The Top 50 entrepreneurs are

Design and Craft:

Pinda Furniture and Interior Design (Siyanda Mbele)
Pinda Furniture and Interior Design is a design-led studio specialising in bespoke furniture, rugs, and interior environments that translate African narratives into contemporary, globally competitive design. The practice is rooted in Nguni cultural references and material exploration, positioning African design heritage within premium residential, hospitality, and institutional markets.
Instagram: @pindadesign

Neimil (Pty) Ltd (Keneilwe Mothoa)
Neimil is a South African fashion and homeware brand rooted in storytelling, craftsmanship, and African heritage. Founded in 2018 by designer and curator Keneilwe Mothoa, the brand reimagines cultural narratives through contemporary silhouettes, sculptural forms, and tactile materials. All products are made locally and in-house, positioning Neimil as a slow-design enterprise that values longevity, cultural integrity, and meaningful production over trend-driven cycles. The fashion line includes structured jackets, dresses, skirts, trousers, and sculptural statement pieces defined by texture, volume, and form. The homeware collection features cushions, vessels, furniture, and décor objects produced using locally sourced materials. In addition to product sales, Neimil delivers curated experiences, installations, and limited B2B services such as styling, art direction, and brand collaborations.
https://neimil.com
Instagram: @neimil

NETA Studio (Katlego Tshuma)
NETA Studio is a Johannesburg-based furniture and creative direction studio that transforms African heritage into contemporary, globally competitive design. Founded by multidisciplinary designer and creative director Katlego Tshuma, the studio operates at the intersection of storytelling, material innovation, and functional design, producing sculptural furniture and visual systems that reflect contemporary African identity
https://neta.studio
Instagram: @neta.studio_za

Sett & Beat (Camila Gillman)
Sett & Beat is a conscious textile design studio producing heirloom, handwoven textiles using responsibly sourced recycled and natural fibres. The studio operates within the sustainable luxury market, serving interior designers, retailers, and private clients locally and internationally.
https://settandbeat.com
Instagram: @sett_and_beat

Wona Collective (Alinafe Malonje)
Wona Collective is a women-led arts collective, design agency, and communications consultancy based in Lilongwe, Malawi. Founded in 2019, the organisation uses art, media, and storytelling to document and amplify the voices of women and marginalised communities, operating at the intersection of feminist practice, cultural production, and social-impact communications.
www.wonacollective.com
Instagram: @wona_collective

Crayon Artel (Edward Wakefield)
Crayon Artel is a fine-craft production house that merges traditional craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing to produce bespoke rugs, sculptures, and objects for the global design market. The company operates a vertically integrated model encompassing design development, digital modelling, artisanal production, advanced manufacturing, and global logistics. Crayon Artel supports artists, galleries, and interior designers from concept through to finished piece, delivering custom works for residential, hospitality, and commercial environments.
Instagram: @crayonartel

Maison Originals (Thandolwethu Mbatha)
Maison Originals is a youth-led South African fashion and design enterprise producing premium, purpose-built workwear for cultural and creative professionals. Founded by entrepreneur and designer Thandolwethu Mbatha, the brand responds to a market gap between industrial uniforms and fashion-led workwear by offering garments that combine durability, functionality, and cultural expression. Maison Originals positions itself within the growing niche of creative-industry workwear, serving artists, designers, makers, and cultural practitioners.
https://maisonoriginals.co.za
Instagram: @maisonoriginals

Awawo Africa (Precious Di Phiri)
Our grandfather, Awawo—pronounced aah-wow, crafted baskets in a small village near the Thuchila River in southern Malawi. Today, we create thoughtfully designed pieces that balance natural beauty with refined simplicity. Each item is carefully handcrafted using selected sustainable materials, guided by an appreciation for longevity, detail, and intentional living.
https://awawoafrica.com
Instagram:@awawo_africa
Facebook: @awawoMalawi

