, funder networks and a dynamic community.”

It’s a model that’s working. Between 2011 and 2015, Innovus averaged just one spinout a year. But with LaunchLab fully operational, that number quickly jumped to four to six annually. Today, Innovus holds equity in 37 spinout companies – 10 of them in biotech, with more in the pipeline.

BIOTECH TAKES ROOT

 

The newest addition to the ecosystem is LaunchLab Ceribio, a specialised laboratory that supports the university’s growing cohort of science-based startups. As more ventures emerge in fields like diagnostics, agri-biotech and health-tech, the demand for top-tier lab space and tailored incubation support has surged. Ceribio fills that gap, offering the critical infrastructure young biotech companies need to move from research to real-world application. Biocode is among its first tenants, alongside deep science startups Fluorobiotech and PhagoFlux.

“We have an incredible foundation for research at SU, but we lack biotech laboratory incubators that can convert our world-class research into products,” says Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (Ceri).

Tulio, who played a key role in identifying the Beta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, believes facilities like Ceribio are vital to Africa’s future.

“If the Covid-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that we can’t rely on imported solutions. We led the world in the discovery of variants, but we were at the back of the queue to access vaccines and medicine. That is one of the reasons we are investing in this lab – to position South Africa as a global leader in the production of biotechnology products that save lives.”

LOOKING AHEAD: BEYOND THE LAB

For Anita and her team, the opening of Ceribio is the pinnacle of LaunchLab’s first decade – but also just the beginning. Plans are under way to expand the model at The Bridge, a future smart-city development outside Stellenbosch. The vision is ambitious: to build a world-class biotech and deep-tech hub that sparks innovation not just in South Africa, but across the continent.

“We want every student and researcher with a transformative idea to know: if you want to turn it into real-world impact, this is the place to do it,” says Anita. “We’re building a blueprint for Africa’s knowledge economy – and we’re only getting started.”

It’s a quiet revolution – but its momentum is undeniable.

WHY BIOTECH BELONGS IN STELLENBOSCH

When Prof. Tulio de Oliveira speaks about the future of biotechnology in South Africa, he doesn’t hedge. “Stellenbosch is the one place where this can really happen,” he says. “We have a world- class university, a well-run city, access to investors and an entrepreneurial culture. It’s the perfect place to grow a biotech industry for Africa.”

Tulio is no stranger to high-stakes science. A globally respected bioinformatician and virologist, he played a central role in South Africa’s genomic surveillance efforts during Covid-19. His team at Ceri (the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation) was among the first in the world to detect and sequence new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, placing South Africa in the top three globally for genomic surveillance.

“The world was surprised,” he says. “They didn’t know we had this level of scientific capacity.”

But while South Africa led the world in basic medical science during the pandemic, it lagged behind in turning that knowledge into solutions. “We were the fastest to identify variants, but we didn’t produce the diagnostics, therapeutics or vaccines. We were at the back of the queue when it came to accessing vaccines. That exposed a major gap – the need for investment in translational science.”

Translational science is the bridge between academic discovery and real- world application. And closing that gap is exactly what LaunchLab Ceribio, Stellenbosch University’s new biotech incubator, is designed to do.

Launched this year as an extension of LaunchLab’s innovation ecosystem, Ceribio provides biotech entrepreneurs with access to an industry-grade lab environment. It’s not just a workspace – it’s a crucial missing link. “You can’t commercialise biotech in an academic lab,” Tulio says. “You need advanced Good Laboratory Practice facilities, compliance systems and a culture of deep scientific collaboration to turn discoveries into products that can enter the market.”

Ceribio is already at capacity, with four startups operating out of the facility.
One of them, Fluorobiotech, has received more than R15 million in investment from Ceri to begin local production of enzymes for genomics and vaccine development. “This shows how hungry the sector is for space and support,” says Tulio. “We’re already planning an expansion and, after that, phase 2.”

Phase 2 will be housed at The Bridge, a smart-city development between Stellenbosch and Paarl. The vision is to establish a campus of industrial-grade biotech labs and incubators compliant with international ISO standards. It will be the first facility of its kind on the continent and Ceri is looking for collaborative partners to help realise that goal.

For Tulio, this is not just about scientific advancement – it’s also about economic transformation.

“Biotech can create multibillion-dollar industries. Globally, it’s a high-risk, high-reward sector, but when it works, it changes everything. Biotech is only deeply developed in a handful of hubs, like Boston and San Diego in the USA, where ecosystems formed around MIT and Harvard. Stellenbosch could be that for Africa.”

He also believes Ceribio can play a role in reshaping how young scientists see their future. “We want to show students that when you study science, you’re not just training for academia.

