Nova Pioneer Schools for Innovators and Leaders hosted its fifth Alumni Summit, bringing together Novaneers across South Africa and Kenya for a day of reflection, connection and conversation
Nova Pioneer Schools for Innovators and Leaders hosted its fifth Alumni Summit on Saturday, 1 August 2026, under the theme “The People We Are Becoming.” Novaneers joined the virtual summit before Ormonde-based alumni continued the celebration in person on campus, with Kenyan alumni marking the occasion locally too.
This year’s theme invited every alumnus to consider not just where they have been since leaving Nova Pioneer, but who they are becoming next – a fitting frame for a network now five reunions deep.
A Morning of Reflection and Insight
The summit opened with welcome remarks from Christopher Khaemba, Founder and Director of Nova Pioneer, followed by an Opening Keynote conversation with James Mwangi, Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures, on the mindsets shaping his career and the role young Africans can play in building a more resilient continent.
Alumni reconnected over rounds of Speed Dating before an Alumni Panel, moderated by Tyrone Jabali, saw panellists including Ungowakho Madolo and Happy Omar speak candidly about leadership, identity and the confidence it takes to step into a room before you feel ready.
An hour of Master Class Workshops followed, giving alumni the chance to choose from sessions spanning leadership, climate and public health, AI and the digital workforce, and finance and innovation strategy, led by facilitators including James Karongo Kuria and Dr Caroline Marete.
Celebrating Alumni Excellence
This year’s Summit also introduced the Alumni of the Year Awards, recognising outstanding Novaneers across South Africa and Kenya for innovation, academic excellence, leadership and business impact.
Jabu Mtwa, Class of 2019, was named South Africa’s Alumni of the Year, in recognition of his leadership, innovation and commitment to using sport as a catalyst for economic opportunity across Africa. An International Olympic Committee Young Leader and leader of the Ithuba Lethu Sports Hub, Jabu is empowering young Africans through sport-driven employment and leadership initiatives, and co-hosts the award-winning Africa Business of Sport Podcast.
Reflecting on the event, Jabu shared, “I found the NP Alumni Summit really meaningful, especially seeing the theme “The People We Are Becoming” come to life through the stories and journeys shared throughout the day. I’m incredibly grateful to have been recognised as Alumni of the Year, and to be celebrated by a community that has played such an important role in my journey. It was a special reminder that becoming is a continuous process, one which I am still at a very early stage of”.
Closing Conversation and Remarks
The Closing Keynote featured brothers John and Mike Burns, Co-Founders of The Burns Brothers, sharing their own “story of becoming” and reflecting on purpose, credibility and Africa’s creative economy as a genuine answer to youth unemployment.
Nneamaka Eziukwu, Director of Schools at Nova Pioneer South Africa, gave the Summit’s closing remarks. “Every Alumni Summit is a reminder that the work we do in our classrooms today shapes the people our continent will need tomorrow,” she said. “Watching our Novaneers show up for one another year after year is proof that what we build together at Nova Pioneer does not end at graduation – it becomes part of who they carry forward.”
Once the virtual summit closed, Ormonde-based alumni continued the celebration on campus with an afternoon of food, drinks and connection – reaffirming a network that continues to invest in its Novaneers long after graduation.
