20 South African innovators named as finalists in the 2026 SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards

From AI-powered tutoring and smarter water monitoring to locally manufactured prosthetics and new ways of financing township businesses, 20 South African innovators have been selected as finalists in the 2026 SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards.

The finalists, selected from innovators across the country, are developing practical responses to challenges in education, healthcare, water security, housing, financial inclusion, mobility and economic participation for persons with disabilities.

Fourteen finalists have been selected for the Social Innovation Awards, with a further six selected for the Disability Empowerment Awards. The winners will be announced at the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards in Johannesburg on 15 October 2026.

Among this year’s Social Innovation Awards finalists is BuddyAI, which uses WhatsApp and artificial intelligence to provide personalised, curriculum-aligned tutoring to learners from Grade 1 to 12. BLUE LAB has developed a portable toolkit that allows water quality to be tested without conventional laboratory facilities, while LolaGreen is transforming soil and recycled plastic waste into affordable, energy-efficient homes.

Other finalists are focused on improving access to financial services for South Africa’s informal and small-business sector. Hustle to Business uses digital payments and alternative credit scoring to help informal traders establish financial track records, while the Township Retail Finance Scheme uses transaction data to give spaza shops and informal retailers an alternative route to working capital.

Healthcare innovations range from locally developed wound-care technology and remote cardiac monitoring to platforms designed to improve patient support and access to medical transport.

The Social Innovation Awards identify and support entrepreneurs developing innovative, sustainable solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges, with the potential to reach more people and create meaningful economic and social impact.

The six Disability Empowerment Awards finalists demonstrate a similarly practical approach to inclusion, spanning assistive technology, mobility, entrepreneurship and employment.

NAVU Mobility has developed an affordable, locally manufactured prosthetic knee with replaceable modular components, while the Pneumatic Prosthetic Foot uses compressed air to help lower-limb amputees walk with less effort. The Lita Chair provides assistive seating for children with movement and sensory challenges.

Economic participation is another strong theme. nXtABLED combines accessible entrepreneurship training and business support with a marketplace for disability-owned businesses. Shumela Hayani enables persons with disabilities to become greenhouse farmers and cooperative business owners, while Wheels of Change provides practical skills and enterprise opportunities across areas including textile production, catering, farming and wheelchair repairs.

The Disability Empowerment Awards, co-funded by the SAB Foundation and DEC Trust, recognise innovations that improve the lives of persons with disabilities and expand opportunities for independence, participation and economic inclusion.

“Having had the opportunity to engage with this year’s finalists as a judge, I was encouraged by the quality of the innovations and how closely they respond to the everyday experiences and needs of persons with disabilities,” says Nyameka Mqikela, CEO of DEC Trust.

“For DEC Trust, increasing the participation of persons with disabilities and supporting initiatives that deliver visible and measurable impact are important priorities. Our partnership with the SAB Foundation on the Disability Empowerment Awards gives us an opportunity to contribute to solutions that can strengthen independence, economic participation and inclusion. We look forward to seeing how these innovators continue to develop their solutions and extend their impact.”

The finalists have completed a development workshop and presented their innovations as part of the final judging process ahead of the October awards.

2026 Social Innovation Awards finalists

BuddyAI
BuddyAI is a WhatsApp-based AI tutoring platform that provides personalised, curriculum-aligned learning support to Grade 1 to 12 learners through multilingual tutoring, exam preparation, adaptive quizzes and instant feedback.

BLUE LAB
BLUE LAB is a portable water-quality monitoring toolkit that makes field testing faster, simpler and more affordable for municipalities, schools, environmental practitioners and communities. By detecting bacterial contamination and key water-quality indicators without conventional laboratory facilities, it enables earlier action to protect water sources and public health.

Clinch Health
Clinch Health is a nurse-led digital patient support platform that helps patients manage their treatment after leaving a healthcare facility.

Greenpulse Micro Electric Mobility Systems
Greenpulse combines electric mobility, renewable energy and local manufacturing to make affordable transport more accessible.

