OUR FELLOWS
We are so inspired by our fellows – they are go-getters, world-changers and big-picture-thinkers who are passionate about their ventures having a cultural, societal and economic impact in Africa.
Black Box
Durban, South Africa
Black Box is a Venture Studio that validates, designs, builds and scales digital ventures, with a vision of stewarding resources for stewarding resources for people and the planet to create new access. From concept through to market penetration, they have the expertise to bring ideas to life! Black Box is a core team of 5, with an extended team from 4 partner companies. They are diverse in personality, background and expertise. Different as their roles all are, they unite and align in our dedication to creating ventures in the health, food, environment and education sectors.
Callum Oberholzer
FOUNDER & CEO
Callum is a technologist at heart who’s consistently trying to learn and cultivate the role that design and technology can play in helping people steward their resources individually and institutionally to contribute to the redemptive renewal of society at large. Callum is passionate about tech, economics, politics and theology. By qualification, he studied branding and multimedia design. By experience, he’s become a tech entrepreneur with a frontend engineering background and a strong disposition towards UX Design and systems thinking.
Bonsolo Trading
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Bonsolo Trading was established in 2018 by Founder and Director Anga Bonongo. Having experience and expertise in the supplier/distribution industry and heading various projects, he saw the gap between manufacturers and customers in his community.Bonsolo Trading is a supply and distribution company that sources its products from local businesses. It has built a long-lasting relationship with these companies, creating a uniquely customised experience for our clients. Currently, Bonsolo Trading supplies NGOs, Churches, Schools, and municipalities with cleaning materials, refreshments, white office paper, etc.
Anga Bonongo
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
With 8 years of business experience in various industries and markets, local entrepreneur Anga Bonongo started Bonsolo Trading to address a gap in the delivery market for consumable “same day delivery” goods within the Stellenbosch area. Using both his experience and exuberant personality, Anga takes pride in his hands-on approach to achieving total customer satisfaction.
Deep Medical Therapeutics
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
Deep Medical Therapeutics (DMT) is a women-owned medical technology company building a network of digitally enabled, low-cost health services in South Africa. Their current goal is to establish low-cost, at-home pathology and digital health services that patients can access in the comfort of their homes. The company offers a variety of cutting-edge, at-home health tests ranging from sexual and reproductive health to diabetes, hypertension and stress, followed by an online consult with a health practitioner. DMT also has physical clinics in Johannesburg and Cape Town for those who prefer to use their in-person services.
Dineo Lioma
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Dineo Lioma is inspired by innovation and the creation of high-impact businesses that create employment and improve healthcare in Africa. She is the co-founder and CEO of Deep Medical Therapeutics, a medical technology company building a network of digitally enabled, low-cost health services in South Africa. Her passion is ensuring every African has access to quality and affordable healthcare. She holds an MPhil in Micro and Nanotechnology Enterprise from the University of Cambridge, a BSc in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and a second Masters degree in Research from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Findamentals
Pretoria, South Africa
Findamentals has the vision to build a universe of financially literate individuals. In the past, they did this through physical workshops for blue-collar employees, online workshops for graduates, an online course for university students, an 8-week curriculum for high school pupils, and a board game for financial education. They are now focusing their efforts on families through Fintr – a solution that supports parents in raising financially empowered children that know how to manage their money wisely. Findamentals aims to go beyond education and seek to create positive financial habits and behaviours.
Elijah Djan
CO-FOUNDER
Elijah Djan is an industrial engineer. He recently completed his PGDip in Financial Planning and is pursuing a master’s in blockchain and business models. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and personal finances, which led him to co-found Findamentals. Findamentals is a start-up aiming to build a universe of financially literate individuals. Elijah was a TEDx Speaker titled “Innovators should think like entrepreneurs”.
Danei Rall
CO-FOUNDER
Danei is an Industrial Engineer and entrepreneur interested in the healthy use of technology to improve lives. She is passionate about seeing growth, transformation, and innovation in her country and the world. She has an engineering consultancy focused on improving manufacturing processes and digitalising data.
