Digital dreams take flight: Liquid SA celebrates youth tech trailblazers
- Staff Writer
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
By Staff Writer
Liquid Intelligent Technologies South Africa, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has marked a major milestone with the graduation of 20 young entrepreneurs from its flagship Youth Tech Entrepreneurship Programme.
Designed to address youth unemployment through digital skills training and startup support, the year-long initiative is currently active in the Eastern Cape and North West Province.
The recent graduation ceremony featured a pitchathon where four standout tech startups presented their innovations to a panel of industry experts.
Ziaad Suleman, CEO of Cassava Technologies for South Africa and Botswana, revealed that ProLink, a digital platform that connects users with verified contractors in Mthatha, clinched the top prize of R100 000 in seed funding and a 12-month business support package.
“This programme proves the impact of investing intentionally in South Africa’s youth. By equipping young people with future-fit skills and entrepreneurial capabilities, we empower them not just to participate in the digital economy, but to shape it,” he said.
ProLink’s success is already making a difference on the ground, having created two new employment opportunities in its early stages. Other promising ventures included Otomex Innovations, which uses AI to promote mental wellness. The Eye of Tech, focused on delivering digital skills to rural communities and HerdTrace, a female-led agritech platform, is revolutionising livestock management.
The programme, in partnership with Deviare, provided participants with MICTSETA-accredited training in artificial intelligence and software development. It also offered extensive pre-incubation support to help transform ideas into commercially viable businesses. Additionally, all the pitching startups received Microsoft Azure credits through the Microsoft Founders Hub.
Valencia Risaba, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Liquid South Africa, highlighted that this graduation and pitchathon represent the unlocking of potential and the enabling of a generation of digital entrepreneurs. “These young innovators are building scalable solutions with the potential to impact communities across the continent,” she said.
Risaba added that the impact extends beyond individual startups. “Okuhle Badli, COO of Otomex Innovations and founder of Nhanha Technologies, has been appointed Co-Chair for AI, Digital Innovation, Education, and Future of Work for Y20 South Africa 2025, the G20’s official youth engagement platform.”
She underscored that Liquid’s initiative stands as a beacon of commitment to empowering youth through technology and entrepreneurship, driving both innovation and inclusive growth.
