What if the next big solution to Africa’s toughest challenges is already here – waiting not in a lab, but in a conversation? That idea came to life when researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs gathered at
SWEAT Africa, an event designed not for polished pitches, but for turning bold ideas into real-world action. Among those in attendance was
Palesa Mgaga, Intellectual Property Officer in the
Directorate Research Development at the University of the Free State (UFS).
“I attended SWEAT Africa 2026 to connect with a vibrant ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers who are actively shaping Africa’s future,” she explains. For Mgaga, whose work focuses on protecting intellectual property and translating university discoveries into usable products and businesses, the event offered something that academia often lacks – immediate, hands-on collaboration.
She describes the experience as stepping out of the traditional academic environment into a space centred on active collaboration and real problem-solving. Ideas were not simply discussed; they were tested, challenged, and refined in real time. That ethos mirrors the broader mission of the Knowledge Enterprise at the UFS, which oversees technology transfer, commercialisation, and venture development – ensuring that research does not end with publication but continues until it reaches the people and markets that need it most.
A key part of the Knowledge Enterprise at the UFS was hosting a side event showcasing a portfolio of student ventures and emerging UFS technologies, demonstrating how innovation can move from the lab bench to the marketplace. “These ranged from the African Medicines Innovations and Technologies Development (AMITD) initiative, which advances validated African traditional medicines, to Waste2Gold, which turns urban waste into valuable resources through environmentally responsible mining methods,” she explains.
The showcase also featured next-generation sustainable materials such as EcoBond and SteelStrengthWood, cutting-edge engineered carbon materials, local manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients through SMI Pharmaceuticals, and Biorionx, whose pioneering platform uses exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells for advanced biomedical applications.
What struck Mgaga most was the way people actively came together to solve problems. “The idea of ‘showing up, leaning in, and working together’ wasn’t just words, it was how the event ran,” she says. Investors, entrepreneurs, creatives, and institutional support teams quickly formed working groups, sharing insight and converting discussion into practical next steps.
One discussion that stayed with her focused on de-risking innovation – not only through capital, but also by strengthening operational capability, governance, and team alignment. “Thinking about support in this way, focusing on the day-to-day realities of making an idea work, aligns closely with our role within the Knowledge Enterprise at the UFS to help innovations grow and succeed,” she notes.
However, Mgaga is clear-eyed about a persistent structural gap in Africa’s innovation ecosystem: funding the so-called valley of death. “There remains an urgent need for appropriately structured early-stage funding,” she cautions. “Too often, funders attempt to de-risk by either funding inadequately at the earliest stages – leaving ventures undercapitalised – or by only entering once a business is post-revenue. That leaves many high-potential innovations stranded between proof-of-concept and commercial viability.”
She argues that this gap cannot be solved by capital alone. What is needed is patient, milestone-based funding paired with hands-on technical, regulatory, and commercial support – the kind of support that allows innovations to mature to a point where traditional investors are willing to engage. “Without that bridge, we risk losing exactly the kind of solutions Africa needs most,” she adds.
The format of the event also challenged traditional academic norms. With no formal stage presentations, participants engaged in open discussions and workshops that encouraged honesty, iteration, and shared problem-solving. Mgaga says the experience reinforced the idea that the physical and cultural spaces we create for collaboration are just as important as funding or laboratory infrastructure.
Her message to emerging researchers and student entrepreneurs is clear: relationships matter. “Your network is only as valuable as the effort you put into it. Don’t just collect business cards, build meaningful relationships.” At SWEAT Africa, she learned that the most valuable moments often come from candid, challenging conversations that push people to think bigger and focus on practical steps to make their ideas work.
Looking ahead, Mgaga believes that young innovators need two things above all else: the ability to translate complex research into clear, compelling value propositions, and what she calls the ‘mindset of a fixer’ – moving from studying a problem to actively building tools, systems, or processes that solve it. In an ecosystem shaped by collaboration, that mindset may well define the next wave of African innovation.