Danei gets her energy from bringing people’s ideals to life by giving them the right tools. She is the co-founder and COO of Findamentals, with Elijah Djan. Findamentals was born from her devotion to personal finance after seeing how neglected financial management affected her family. Findamentals has impacted blue-collar employees, graduates, students, and kids to take charge of their personal finances.
Indlu Living
Pretoria, South Africa
Indlu Living works with township landowners to help them create sustainable residential rental businesses. They provide access to capital, management and support services, and a technology ecosystem to facilitate the rental process. Landowners can apply for loans to become micro property developers, which are repaid through increased rental income. Using the Indlu Living app, homeowners can register their rental rooms and apartments, build their credit score, and receive payments directly through the app or nearby retail stores. This initiative aims to address Africa’s informal rental market and housing backlog through a sustainable, for-profit business model.
Cobus Truter
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Cobus Truter, a University of Pretoria graduate in industrial engineering, co-founded the EmpiriQ Group in 2008. The firm specialises in creating innovative market-driven economic development solutions for the emerging urban African market. Cobus identifies and explores social entrepreneurship opportunities which have resulted in successful business ventures in the housing, ICT, finance, and retail sectors. He is the CEO of Indlu Living, responsible for business development, deal structuring, and fundraising. Cobus is known for his dedication to social entrepreneurship and visionary leadership in economic development. He has co-founded Melana Developments, Soko District, Nika Cards, Imbha Developments and IndluLiving.
Khanyisa Developmental Centre
Durban, South Africa
Khanyisa is a developmental centre in Durban for children with all kinds of severe special needs, from birth to eighteen years old. For the last ten years, Khanyisa has been uncovering the potential of children and pioneering excellent and innovative interventions that renew hope and change lives. In April 2023, a second Khanyisa will open in East London. Khanyisa is an isiZulu word, meaning ‘where light comes from’, and it is the perfect word picture of what Khanyisa has become. A place where light comes from.
Amy Rodger
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Amy is the Director and Founder of Khanyisa Developmental Centre. As a qualified occupational therapist, she spent several years in the public and private health sectors before birthing Khanyisa. Amy is passionate about serving and leading with excellence, making our hope in Christ a tangible experience for children with special needs and their families. Her husband leads a local church in Durban, and together they have three gorgeous children.
Kingdom & Co.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa
Kingdom & Co. was founded in 2019 by Du Toit Botes & Pieter Wasserfall. As a brand & licensing house, they hold exclusive rights for various international mega brands for Southern Africa & Africa. In 3 years, they have built a renowned business in the sports industry, launching the NBA Lifestyle category in Africa for the first time.
Kingdom & Co. is driven to be Africa’s most significant sports business.
Kingdom & Co. is driven to be Africa’s most significant sports business.
Du Toit Botes
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
After representing the Bulls & Griquas on the Rugby field, Du Toit Botes always wanted to stay in the Sports Industry. For the past 23 years, Du Toit has been at the forefront of finding premium international sport & lifestyle brands globally and launching them in South Africa. Transforming global brands into household names in SA has always been part of his greatest desire and drive. Brands such as Gilbert & Canterbury Rugby, Solomon & Mizuno Trail and Road Running, Everlast Boxing, TK and NAKED Hockey have been some of the Global brands he has been part of his career.
Lead with Love
PRETORIA, South Africa
Lead With Love is a social impact business employing women in South Africa who daily face the pain of poverty, providing them with skills training, dignified work, community, and mentorship. The women of Lead With Love create unique and beautifully hand-braided leads and collars to suit every style and personality. The business was birthed from a belief that people’s love for their pets is powerful and has the potential to be harnessed for human flourishing – both in the lives of the ladies who work with Lead With Love, and in the communities in which they reside.
Sarah Bryce
FOUNDER & MD
Sarah is the Founder and Managing Director of Lead With Love, an organization aimed at creating a ripple effect of human flourishing through people’s love for their pets. She is a former obstetric nurse with a passion for maternal-child health, women empowerment, and addressing inequality. Sarah and her husband moved from the United States to South Africa in 2014, where they now reside with their two daughters. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing and a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health. Sarah believes that love is the most hopeful and powerful force for change.