Emotives Africa (Xolela Madlanga)
Emotives Africa is a contemporary African design brand specialising in expressive multimedia prints, patterns, and artworks that are translated across multiple surfaces and products. The business offers bespoke and licensed patterns, fine art prints, fabrics, apparel, wallpaper, murals, ceramics, homeware, and body art. Its work is rooted in African symbolism, textiles, and geometric abstraction, using design as a tool to communicate emotion, identity, and cultural heritage.
https://xolelam.co.za
Instagram: @xolela_madlang

Bambizulu (Sinegugu Ngxongo)
Bambizulu is a contemporary African weaving and design business rooted in indigenous knowledge, producing woven baskets, furniture, and objects while preserving skills and developing innovative designs for global markets.
https://www.bambizulu.com
Instagram:@bambizulu_

Akhada Baskets (Tisungane Thomson)
Akhada Baskets, based in Lilongwe, Malawi, produces a wide range of handcrafted woven products including storage and laundry baskets, flowerpots, placemats, wall hangings, floor mats, handbags, cane chairs, cane tables, and custom designs for homes, shops, hotels, and corporate clients. The business combines traditional Malawian weaving techniques with contemporary design aesthetics and is developing basket-making workshops and cultural experiences as an additional service offering.
https://akhadabaskets.com
Instagram: @akhadabaskets

Fashion:

Ntwana Official PTY LTD (Mikhail Brown)
NTWANA is a South African high-end fashion house exploring African luxury through the lens of contemporary youth culture. Founded by creative director Mikhail Brown in collaboration with Mmiso Luphondo, the brand introduces a refined yet subversive design language that merges elegance with underground influence. NTWANA positions luxury as an attitude rather than an institution, prioritising texture, nuance, and emotional clarity over spectacle.
Instagram: @ntwanaofficial

SWANK JOZI (Lindelani Nedoboni)
SWANK JOZI is a Johannesburg-born streetwear brand using fashion as a medium for creative storytelling and social commentary. Rooted in local street culture, the brand translates South African narratives and global influences into apparel that builds identity, belonging, and community.
https://swankjozi.com
Instagram: @swank_jozi

Thethana (Nkotseng Moleko)
Thethana is a fashion and lifestyle brand rooted in Basotho cultural heritage, specialising in the design and manufacture of women’s apparel and home-styling products. Drawing heavily on seshoeshoe and other African textiles, the brand combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design to create distinctive, export-ready products.
Instagram: @thethana_ls

GUGUBYGUGU (Ntombegugu Peteni)
GUGUBYGUGU is a South African luxury knitwear and textile brand founded by award-winning designer Gugu Peteni. The brand is rooted in sustainable production and is driven by a mission to elevate South African natural fibres—particularly mohair and merino wool—onto the global luxury stage. Through contemporary design, responsible manufacturing, and culturally resonant storytelling, GUGUBYGUGU positions African craftsmanship within international high-fashion markets.
https://www.gugubygugu.com
Instagram: @gugubygugu

Africarise (Thula Sindi)
AfricaRise is your premier destination for an immersive experience in the vibrant world of African fashion. We mainstream the presence of African fashion enterprises and brands within the South African retail spaces. We are dedicated to breaking barriers, championing diversity, and promoting a rich tapestry of styles that reflect the dynamic essence of the African continent.
https://www.africariseonline.co.za
Instagram: @africarisestore
Facebook: @ShopAfricarise

LEO SZN (Kirsten Leo)
LEO SZN is a fashion-focused creative consulting firm providing business, brand, and market-development services to fashion designers and beauty brands across South Africa and the broader SADC region. Founded by Kirsten Leo-Situma, the business addresses structural gaps within the fashion ecosystem by supporting designers to professionalise operations, strengthen brand positioning, and improve market access. LEO SZN positions itself as an intermediary between creative talent and commercial opportunity.
http://www.leoszn.co.za
Instagram: @leosznconsulting

Dr Pachanga (Jean René Tosomba Onyangunga)
Dr Pachanga is a South African fashion and lifestyle brand designing and producing bold, locally made apparel, handbags, and accessories that celebrate individuality, confidence, and African craftsmanship. Operating across three physical retail stores and a growing online platform, the brand combines small-batch production with strong visual storytelling and immersive in-store experiences under its mantra, “Be Bold. Stay Fresh. Love Yourself.”
https://drpachanga.co.za
Instagram: @dr_pachanga