You’re building the foundations to start companies, create jobs and solve real problems.”

It’s a bold vision, but one already in motion. And if Tulio is right, the next generation of biotech breakthroughs won’t just be made in South Africa – they’ll be built, scaled and exported from Stellenbosch.

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Tumelo Mokoena

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH – November/December 2024: A near-tragic incident involving a friend inspired Tumelo Mokoena, a first-year student at Stellenbosch University, to start his entrepreneurial journey.

Hailing from Johannesburg, Tumelo moved to Stellenbosch at the beginning of the 2024 academic year to pursue a B.Eng in electrical and electronic engineering. A passionate tech enthusiast with a keen interest in innovations like SpaceX launches, he did not set out to become an entrepreneur. But then a close friend was injured in a mugging, and Tumelo realised that crime was as prevalent in Stellenbosch as anywhere else and that slow responses were endangering the lives of victims. As a natural leader – he was head boy of his high school and president of the Tshwane South District Representative Council of Learners (RCL) – Tumelo knew he wanted to make a difference and began thinking about solutions. The result is SafeGuard Stellies, a comprehensive, three-part safety solution that comprises:

• A mobile app featuring a panic button, location tracker and safety tips.
• A panic bracelet that enables users to send alerts discreetly without having to reach for their phones.
• Drones that are equipped with live cameras, sirens and lights.

Although the business is still in the planning phase, it has immense potential to improve safety in the town and beyond.

“Winning the #Ideasforchange Challenge was a major milestone,” says Tumelo. “It gave the project momentum, and the support from Stellenbosch Network has been incredibly encouraging.” The business is now on track to launch key components like the mobile app and panic bracelets, with plans to develop drone technology in the next phase.

Looking ahead, Tumelo has big plans for SafeGuard Stellies. “Next we’ll focus on building a strong team, expanding our online presence and launching our products,” he says. The goal is to generate revenue from the app and bracelets to fund drone development and secure the necessary operational licences.

Partnerships with Stellenbosch University, the local municipality and security networks will be key to scaling up the business. “Our vision is to build an ‘Uber for Safety’, not just for students, but for the broader Stellenbosch community.”

Tumelo’s journey to this point has been shaped by invaluable lessons. One piece of advice that stands out came from a course he recently took, ‘University Practice in Natural Science’. It taught him that the most successful students are not always those with the highest marks, but those with the resilience to push through obstacles. “That mindset has been my guiding principle.”

Prof. Ranel Venter

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH – January 2025: Prof. Ranel Venter is a leading researcher at Stellenbosch University and the CEO of Banzifeet, a pioneering South African company dedicated to improving the foot development of school-going children. Her entrepreneurial story is a testament to how research and innovation can converge to create solutions that could have a lasting impact on local communities.

The idea for Banzifeet began in 2016 when Ranel co-led a joint study with the University of Hamburg. After examining the foot morphology of children growing up barefoot in South Africa and wearing shoes in Germany, the research revealed significant differences between barefoot children and those with shoes. South African children tend to have wider and larger feet, yet standard school shoes are too narrow, causing discomfort and potential long-term developmental issues.

Ranel saw an opportunity to make a lasting impact. “The data were clear,” she says. “Ill-fitting shoes don’t just cause discomfort; they can affect foot function, gait and overall development. I knew something had to be done.”

Recognising that systemic change was needed, she took the leap into entrepreneurship. Partnering with Innovus Technology Transfer Office at Stellenbosch University, she founded Banzifeet alongside fellow researchers Elbe de Villiers and Marise Breet.

The company aims to provide school shoe manufacturers with accurate data on South African children’s foot shapes, enabling them to design better-fitting footwear. “It’s about empowering existing manufacturers with the tools they need to create shoes that support healthy development.”

Transitioning from research to business was not without its hurdles. There was a steep learning curve involved in navigating legal requirements, developing a business model and marketing a product, recalls Ranel. “Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted,” she admits. “You need to be prepared for setbacks and willing to learn as you go.”

Nevertheless, Banzifeet has made significant strides, developing a certification model that helps manufacturers to assess and improve their shoe designs. Its prototypes have been tested in local schools and it recently partnered with Bolton Footwear to manufacture the first Banzifeet Gold certificate school shoe.

Already Banzifeet is creating ripples of change. In Kylemore, Stellenbosch, it partnered with a local shoe company to establish a ‘shoe library’ that provides children with access to better-fitting shoes as they grow. “This is just the beginning,” says Ranel. “We’re working to influence policy-makers and raise awareness about the importance of proper footwear.”