Matomani
Johannesburg, South Africa
Matomani is an alternative and sustainable protein food manufacturing company. They use the edible superfood insect mopane caterpillar to manufacture sustainable, low-impact, organic, healthy and protein-rich products. Their products are a perfect protein alternative for a healthy diet, containing essential minerals and amino acids. Established with the core value of developing and impacting rural communities, they have a social responsibility to support rural communities where the mopane caterpillars are sourced and preserve the environment. Matomani aspires to improve lives by creating employment and trade opportunities, focusing on poverty alleviation and more secure livelihoods for the local community.
Wendy Vesela-Ntimbani
FOUNDER & CEO
Wendy is a chemical engineer and an award-winning entrepreneur with an MBA from Chapman University (USA). She founded Matomani, an alternative protein superfood company using edible insect protein. Wendy has over 20 years of experience in projects, production, process flow and people management. She graduated from the University of Johannesburg before working for South African Breweries in production and processing. She then relocated to Europe, where she worked for Johnson & Johnson in Switzerland in the Supply Chain for the EMEA region. Wendy returned to South Africa, leaving the corporate world to follow her passion as an entrepreneur, driven to empower rural communities.
Preferental
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa
Preferental is a leading PropTech platform revolutionising the way landlords manage and grow their property portfolios. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and expert support, they provide landlords with a comprehensive solution for managing their properties easily and efficiently. The Preferental flagship service, the Preferental Promise, is a game-changer in the rental market. It offers landlords a guaranteed rental payment on the 1st of each month, even in case of rental default, protection against property damage, and coverage of legal fees for eviction. This innovative service is 75% cheaper than traditional estate agents, allowing landlords to build generational wealth by effectively growing their property portfolios.
Ross Fitzcharles
FOUNDER & CEO
After completing an Honours degree in Risk Management at the University of Potchefstroom, Ross embarked on a career that saw him working for RMB Holdings, Momentum Investment, and eventually joining Deloitte Consulting. Throughout his professional journey, he gained extensive experience in insurance, asset management, technology, and strategy & innovation. In 2017, Ross established Preferental, a cutting-edge PropTech platform tailored to cater to the needs of residential landlords while reducing their financial exposure. With a passion for innovation, Ross is committed to positioning himself as a leader in the PropTech industry in South Africa. His expertise lies in utilising innovative technologies and logical thinking to solve real-life problems.
The Indigen Group
Accra, Ghana
The Indigen Group is a business-forward, full-suite production company that aims to bring a new flavour to the entertainment industry in Ghana. The organization so far has centred predominantly on its live entertainment arm staging original musicals and related concerts. Its business model is now evolving to encompass and scale the provision of music, dance and drama lessons, the training and development of performing arts talent and the development of content for distribution and sale.
Vako Ferguson
FOUNDER & CEO
Vako Ferguson is a Master-Class Certified Business Model You® Practitioner and business management professional with over 12 years of experience leveraging effective strategy and operational best practices to achieve business success. Born into a healthcare-focused family business, Vako charted a new path in 2017 when she founded her own venture, The Indigen Theatre Company. Now operating as The Indigen Group, Vako has been the creator of all the company’s programmes and original musicals, writing its songs and scripts, as well as leading in the overall direction and production of its events.
The Pocket Couch
Johannesburg, South Africa
The Pocket Couch is an online platform that empowers people of all demographics to care for their mental well-being. We connect them with their preferred mental healthcare experts, vetted resources and psychologically safe communities. By leveraging intentional partnerships with organisations invested in their employee, members or students’ mental well-being, we empower people to optimise their mental health at a fraction of the cost. We make access to mental healthcare affordable, convenient, and relatable depending on an individual’s unique circumstance.
