12 Ventures Crowned Winners of the 2025 South African Startup Awards

12 ventures have been crowned winners of the 2025 South African Startup Awards. It’s always exciting to see homegrown talent shining like this, especially in the third edition of what’s become the country’s top event for spotting early-stage tech innovators.

This flagship initiative, the South African Startup Awards, celebrates those bold early-stage technology ventures pushing boundaries right here at home. For the 2025 South African Startup Awards, organizers received a whopping 221 entries, which they whittled down to 44 finalists spread across 12 different sector-specific categories. The grand finale unfolded at the swanky Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, where a sharp judging panel picked the standouts among the winners of the South African Startup Awards.

Let’s look briefly into these incredible 12 ventures crowned winners of the 2025 South African Startup Awards, each one tackling real-world problems with smart tech.

In AI & Big Data, Nineteen58 takes the crown. They’re building omnichannel AI agents that completely change the game for customer service and help businesses grow faster.

For Climate & Sustainability, Still Good stepped up. This one’s all about linking everyday consumers with local shops to snag unsold food at bargain prices, cutting waste in a big way.

Consumertech went to Dream Drive, a cool skills-based competition platform that’s making car ownership possible for regular South Africans who might otherwise dream about it.

Deeptech honors landed with MariHealth Solutions. They’re using biotechnology to make aquaculture more sustainable, while boosting fish health and nutrition.

Digital Commerce celebrated SKUBU, South Africa’s very first fully automated refill retail store. Shoppers get packaging-free groceries at way lower prices, super practical.

Edtech’s winner, LEVRA, stands out with its proprietary psychometrics and immersive learning tools. They help build better employee communication, teamwork, and resilience.

In Fintech, Jem impressed everyone by offering affordable HR and financial services to frontline workers, all delivered right through WhatsApp.

Future of Work went to ArcFlow, which brings AI-powered ERP tech to small and medium enterprises. It delivers big-company-level automation and efficiency without the hassle.

Healthtech’s star is Biomine Health. They’re using insights from the gut microbiome to predict which cancer drugs will work best for patients before treatment even starts, game-changing stuff.

The Informal Market category picked PayGas, letting low-income households top up their LPG cylinders on a pay-as-you-go plan, starting from just R10. So accessible.

Mobility & Logistics crowned Delivery Ka Speed, which fixes shaky delivery systems and creates jobs for young people in overlooked communities.

And rounding it out, the People’s Choice Award went to FindHomes, an AI-powered property intelligence platform that uncovers the real costs, value, and investment potential of homes.

Mathew Marsden, founder of Startup Club ZA, couldn’t hold back his excitement. “South African founders keep building world-class solutions,” he said. “The calibre of entrants this year was truly exceptional, and our winners of the South African Startup Awards really show the strength of our growing innovation ecosystem right across the country. We’re convinced the next wave of global tech giants is being born here at home.”

He didn’t stop there. “A huge shoutout to our top-notch judging committee for keeping things fair and merit-based, and to our nationwide community for getting behind this once again. And a massive thank you to our 2025 anchor partners, their ongoing support is what keeps strengthening the South African startup ecosystem.”

Events like the 2025 South African Startup Awards remind us how vibrant and full of promise South Africa’s tech world is. These 12 ventures crowned winners aren’t just ideas on paper; they’re solving everyday challenges and creating opportunities. Can’t wait to see where they take us next.

Was this information useful? Drop a nice comment below. You can also check out other useful contents by following us on X/Twitter @siliconafritech, Instagram @Siliconafricatech, or Facebook @SiliconAfrica.