…Kiana Cleanings emerges overall winner as young business owners showcase ventures before industry professionals
BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – A total of 37 young entrepreneurs have graduated from the Youth Business Accelerator (YBA), an initiative delivered by Tholulwazi Hub in partnership with Arizona State University to strengthen youth entrepreneurship and support the growth of sustainable businesses.
The programme culminated in a business pitching competition where participants presented their ventures before a panel of industry professionals drawn from the business, financial, media and creative sectors.
Kiana Cleanings emerged as the overall winner, with Green Roots Engineering Solutions securing second place and Mason Prime Meats finishing third.
The four-day programme, held from Monday to Thursday at the American Spaces, was designed to equip young entrepreneurs with practical business skills, strengthen their business operations and help them position their ventures for sustainable growth.
The pitching session provided the graduates with an opportunity to demonstrate their progress, explain their business models and communicate the value of their products and services. They also received feedback from the judges to help them refine their strategies and identify opportunities for further development.
The judging panel comprised professionals with experience in entrepreneurship, finance, media and the creative industries, exposing participants to a range of perspectives on building and managing successful businesses.
Among the judges were Umuti of Claiming Ground Creatives; Larry Mhlanga, who recently hosted the October International Theatre Festival; Sharon Venancio, founder of Vuna Africa; Colisile Tfwala, an author and financial coach; and Nomalungelo Dladla, a radio personality and creative entrepreneur.
The panel also featured alumni of the first Youth Business Accelerator cohort, demonstrating the programme’s emphasis on peer mentorship and the continued involvement of previous participants in supporting emerging entrepreneurs.
The alumni judges included Sibusiso Mncina, popularly known as ‘Mr Strawberry’, and Mpendulo Dlamini, an entrepreneur known for his sweets business. Ziyanda, popularly known as Mzito, a serial entrepreneur behind brands such as Mzito’s Grub Joint and Vuvutela, also participated in the judging process.
Their involvement gave the new graduates an opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs who have experience in developing and promoting their own businesses.
The diverse expertise represented on the panel enabled participants to receive insights into business development, financial management, marketing, creativity and the presentation of business ideas to potential stakeholders.
The top three businesses received special recognition for their performance in the pitching competition, with Kiana Cleanings taking the top honour.
The programme was supported by the American Embassy, Opemia, IREX and Reign Brand House, while Extreme Visual Studio served as the photography partner.
The collaboration highlights the role of partnerships in creating platforms through which young people can acquire entrepreneurial knowledge, develop their business ideas and pursue opportunities for economic participation.
For the 37 graduates, completing the accelerator marks an important step in their entrepreneurial journeys. The skills acquired during the programme, together with the feedback received from industry professionals, are expected to help them improve their business strategies, strengthen operations and explore new markets.
Through the Youth Business Accelerator, Tholulwazi Hub and its partners are contributing to the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports young people in transforming business ideas into sustainable ventures.
The graduation also provides a platform for recognising emerging businesses and encouraging young entrepreneurs to continue developing their enterprises as potential contributors to economic growth and job creation.
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(Courtesy Pic)