Onkgopotse Khumalo
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Onkgopotse is the founder of HealthTech startup The Pocket Couch. Her passion for mental healthcare stems from her first-hand experience in finding and accessing the right resources to care for her mental well-being. She is a seasoned management consultant and UCT finance graduate. Soon after graduating, Onkgopotse co-founded Mediwell, a primary healthcare facility that provides quality healthcare to those who cannot afford it. Her background in strategy and financial services gave her the foundational and strategic toolkit to purse her interests in entrepreneurship at the intersection of social impact. Now, her goal is to leverage The Pocket Couch to democratise access to mental healthcare, making it easier for more people to get the care they need. She prides herself in being a chronic problem solver, certified toddler negotiator, and psychology podcast addict.
Thuma Mina Teaching
Wellington, South Africa
Thuma Mina Teaching (TMT) is a non-profit EdTech company that aims to provide quality education to disadvantaged learners in South Africa. Through partnerships with schools, aftercare centres, and government departments, TMT creates captivating video lessons available to teachers, learners, and parents at no cost. The lessons are complemented by capacity-building interventions that upskill teachers and facilitators in edu-tech methods. TMT’s resources impact society by serving as a self-directed learning tool for learners, improving teacher content knowledge, and providing aftercare centres with meaningful content to enrich their programmes. TMT aims to optimise learning methods and mitigate drop-out rates, leading to more opportunities for learners’ futures.
Leopold van Velden
CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Leopold van Velden is an experienced teacher who has taught in both functional and dysfunctional schools, giving him a unique insight into the challenges of the education system. His passion for developing effective teaching methods led him to create Thuma Mina Teaching: a platform that offers high-quality teaching materials to reach students who face barriers to accessing resources. Leopold’s mission is to make education more accessible and effective for all learners, particularly those in underperforming schools while striving to change the low-bar culture of teaching in South Africa.
Silke van Velden
CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Silke van Velden is an education economist committed to driving positive change in South Africa’s education landscape. She completed her Masters in Economics at Stellenbosch University, where she developed a deep interest in development economics and the economics of education. Silke is a project manager at Resep, a research unit at Stellenbosch University, and an executive director and co-founder of Thuma Mina Teaching, an innovative organisation focused on improving the quality of education for learners in underprivileged communities. She believes that a combination of strategic planning and a heart for service can create meaningful solutions to longstanding problems, including the education crisis South Africa is facing.
Vision Meat Group
Klerksdorp, South Africa
Vision Meat is an energetic purpose driven group of companies, aiming to supply affordable protein to our nation. Applying Biblical principles is the cornerstone of the business. Vision Meat was founded November 2001 and runs on the following values: Faith, Family, Integrity, and Persistence. Because of the highly competitive market it operates in, diversification was a necessity. Covering most of the value chain, the group consists of a piggery, abattoir, wholesale meat company(delivering nationally), refrigerated logistics company, livestock trading company, retail meat market, commercial cold storages, import/export company, security company, hides and skins company, beer and wine outlet, fast food outlet and a non-profit company. At Vision Meat, it’s about the journey.
Tinus Kits
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Tinus Kits is the co-founder of Vision Meat and the current CEO. He completed his BCom and MBA at North-West University. Tinus is a highly driven and energetic individual. He’s been happily married for the past 23 years and the proud father of 3 boys. His two eldest sons are both working in the business. His father was a minister of a Reformed Church. He grew up in a Christian home therefore Christianity is a strong part of his foundation.
YON International
Groblershoop, South Africa
Yon International is an agricultural company founded in 2017 by Johan and Lentelie Fourie. With a deep desire to uplift and impact his rural community, the Lord led them to establish Yon International as a means to generate income and funds. The company primarily focuses on procuring pecans, adding value to the product, and exporting it to China. Additionally, Yon International has a division that specializes in manufacturing pecan factory cleaning and processing equipment. Constantly seeking new opportunities and ventures, Yon International is a company that is committed to growth and making a positive impact in the world.
Johan Fourie
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Johan Fourie has a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for making a difference in his community. Growing up on a farm in Groblershoop, he learned the value of hard work and perseverance from a young age. He holds a BSc degree in viticulture and oenology, which fuels his love for the wine industry. Johan has solid values and is committed to using his talents and resources to change his community positively. Johan is happily married to his beautiful wife and has four wonderful children. In his free time, he loves to travel and explore new places.