The 2025 South African Startup Awards announced their winners, spotlighting a new generation of early-stage technology ventures shaping the nation’s innovation ecosystem, organisers said in statements and social media posts.
Now in its third year, the awards hosted by Startup Club ZA drew 221 entries, with 4,121 verified public votes and a 44-startup finalist roster evaluated by a 28-member expert judging panel. The winners were revealed during a live event at Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel and streamed online.
Startups were recognised across 12 sector-specific categories, reflecting the diversity of South Africa’s tech landscape:
• AI & Big Data: Nineteen58, developing omnichannel AI agents for customer service.
• Climate & Sustainability: Still Good, a platform connecting consumers with unsold food at discounted rates.
• Consumer Tech: Dream Drive, a competition-based platform to make car ownership more accessible.
• DeepTech: MariHealth Solutions, applying biotech to sustainable aquaculture.
• Digital Commerce: SKUBU, an automated refill retail store.
• EdTech: LEVRA, using immersive learning and psychometrics.
• FinTech: Jem, delivering HR and financial services via WhatsApp.
• Future of Work: ArcFlow, AI-powered enterprise automation.
• HealthTech: Biomine Health, predicting cancer drug effectiveness using gut-microbiome insights.
• Informal Market: PayGas, enabling pay-as-you-go LPG refills for low-income households.
• Mobility & Logistics: Delivery Ka Speed, tackling delivery infrastructure gaps and youth employment.
• People’s Choice: FindHomes, an AI-powered property intelligence platform.
Organisers described the awards as a “flagship platform” for recognising promising founders and demonstrating the depth of South Africa’s innovation community. Startup Club ZA founder Mathew Marsden said the quality of entries underscored the country’s growing capability to produce globally competitive tech ventures.
The 2025 South African Startup Awards were presented in partnership with stakeholders including The SA Future Trust, RMB, FNB South Africa, E Squared Investments, Futuregrowth Asset Management, and several other ecosystem partners.
As the local tech community continues to build momentum, winners of this year’s awards are expected to gain increased visibility among investors, partners, and potential customers both domestically and internationally.
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