She is also passionate about challenging stigmas. “Being barefoot is often associated with poverty, but it’s actually incredibly beneficial for children’s foot and ankle development, especially for those who take part in sports.”

For those inspired by her story, Ranel offers this advice:

• Be passionate about your cause: “Starting a business is not just about making money. It’s about solving a problem and making a difference.”
• Stay resilient: “Success doesn’t happen overnight. Be prepared to face challenges and keep going.”
• Look for support: “Partnering with the right people can make all the difference. Innovus was instrumental in helping us navigate the business side of things.”

Ranel’s journey with Banzifeet is a powerful reminder that great businesses often start with a simple idea: identifying a problem and working tirelessly to solve it. For aspiring entrepreneurs, her story is proof that passion, collaboration and resilience can turn challenges into opportunities and research into real-world impact.

Dr Daniel Page

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH – February 2025: Dr Daniel Page, founder and CEO of Psyche Innovations, is on a mission to transform mental health care through technology and human-centred services. His journey into entrepreneurship is deeply personal. After losing his brother to suicide, he was determined to make mental health support more accessible, proactive and free from stigma. Psyche Innovations is tackling one of the biggest challenges in mental health: accessibility. Traditional mental health care is often expensive and only sought out in crisis. Daniel saw an opportunity to overcome this challenge by developing evidence-based digital tools that allow individuals, businesses and institutions to integrate mental well-being into daily life.

His flagship app, Psyche: Mental Health, is now used in more than 75 countries and has been adopted by organisations such as the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Education Department and Stellenbosch University.

Daniel has had to navigate the complexities of scaling up a digital health platform while ensuring that the human element remains at its core. He attributes much of his success to partnerships and collaboration, working closely with experts and organisations to refine and expand Psyche Innovations’ offerings. The company is also exploring AI-driven solutions to make mental health support even more personalised and effective.

Like any entrepreneur Daniel has faced obstacles, from funding challenges to changing perceptions of mental health.

He believes resilience and adaptability are key traits for any founder. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to adopt a growth mindset, embrace learning and build a strong support network. He credits his partner, Kelsey Andrews, and his family for being a crucial part of his journey. Looking ahead, Daniel wants to expand Psyche Innovations’ impact, ensuring that mental wellness becomes an integral part of workplaces, schools and communities. For him, this isn’t just about business; it’s about making a difference. With the right mix of innovation, collaboration and determination, he is proving that entrepreneurship can truly drive meaningful change.

iWashCars

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE MONTH – March 2025: Some of the best business ideas come from solving everyday problems. For Desmond Mogodi, co-founder of iWashCars, that problem was the traditional car wash – tedious, inconvenient and wasteful. The iWashCars solution is a smart, on-demand car wash service that brings eco-friendly cleaning directly to customers.

Desmond and his co-founders, Brighton Maharela and Lesedi Dikhoba (pictured), launched iWashCars in 2023 after recognising the need for a more flexible and sustainable car wash experience. “People want convenience,” says Desmond. “We bring the car wash to them, use less water and deliver a fast, high-quality service. We’re like the ‘Uber’ of car washes.”

The idea took shape in Stellenbosch, where the trio held many brainstorming sessions over coffee and doughnuts. Since its launch, iWashCars has evolved from a purely mobile service to a hybrid model, offering both mobile and fixed-location services. Their expansion into Fish Hoek marked a major milestone, culminating in the launch of a permanent location at a Shell Garage in early 2025.

Initially bootstrapped, the founders started by finding customers and washing cars on foot. Then they moved to bicycles and later relied on Uber. Now, with a physical space, they can offer hybrid services and save on storage space for their equipment.

Through perseverance and smart partnerships, they’ve washed more than 500 cars within a few months of starting their business.

iWashCars has earned industry recognition through several entrepreneurship competitions and incubator programmes, including:

• EDHE National Competition 2024: regional winners.
• YouthX Nedbank Competition 2024: top 10 finalist, securing R25 000 in funding.
• SU LaunchLab Incubation Programme: five weeks of intensive business training.
• TrioPlus Development Business Coaching 2025: ongoing mentorship.
• Mashauri College’s USSAVI 25 Mini Incubator: business training and development.

Reflecting on his journey, Desmond shares an inspiring message for aspiring student entrepreneurs: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” He urges them to embrace their potential, stay true to their vision and persist through challenges.

With its rapid growth and innovative approach, iWashCars is redefining car care in Stellenbosch and beyond. If you’re in the area, why not experience the future of car washing yourself?

For bookings, contact iWashCars on 061 531 5766 or via email at FanosiMaharela@gmail.com.

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