Gadat House (Nompumelelo Nhlapho)
Gadat House is a luxury fashion brand redefining African luxury through intentional design, slow fashion, and multidisciplinary storytelling. The brand produces ready-to-wear and bespoke garments and accessories, using couture-inspired techniques and ethical local production. Fashion is extended into film, music, dance, and visual arts, positioning each collection as a narrative-driven cultural artifact.
https://gadat.co.za/
Instagram: @gadathouse

Xandria (Xandria Chikondi Kawanga)
House of Xandria is a luxury fashion house producing high-end bespoke and ready-to-wear garments for men and women. Founded in Malawi, the brand combines couture craftsmanship with bold African aesthetics and positions itself as a socially conscious fashion brand that promotes empowerment, inclusion, and cultural pride.
Instagram: @iam_xandria

Creative and Cultural Promotion Spaces:

The Sunday Soirée (Timothy Ntilosanje)
The Sunday Soirée is a Malawian experiential entertainment and cultural production company operating at the intersection of art, lifestyle, hospitality, and technology. The business delivers premium, data-driven, and culturally grounded events that activate creative economies and build new forms of community and commerce.
https://thesundaysoiree.com
Instagram: @sundaysoireemw

NarowBi (Kwanda Tangweni)
NarowBi is a Johannesburg-based cultural platform and events company designing high-trust, youth-led spaces where music, art, and dialogue converge. Founded by creative director and cultural curator Kwanda Tangweni, the business focuses on creating intimate, design-led cultural experiences that prioritise community, accessibility, and storytelling over commercial nightlife models. Kids Love Jazz is NarowBi’s flagship live music property, reimagining jazz as a playful, accessible, and youth centred cultural experience. The platform bridges traditional jazz with contemporary youth culture through live performances, poetry, discussions, curated markets, and visual storytelling.
https://narowbi.com
Instagram: @narow_bi

Manipura (PTY) LTD (Nthabiseng Mohanela)
Manipura (Pty) Ltd, operating through its flagship initiative Sound Minds Studios, is a women-led creative enterprise that integrates professional sound production with wellness, mindfulness, and arts-based education. Founded by award-winning sound artist and cultural practitioner Nthabiseng Mohanela, the business addresses critical gaps in Lesotho’s creative ecosystem by providing safe, inclusive, and accessible recording and creative wellness spaces, particularly for women, youth, and emerging artists.
Instagram: @manipura_sethokoa

The One Room Music and Comedy Club owned by One Blood Sound (Nomakhomazi Dewavrin)
One Blood Sound is a black female-owned cultural production company operating at the intersection of film, live music, and creative event management. Founded in 2010, the business has played a central role in developing and sustaining the creative ecosystem in Gqeberha through year-round cultural programming, film production, and venue activation.
https://www.oneblood.co.za
Facebook: @onebloodsound

Love Infinity Media (Noluthando Rotwane)
Love Infinity Media is a female-led creative enterprise focused on audience development, youth employment, and social impact through film, music, and live cultural programming. Founded by filmmaker and project manager Noluthando Rotwane, the company produces platforms that use storytelling as a catalyst for public dialogue, civic education, and employment creation. Its work operates at the intersection of creative production, advocacy, and skills development.
Instagram: @loveinfinitymedia
LinkedIn: Love Infinity Media

Better Yet (Hallie Haller)
Better Yet is a Johannesburg-based creative company developing a transmedia IP expansion model that transforms existing African cultural assets—such as films, books, performances, and artworks—into new revenue-generating formats. These include immersive live experiences, XR and interactive works, merchandise ecosystems, and screen adaptations. The company provides end-to-end support across rights strategy, creative development, production, and international distribution, enabling creators to retain ownership while unlocking long-term economic value.
LinkedIn: Better Yet Creative

Gaming and Interactive Media:

KOTG (Robert Cheleuka)
King Of The Grid (KOTG) is Malawi’s pioneering esports and gaming-technology company, building the foundational infrastructure for the country’s digital creative economy. The business integrates esports tournament production, game development, digital skills training, and ecosystem building to transform gaming from entertainment into a viable pathway for employment, innovation, and cultural export. KOTG operates as both a commercial enterprise and an ecosystem catalyst, formalising a previously informal sector and positioning Malawi within regional and global gaming networks.
https://www.kotg.club
Facebook: @kotgesports
Youtube: @kotgesport

Digital Canvas Academy (Tumelo Selamolela)
Digital Canvas Academy is a Johannesburg-based animation and digital arts organisation operating across training, commissions, and cultural innovation. Through its AR-Animation Mural Activation Initiative, the organisation transforms existing public murals and graffiti into interactive, animated storytelling portals using an augmented reality platform accessible via mobile devices. The model combines AR content creation, immersive cultural tourism experiences, and paid digital livelihoods training for youth animators.
https://digitalcanvasacademy.co.za
Instagram: @canvas_academy
Facebook: @canvasacademyza

Atrybute (Homolang Marule)
Atrybute Graphics operates as a game development and interactive media studio delivering outsourced game production services in Unreal Engine and Unity, certified Unreal Engine training programmes, and proprietary game IP development. The business is also developing mobile arcade installations as an alternative, cash-based distribution and monetisation channel tailored to African consumer markets.
https://www.atrybute.co.za
Instagram: @atrybutegraphics
LinkedIn: Atrybute Graphics

Seven Interactive Limited (Melvin Kalipinde)
Seven Interactive Limited is a Malawian creative technology studio transforming African stories and cultural heritage into immersive games, virtual reality, and interactive digital experiences. The business blends storytelling, gaming, and emerging technologies to create engaging products for entertainment, education, and tourism markets locally and internationally.
https://seven-interactive-ltd.web.app
Facebook: @7.interactive

Novelphyte Momentum (Rufaro Magara)
Novelphyte Momentum is a technology solutions company offering AI, data engineering, and immersive XR development. Our immersive XR experience division creates culturally grounded experiences integrating psychology, storytelling, and immersive interaction to support mental well-being, confidence-building, and emotional resilience. We develop tools addressing imposter syndrome, performance anxiety, and workplace wellbeing for educational institutions, therapy practices, and corporate wellness programmes.
https://linktr.ee/justrmag

Vetkoek Studios (Mamello Raboroko)
Vetkoek Studios is a Johannesburg-based independent game development and animation studio specialising in vibrant, optimised representations of African experiences. The studio creates original games and interactive content that blend entertainment, cultural storytelling, and accessible gameplay for global audiences.
https://vetkoekstudios.co.za
Instagram: @vetkoek_studios
TikTok: @vetkoek_studios
LinkedIn: Vetkoek Studios

Mokhaarts Animation Studios (Thato Mokhali)
Mokhaarts Animation Studios (MAS) is Lesotho’s first fully operational animation studio, dedicated to producing high-fidelity 2D and 3D animated content rooted in Basotho history, folklore, and contemporary African storytelling. Founded by animator and technical director Thato Mokhali and visual artist Mathabang Monethi, the studio combines technical excellence with indigenous cultural knowledge to serve both local communication needs and the global demand for African intellectual property.
https://www.mokhaarts.com
Instagram: @mokhaarts_studios

Glitch Portal (Thabang Sizwe Zulu)
Glitch Portal is an award-recognised African game studio creating culturally authentic, accessible, and socially impactful games rooted in South African storytelling for local and global audiences.
https://www.glitchportalza.com
Instagram: @glitchportalza

Film, Television and Animation:

Lincoln Green Media (Kudakwashe ‘Kudi’ Maradzika)
Lincoln Green Media (LGM) is an award-winning female-led African production company crafting bold narratives across film and television. It was founded in 2022 by award-winning screenwriter, producer, and former Executive Producer at Paramount Africa, Kudi Maradzika. Lincoln Green Media operates across South Africa and Zimbabwe and is focused on the development and production of original, globally exportable African stories for film and television, most notably creating Bad Influencer for Netflix Africa. UKO is Lincoln Green Media’s IP studio and distribution arm, dedicated to the development, scaling, and circulation of intellectual property across film, series, publishing, and digital platforms. Through UKO, the company advances ownership-first African IP and builds structured pathways from Zimbabwean and Southern African storytelling to international markets, supporting both in-house and selected external projects.
https://www.lincolngreenmedia.com/
Instagram: @lincolngreenmedia

