Four exceptional female founders are in the running for the prestigious Wired4Women Tech Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Vaxowave.
The award focuses on women who have identified an untapped niche in the market and established sustainable, technology-driven businesses.
“At Vaxowave, we believe that South Africa's most powerful resource is the ingenuity of its people, and the Tech Entrepreneur category reminds us, year after year, just how extraordinary that ingenuity is,” says Kume Luvhani, co-founder and executive director of Vaxowave.
The Wired4Women Awards, now in its third year, is presented by ITWeb Brainstorm in partnership with the Wired4Women Tech Forum and Telkom as lead sponsor. The awards celebrate the achievements of women across SA’s technology sector – from emerging talent to established leaders – and recognise their contribution to business, communities and society.
The judging panel for the Tech Entrepreneur category includes Luvhani, 2025 winner Ann Collard, SVP of content strategy at KnowBe4 Africa, and Matthew Burbidge, editor of ITWeb Brainstorm.
With a strong response from SA’s ICT community and a long list of nominations reflecting the depth of entrepreneurial talent across the country, the jury shortlisted four finalists:
- Janice Jordan, CEO, Collaborative IT Solutions
- Mamela Luthuli, CEO, Take Note IT
- Pretty Kubyane, co-founder and tech lead, eFama App
- Thabile Makhoba, founder and CEO, Makhoba Professional Services
“Reviewing this year's nominations was both humbling and energising,” says Luvhani. “These women are not waiting for permission to build the future. They are identifying real problems, taking real risks and creating real businesses that are changing lives, from drone technology reshaping how we respond to disaster, to logistics platforms quietly revolutionising how goods move across our country. The calibre of this year's finalists is exceptional.”
Winner announcement
The judges will evaluate the finalists based on three key criteria:
- Identifying and capitalising on untapped niches.
- Turning ideas into reality, securing buy-in and funding.
- Demonstrating milestones and business growth.
“Vaxowave is proud to sponsor the Tech Entrepreneur category because we share a fundamental belief: that when women in technology are recognised, resourced and celebrated, the entire ecosystem grows stronger. We congratulate every finalist and look forward to seeing what they build next."
The winner of the Top Tech Entrepreneur Award, as well as the winners of the other 12 categories, will be announced at the ITWeb Brainstorm Wired4Women Awards Ceremony 2026 on 16 April.
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