Hustle to Business
Hustle to Business is a fintech platform that helps informal traders and small businesses build financial track records and access financial services. By combining digital payments, alternative credit scoring, financial literacy and funding opportunities, it helps entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses.

Integrated Water Quality & Leakage Intelligence
Webotec’s Integrated Water Quality & Leakage Intelligence solution combines smart leak detection, water-quality monitoring and AI-powered anomaly detection to help identify leaks, bursts and possible contamination in real time. The programme also provides youth with practical skills in installation, maintenance, resource efficiency and innovation development.

Inclusive Laptop Subscriptions for Students
ElektroPlug makes laptops accessible to students who cannot afford the upfront cost of a device or qualify for traditional credit. Its interest-free subscription model uses banking data to assess affordability, while returned laptops are refurbished and reissued, expanding access to educational technology and reducing electronic waste.

Lola Houses from Earth and Plastic Waste
Developed by Lola Green, Lola Houses transforms locally sourced soil and recycled plastic waste into affordable, durable homes. The low-carbon construction system reduces reliance on conventional building materials and waste sent to landfill while creating more energy-efficient homes.

NuvionDerm™
Developed by MagiTech Science, NuvionDerm™ is an advanced wound-care solution using donated human placental tissue to support the body’s natural healing process. Designed for chronic wounds, burns, ulcers and surgical wounds, it is building local manufacturing capability while providing an alternative to costly imported wound-care products.

Shovebike Township Green Mobility Platform
Shovebike is a township-focused electric mobility platform using e-bikes to make transport and delivery services more affordable and accessible in underserved communities. It combines e-bikes, charging infrastructure and digital fleet management to support township businesses and create earning opportunities for youth.

Sprout – Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education
Sprout is a bilingual digital learning platform for Grade R to 3 learners, teaching mathematics and life skills in both their home language and English. Aligned with the CAPS curriculum and able to work offline, it makes learning support accessible in schools with limited connectivity while helping educators track learner progress.

TeleDoctorSA Remote Cardiac & Digital Health
TeleDoctorSA brings healthcare and ongoing patient monitoring into the home through telemedicine, electronic medical records and wearable ECG technology. It supports people living with chronic and cardiovascular conditions, as well as stroke-related disabilities and mobility challenges.

Township Retail Finance Scheme
Developed by Two Cent Solutions, the Township Retail Finance Scheme gives spaza shop owners and informal retailers an alternative route to working capital by using sales and transaction data to assess creditworthiness. It combines inventory financing, point-of-sale tools and access to major distribution networks.

2026 Disability Empowerment Awards finalists

Lita Chair
The Lita Chair is an assistive seating solution designed to support children with movement and sensory challenges. Its distinctive rocking motion supports therapeutic positioning while allowing natural movement and comfort.

NAVU Mobility
NAVU Mobility’s NK Gen-1 is an affordable, locally manufactured prosthetic knee designed for above-knee amputees. Its modular design allows components to be replaced individually, reducing costs while improving mobility, stability and independence.

nXtABLED
nXtABLED is an entrepreneurship platform created for persons with disabilities, combining accessible skills training, mentorship and business support. Its online marketplace connects disability-owned businesses with customers, funders and partners.

Pneumatic Prosthetic Foot
The Pneumatic Prosthetic Foot is an affordable, semi-active prosthetic designed to help lower-limb amputees walk more naturally with less effort. Using compressed air to provide active push-off power, it reduces fatigue and improves gait while making advanced prosthetic technology more accessible through local manufacturing.

Shumela Hayani
Shumela Hayani, meaning “Work for Home”, is an inclusive agribusiness programme enabling persons with disabilities to become greenhouse farmers and cooperative business owners. It combines accredited agricultural training, enterprise development and access to formal markets.

Wheels of Change Inclusive Enterprise Hub
Wheels of Change creates economic opportunities for persons with disabilities through its “Train-Produce-Trade-Sustain” model. Participants gain practical skills and enterprise experience across textile production, catering, farming and wheelchair repairs.