Grade 12 students tackled challenges ranging from unemployment and education to food insecurity and sustainability under the theme, “A matter of impact: Building Africa’s future together!”
Nova Pioneer Grade 12 students from across their campuses in Gauteng took to the stage at Nova Talks 2026 on Friday, 31 July, presenting ideas aimed at tackling some of the challenges facing young people, communities and the continent.
Held at the Premier Hotel Conference Centre in Midrand, this year’s Nova Talks centred on the theme “A matter of impact: Building Africa’s future together!” and gave students the opportunity to present their thinking to a public audience and a panel of leaders from business and industry.
Nova Talks is an annual event that brings Grade 12 Novaneers together to share their visions and innovations. It forms part of Nova Pioneer’s broader Innovation and Leadership programme, which is designed to move learning beyond theory by challenging students to engage with authentic problems, develop ideas and communicate those ideas beyond the classroom.
Nine student groups presented at the 2026 event, exploring a wide range of issues. Their talks included turning clothing waste into value, rethinking the role of business in creating social impact, improving young people’s preparation for life beyond school, fighting food insecurity, expanding access to career exposure and examining the role individuals can play in creating change rather than waiting for others to act.
Harvest Café takes top honours
The Harvest Café, represented by Kgomotso Chakela and Mphini Chauke, was named the overall winner for its talk, “If we all waited for government, nothing would change.”
The students explored how limited access to education, unemployment, poverty and homelessness can reinforce one another and proposed a sustainable café model designed to address several of these challenges at once. Under their concept, customer meals would help fund community meals while the business would create employment and work experience and reinvest profits into education.
At the heart of their presentation was a shift from asking why somebody else had not solved a problem to asking how individuals and communities could become part of the solution – a message closely aligned with the evening’s focus on impact and Africa’s future.
Career Cloak, presented by Tshiamo Rakgetse, Candice Dube and Mihlali Mdunge, placed second. Their concept focused on safely connecting high school students with verified professionals for job-shadowing experiences, helping young people gain real exposure to the careers they are considering.
The First Investor, represented by Mamello Lushozi, took third place with the talk “Fake it till you make it.”
Students put their ideas before industry leaders
The student presentations were considered by a four-person judging panel comprising Zibusiso Mkhwanazi, CEO of M&N Brands and Co-Founder of Avatar; Mamello Selamolela, Partner at Boston Consulting Group; Nozipho Tshabalala, CEO of The Conversation Strategists and Menzi Nkambule, a Nova Pioneer Class of 2019 alumnus and Risk & Regulation Associate at PwC South Africa.
The format reflects one of the principles behind Nova Talks: young people should have opportunities not only to develop ideas, but to articulate them clearly, put them before an audience and engage with the kind of questions and feedback they will encounter beyond school. “Nova Talks challenges students to go beyond identifying the problems they see around them. We want them to ask what they can do about those problems, develop a thoughtful response and have the confidence to put their ideas into the world. The ideas presented this year demonstrated what is possible when young people are given both the skills and the platform to see themselves as active participants in building Africa’s future” shared Nneamaka Eziukwu, Director of Schools.
From EcoCloth’s exploration of clothing waste and Nualora’s focus on preparing teenagers for life beyond academics, to Healthy Wheels, ZamaTalks and The Impact Project, the evening showcased students applying their learning to issues that matter to them and their communities.
For Nova Pioneer, the event is ultimately less about finding one winning idea than developing young people who are prepared to think critically, communicate confidently and recognise their own ability to contribute to the world around them.