VISIONFX (Pty) Ltd (Nezile Ntutha)
VisionFX is a South Africa-based specialist visual effects and on-set data services company operating in a high-demand, low-supply niche within the global film and television production industry. The company provides advanced technical services to large-scale international productions shooting in South Africa, supporting both on-set capture and post-production workflows.
https://visionfx.co.za/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7699140/

Wormwood Pictures and Entertainment (Tshepho Gath Movundlela)
Wormwood Pictures & Entertainment is an established film and video production company with over ten years’ experience producing and distributing content for national broadcasters and video-on-demand platforms. In 2025, the company expanded its business model to include its own ad-supported streaming platform, Township Cinema, and an online Learner Management System (LMS) focused on film and video production skills.
http://www.wormwoodpictures.com/
Instagram: @wormwoodpictures

Lets Play Outside (Mpumelelo Mfula)
Lets Play Outside Creatives is a youth-focused creative education and audiovisual organisation that uses filmmaking and storytelling as tools for community development, skills transfer, and youth entrepreneurship. Founded by researcher and filmmaker Mpumelelo Mfula, the organisation operates mainly within public high school and complimentary public spaces to serve community through delivering structured extracurricular programmes that develop critical thinking, communication, and creative production skills among teenagers.
Instagram: @lpo_s
Facebook: @letsplayoutsidesa
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@letsplayoutside7397

Visual & Performing Arts:

Maboneng Township Arts Experience (Siphiwe Ngwenya)
Maboneng Township Arts Experience is a pioneering cultural tourism organisation that transforms township and rural homes into living galleries, cinemas, and creative hubs. Founded by cultural entrepreneur Siphiwe Ngwenya, the organisation operates at the intersection of arts, tourism, and community development, creating sustainable livelihoods while repositioning African heritage as a driver of inclusive economic growth and global cultural exchange.
https://www.maboneng.com/
Linktree: @mabonengarts

BKhz (Banele Khoza)
BKhz is an artist-led contemporary art gallery and cultural platform providing exhibition space, market access, and professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists, with a strong focus on queer, marginalised, and underrepresented voices. The curatorial approach prioritises immersive, narrative-driven exhibitions informed by artists’ studios and imaginative worlds. The gallery delivers curated exhibitions, editioned artworks, bespoke commissions, and limited merchandise, alongside advisory services and space hire.
https://www.bkhz.art
Instagram: @bkhz

Canvas Capital (Motlhoki Nono)
Canvas Capital is a cultural finance and art-market access platform that facilitates art-focused stokvels (rotational collective savings groups) for the purchase of contemporary artworks. Operating as an art broker and stokvel administrator, the business enables groups of collectors to pool monthly contributions over a 12-month cycle, democratising access to art ownership while generating consistent demand for local artists. In addition to art acquisition, Canvas Capital provides educational, cultural, and advisory programming that supports long-term collecting practices.
https://www.canvascapital.co.za
Instagram: @ccstokvel

Dazzling Performing Arts (Thobeka Dlongolo)
Dazzling Performing Arts (also known as Dazzling Kidz) is a children’s performing arts academy delivering structured, high-quality weekly workshops in singing, drama, and dance for children aged 5–12. The programme operates primarily through partnerships with primary schools and culminates in professionally staged end-of-year concerts. In addition to school-based workshops, the organisation offers choreography, directing, and production support for school productions, with planned expansion into holiday camps and weekend programmes.
https://www.dazzlingkidz.co.za

Music:

Music Business Lab (Ninel Musson)
Music Business Lab (MBL) is a specialist African music-industry education and capacity-building enterprise focused on developing the professional teams behind successful artists. Founded by music executive, culture investor, and ecosystem builder Ninel Musson, MBL delivers university-certified short courses, Masterclass series, and its flagship MBL Bootcamp (pre-incubation) an applied learning sprint combining industry education, business coaching, case studies, mentorship, and portfolio development. Programmes cover the global recorded music industry, artist management, publishing and rights administration, marketing, data, contracts, and entrepreneurship. MBL also provides market access opportunities for alumni
https://musicbusinesslab.africa
Instagram: @music_business_lab

