Start-ups took to the stage at Change The World (CTW) 2026 in Cape Town last week, pitching to a panel of judges in a bid to secure funding and scale.
Urobo Biotech took home the top prize at the event. The Stellenbosch-based start-up is transforming bioplastic waste processing through enzymatic solutions that break down bioplastics into high-value fuels and chemicals, such as Lactic Acid, which can then be sold into other markets.
Lightaceutics and Arable claimed second and third place, respectively. The former has developed AI-powered smart glasses for visually-impaired communities, while the latter builds modular vertical farms, producing sustainable fresh produce for urban markets.
CTW is a social entrepreneurship platform and investment showcase that brings together impact-driven start-ups and investors. Last year, CTW launched its first cohort in Johannesburg and, in 2026, expanded the platform to Cape Town in collaboration with the Hult Prize Foundation.
At the Cape Town event, a group of 11 finalists was given just four minutes to pitch their businesses live to a panel of judges, who then had a further two minutes to ask questions.
Tips for start-up success
Delivering the keynote address at the event, Professor Eldrid Jordaan shared his experiences building GovChat, a citizen-government engagement platform launched in 2018 to improve accountability and service delivery.
Jordaan attributed the platform's success to three things: co-creation, access and trust. At its peak, GovChat was used by just over 10 million people, who were sending well over 750 million messages every day.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the event, branding experts gave the entrepreneurs advice around building a brand and the importance of storytelling in start-up success.
They highlighted that when people think about a brand, they often think of visuals – like a logo or brand colours – but this isn’t nearly as important as the quality of the product or service delivered and the way the company makes customers feel.
Explaining why he started CTW, Francisco Da Silva shared that after spending time working with entrepreneurs from across the globe, it was clear to him that South Africa has a major gap in its entrepreneurial ecosystem – collaboration.
“Change The World is all about bringing the right stakeholders and entrepreneurs together so that we can not only support businesses of the future, but also play an active role in shaping the future of Africa.”
Jordaan reminded the founders in the room that African entrepreneurs have something unique to offer the world. “What makes the African continent different is that our innovation is not abstract; it is built from our lived experiences, and that is very powerful.”
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