At Koa Academy, we’re passionate about turning ideas into action. Our 2025 Online Entrepreneurship Challenge, an engaging, real-world project offered in both English and Afrikaans and proudly accredited by Pranary Business School, invited young people aged 9 to 16 to step into the world of business and innovation.
Over five action-packed weeks, participants were guided through a step-by-step process to develop, refine, and launch a real business. Along the way, they joined weekly coaching sessions and met with experienced mentors to receive live feedback to sharpen their strategies and build confidence ahead of their final pitch. Those who completed the challenge also earned a Level 1 Entrepreneurship Certificate accredited by Pranary Business School – a meaningful recognition of their effort and learning.
The programme covered everything from identifying a real-world problem, developing a solution, and turning it into a profitable venture. By the end, our young entrepreneurs weren’t just dreaming big – they were ready to pitch their business to a panel of real-life business experts, with some big prizes up for grabs!
It was inspiring. It was fun. And it reminded us of why we do what we do.
The Big Day: Demo Day and the Final Pitch
Demo Day was packed with inspiration as the finalists of our Entrepreneurship Challenge presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, and they were phenomenal. Their pitches were a powerful reminder of what young people can achieve when given the right tools and support.
Sandras Phiri, Founder & CEO of Pranary, shares, “What I enjoyed most about the Koa Entrepreneurship Challenge was seeing young minds tackle real business problems with such creativity and determination. At Pranary, we believe in practical, hands-on learning, and this challenge perfectly embodies that approach – watching these entrepreneurs go from idea to pitch was truly inspiring.”
After careful consideration by our judges, here’s how the finalists placed:
First Place:
Nia Kinuthia, 15, with Nani Knits
A sustainable crochet brand offering handmade items at affordable prices. Nia walked away with a R3500 cash prize from Koa Academy and a 45-minute one-on-one business consultation with an experienced coach from Orangje Consulting.
“When I first started, I was afraid to share my idea—more specifically, I was afraid of failing. But I did what I always do: I faked it till I made it! I presented during the first class, despite how nervous I was. I put on a smile and did more research to gain confidence in my idea. As I continued, I noticed that after every presentation—and after receiving comprehensive, constructive criticism that helped me grow—my instructors encouraged me. This pushed me to keep going.
After a while, I found myself forgetting why I had been afraid in the first place and instead looking forward to talking with my instructors. Every call encouraged accountability; every lesson inspired me to keep going. That’s what I loved most: the teachers, the accountability, and the confidence they had in me.” – Nia
Second Place:
Sere Kiteto, 15, with Solani
A natural skincare brand that avoids synthetic ingredients. Sere received a R1000 cash prize from Inteligro and a R2000 Adbot voucher to put towards marketing.
“My experience with the Koa entrepreneurship challenge was both enlightening and valuable. I started to analyze the world with the eyes of opportunity. I started to realize that everywhere, a business is essential for our world to succeed. I’ve learned so much valuable knowledge that has enabled me to grow in so many ways. Much thanks to Koa!” – Sere
Third Place:
Anna & Cleopatra Achiambo, 11 & 14, with Snacks by Sissies
Delicious, homemade Chin-Chin, the beloved West African snack. This sister duo was awarded a R500 cash prize from Inteligro.
“I enjoyed learning how to pitch our business. Now I am more confident about sharing our business with people from different backgrounds.” – Cleopatra
“I enjoyed the guidance from mentors who understand the challenges of starting a business and gave suggestions on how to handle them.” – Anna
Fourth Place:
Ilhaam Hoosen, 15, with Writewell
A business offering writing classes and literary consulting for young authors. Ilhaam won a 45-minute one-on-one coaching session with Iridium Business Solutions.
“I really enjoyed the learning, growing and developing my skills as an entrepreneur. Everywhere I looked, was problems and solutions discovered and waiting to be discovered. Thank you everyone, for giving us this experience and being so passionate about it. Your enthusiasm made me want to work hard and to become an entrepreneur.” – Ilhaam
Fifth Place:
Kyle Du Preez, 15, with QuadMotion Cycles
A four-wheeled off-road bicycle featuring a rock-crawler-grade suspension. Kyle was awarded a custom logo design by The Creative Lab.
“I found it most interesting to be able to present my business idea and designs that I have compiled to a live audience and to get objective feedback and questions from them.” – Kyle
A huge congratulations to all our participants. Each of them brought creativity, courage, and commitment to the challenge, and we were so proud of how far they came over the five weeks.
Why We Love Doing This
At Koa, we love creating real-world learning opportunities like the Entrepreneurship Challenge, and there are a few big reasons why.
First, there’s the joy of helping young people build critical skills they can use in their own lives. From learning how to launch a business to thinking critically about the world around them, this challenge equips participants with essential knowledge and tools that go far beyond the classroom. It’s about empowering kids to take action, solve real problems, and grow in confidence as they do it.
Then there are the soft skills – the kind that really matter in the real world. Throughout the challenge, learners practise communicating clearly, collaborating with others, thinking critically, and solving complex problems. These are the skills that help young people thrive, no matter what path they take in the future.
And finally, we love what this challenge represents about online learning. Thanks to the flexibility and reach of online learning, we’re able to bring exciting, high-quality experiences like this to anyone with an internet connection. It’s a powerful reminder that learning doesn’t have to be limited by location. The Entrepreneurship Challenge is just one example of how online learning can break down barriers and open doors, and that’s something we’re proud to be part of.
What This Means for South Africa
Entrepreneurship matters – not just for individuals, but for entire communities and our country as a whole. Fostering entrepreneurial thinking in South Africa, from a young age, is one of the most powerful ways we can drive meaningful change.
The Entrepreneurship Challenge gives young people more than just a chance to dream – it gives them the tools to take action. By learning how to spot problems, develop solutions, and launch real ventures, participants begin to see how they can generate income for themselves and make a difference in the world around them. It’s a snowball effect: one small business can uplift a family, a community, even a local economy.
But the impact goes beyond entrepreneurship alone. The skills taught through this challenge, problem-solving, resilience, collaboration, and communication, are universally valuable. Mark, Koa Academy’s Co-founder and Principal, explains, “Whether a learner grows up to be a doctor, engineer, artist, or teacher, having a strong set of soft skills increases their chances to succeed in life and empowers them to make a positive impact on their community and society. That is why teaching these skills from a young age is so important.”
In many ways, this programme also pushes back against the limitations of a traditional education system that often focuses on rote learning and memorisation. Real learning happens when young people are given the freedom to explore, try, fail, reflect, and try again. And that’s exactly what the Entrepreneurship Challenge encourages. It helps young individuals reframe failure as part of the process, and that shift in mindset is vital for any kind of growth.
The Judges and Sponsors
A huge thank you to our Entrepreneurship Challenge judges for taking the time to share your experience and insight. Your involvement helped make this an unforgettable and meaningful opportunity for our learners. We were honoured to have Sandras Phiri, Founder and CEO of Pranary; Majozi, Head of Arts & Culture at Koa Academy; Faure Heyman, Head of Merchandising, Promotions and Catalogue at Takealot; and Sasha Knott, Global CEO of Crystal AI and CEO of Job Crystal, on our judging panel.
To our sponsors – Orangje Consulting, Inteligro, Adbot, Iridium Business Solutions, and The Creative Lab – thank you for your incredible support and for providing such exciting prizes! Your contribution added a layer of real-world impact and celebration that made this challenge even more special.
And This Is Just the Beginning…
We’re already thinking about how to make the next challenge even better. We loved seeing learners from different backgrounds coming together to share ideas, learn new skills, and cheer each other on. The collaboration, creativity, and energy were palpable!