Fanbase Africa Pty Ltd t/a MERCHBASE(Jermaine Michael Charles)
Fanbase Africa is a creator-owned digital and physical monetisation ecosystem designed to address structural barriers faced by African musicians and cultural producers. The business operates through two integrated platforms: MERCHBASE, a zero inventory merchandise production and fulfilment engine; and ENKORE, a mobile-first fan engagement and data platform. Together, these platforms enable artists to monetise audiences directly, retain ownership of fan data, and eliminate inventory and distribution risk.
https://merchbaseafrica.com

Digital Media:

Johannesburg in Your Pocket (Laurice Taitz-Buntman)
In Your Pocket City Guides is an independent cultural media and digital publishing company that documents, curates, and amplifies Johannesburg’s cultural, creative, and tourism ecosystem. Through Johannesburg In Your Pocket, the business delivers trusted, hyperlocal storytelling that connects residents, visitors, and businesses with the city’s neighbourhoods, cultural venues, creative practitioners, and experiences. The company operates at the intersection of journalism, cultural research, destination marketing, and digital storytelling.
https://www.inyourpocket.com/johannesburg
Instagram: @johannesburginyourpocket

iQHAWE Media (Renaé Mangena)
iQHAWE Media is a woman-led creative agency and publishing platform that produces iQHAWE Magazine and the exhibition led photography collective everything in; out. The business operates at the intersection of editorial publishing, digital storytelling, cultural research, and physical exhibition-making, with a core mandate to document, archive, and amplify contemporary African creative practice. Through both digital and physical formats, iQHAWE Media bridges the gap between emerging creatives, audiences, and brands seeking culturally resonant engagement.
https://iqhawemagazine.com
Instagram: @iqhawemagazine

Grapefruit Gardens (Siyabonga Mkholo)
Grapefruit Gardens is a media-tech company developing a hybrid distribution and talent-development platform for the African film and television industry. The business bridges the gap between emerging (‘Tier 3’) filmmakers and professional (‘Tier 2’) careers by combining curated physical showcases with a scalable digital marketplace for video-on-demand (VOD), merchandise, and B2B production services.
https://www.grapefruitgardens.com
Instagram: @grapefruit_gardens

Publishing:

Bridge Books (Griffin Shea)
Bridge Books is a Johannesburg-based independent bookstore, publisher, and literary platform dedicated to African literature, particularly works in African languages. Operating from the inner city, the business combines retail bookselling, small-scale publishing, editorial services, and community-based literary programming. In addition to its commercial activities, Bridge Books operates closely with its non-profit arm, the African Book Trust, which supports libraries, literacy initiatives, and access to books in underserved communities.
https://www.bridgebooks.co.za
Instagram: @bridgebooks
Facebook: @bridgebooksCBD
TikTok: @bridgebooks
YouTube: @bridgebooks

Bohlokoa Media Company (publisher of Lesotho Tribune), (Phafane Nkotsi)
Lesotho Tribune is a digital and print media platform delivering journalism, analysis, and commentary with a strong emphasis on data-driven reporting and economic analysis. In addition to editorial content, the business offers multimedia production services including podcasts, video explainers, livestreaming, sponsored content, and corporate storytelling for commercial and institutional clients.
https://www.lesothotribune.co.ls
Facebook: @Lesotho Tribune
X: @LesothoTribune
YouTube: @lesothotribune2881

Cultural Heritage:

Pan African Media Hub (By Canvus and Moments), Kagiso Latane
The Pan-African Media Hub is a hybrid production, digitisation, and training enterprise dedicated to preserving Africa’s audiovisual heritage while producing contemporary African content for local and global audiences. The Hub combines over three decades of archival material from Moments Entertainment with Canvus Productions’ post-production expertise to create a future-facing African media institution rooted in cultural preservation, skills development, and digital innovation.
Instagram: @canvuspost

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Création Africa 2: Top 50 announced!