The final Top 10 for Startup of the Year (SOTY) 2026 is officially locked in 🚀 From telehealth and travel fintech to proptech, food systems, edtech, agri-innovation, and hiring infrastructure, this year’s finalists reflect a sharp snapshot of the kinds of companies being built across South...
Out of 40 startups assessed in this year’s Startup of the Year process, ten have made it through to the final stage! Reaching this point means more than submitting a strong application. It means showing enough evidence - in traction, in clarity, and in execution -...
Entries for Startup of the Year 2026 are now closed! At this stage, it’s no longer about who applied; it’s about who holds up under scrutiny. Because once the Top 10 is announced, the lens shifts. Founders aren’t pitching to a general audience anymore - they’re...
Winning Innovation City’s Startup of the Year (SOTY) isn’t just about the accolade; it has become a proven "unfair advantage" for South Africa’s most ambitious founders. Since its inception, the competition has acted as a high-signal filter, taking startups with early traction and catapulting them...
Every year, we get a clearer picture of what’s actually being built in South Africa. Not in theory. Not in decks. In real businesses with real customers, real traction, and real pressure. That’s what Startup of the Year has become at Innovation City; a filter for signal. And...
In anticipation of the upcoming Innovation City Awards Night on April 25th, we're thrilled to introduce the remarkable nominees who are set to be celebrated as trailblazers of innovation and entrepreneurship in 2024. Selection: Our Esteemed Advisory Board Behind every exceptional nominee stands a discerning Advisory Board,...
