Sefako Makgatho University Wins Hult Prize SA 2025 with MedTech Connect
Sefako Makgatho University's Enactus team takes first place at the Hult Prize National Showcase South Africa 2025 with their groundbreaking MedTech Connect enterprise, highlighting youth-driven healthcare innovation.
We are proud to celebrate a historic win by Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) at the Hult Prize National Showcase South Africa 2025, hosted at Alexander Forbes.
Their innovative enterprise, MedTech Connect, took 1st place, setting a powerful example of how bold ideas and social impact can come together to drive meaningful change. This groundbreaking solution in healthcare technology is a testament to the potential of youth-led innovation, and even more impressive coming from a rookie Enactus team.
SMU’s win wasn’t the only Enactus success of the day. Prior to the National Showcase, four Enactus teams emerged as champions in their Hult Prize University Phase Competitions:
- Nelson Mandela University – Comnet Hydroponics
- Durban University of Technology – Myco Feeds
- University of the Free State, QwaQwa Campus – Agri-Bio
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University – MedTech Connect
These teams stood out for their entrepreneurial mindset, innovative thinking, and dedication to solving pressing social challenges.
Altogether, 17 startups participated in the prestigious national event, with 10 of them Enactus ZA Enterprises representing institutions such as CPUT, CUT, DUT, NMU, UKZN, UNIZULU, SMU, UFS-QwaQwa, VUT, and the University of Limpopo.
A special mention also goes to AL Winery from the University of Zululand, who earned 3rd place at the national event. Their achievement adds to their growing track record, following their success as winners of the 2024 Ford C3 Cycle 11 Challenge.
This collective performance by Enactus teams at the Hult Prize National Showcase reflects the success of our reimagined approach to Entrepreneurial Development in South Africa. By focusing on experiential learning, scalable impact, and multi-sector collaboration, we are seeing a new generation of changemakers rise to global standards.
As we look ahead, MedTech Connect’s win at the national showcase and their place as a finalist in the 2025 MTN Digital Innovation Enactus Challenge reinforce our belief in the transformative power of youth innovation. Congratulations once again to SMU. Your journey is just beginning, and the future looks incredibly bright.