Challenges

A

• AgriSfeer

  • Challenge number 12

    How can farm management software integrate diverse data sources and build trust among farmers across varied scales and contexts in East and Southern Africa?

    AgriSfeer develops customized farm management software built around a digital twin concept: a digital representation of a farm's full operations. We work with both small-scale and commercial farmers across East and Southern Africa.

    A core challenge we face is twofold:

    First, data integration: farms in our target regions rely on a patchwork of sensors, manual records, local climate data, and crop models that vary widely in quality, format, and availability. Building a system that meaningfully connects these into a coherent digital twin, especially where infrastructure is limited, remains a significant technical and design challenge.

    Second, farmer adoption and trust: even when the technology works, getting growers to actually use and rely on digital tools is far from guaranteed. Barriers range from digital literacy and language to skepticism about whether software can reflect the complexity of their specific farm. This is especially acute when serving both emerging smallholders and established commercial operations within the same platform.

    We're looking for researcher perspectives on how to approach these challenges together, because a system that integrates data beautifully but isn't trusted or used solves nothing.

    We're especially interested in input on:

    -Practical approaches to integrating heterogeneous farm data in low-infrastructure settings

    -What research tells us about building trust in digital tools among diverse farming communities

    -How to design for both small-scale and commercial users without alienating either

    -Relevant experiences from other sectors or regions that could transfer

• AmoreAqua AB

  • Challenge number 31

    How can water systems effectively close the loop between monitoring, risk prediction, and treatment to enable a fully integrated “from data to action” approach?

    Water systems are increasingly challenged by complex and dynamic risks, including harmful algal blooms, microbial contamination, and climate-driven variability. While significant advances have been made in monitoring technologies—ranging from in situ sensors to satellite observations—current approaches remain largely fragmented. Data are often collected but not effectively translated into actionable insights, resulting in delayed responses, inefficient treatment, and increased operational risks.

    A critical gap exists between monitoring, risk assessment, and intervention. Most systems operate in a linear and reactive manner: data are observed, interpreted manually, and acted upon too late. This disconnect limits the ability to anticipate risks such as toxin production, water quality deterioration, or ecosystem shifts.

    AmoreAqua addresses this challenge by closing the loop, integrating real-time monitoring, predictive risk assessment (including virtual sensors), and decision support for treatment and management actions into a unified, adaptive system. This enables a transition from reactive monitoring to proactive and predictive water management.

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• Andermatt PHP

  • Challenge number 19

    What policy and regulatory measures are needed to protect consumers from fraudulent or ineffective agro‑products while enabling the market uptake of scientifically validated biological alternatives?

    With the increasing removal of chemical active ingredients from the market by regulatory bodies, and growing awareness of the health and environmental risks associated with certain actives in pesticides and fertilizers, consumers are being inundated with questionable product alternatives.

    These offerings are often fraudulent, misleading, or falsely marketed as legitimate agro-solutions. In reality, many are unproven, substandard, and ineffective.

    This poses a significant challenge for the industry. Companies that invest in developing science-backed, high-quality alternatives to conventional chemistry find their efforts undermined by inferior competitors.

    Sales are frequently eroded because consumers are not provided with the tools or information to be able to effectively assess the deluge of chemistry alternatives that are being widely marketed to them.

    As a result of the proliferation of subpar products, many reputable and effective biological solutions are being overlooked, due to factors such as erosion of consumer trust and perceptions of higher cost.

• Asiye eTafuleni

  • Challenge number 50

    How can cities create fair, sustainable solutions for informal trolley-based transport that protect livelihoods while reducing retailer losses?

    Asiye eTafuleni (AeT) works closely with informal workers and allied professionals to advance inclusive urban planning and design that supports sustainable livelihoods in public spaces. With over 17 years of organisational experience and more than 70 years of collective team engagement in the Warwick Junction precinct, AeT has developed deep, practice-based insights into the informal economy. This work is grounded in the belief that informal economic activities such as market trading, street vending, and informal recycling must be integrated into urban planning and budgeting processes to create inclusive, vibrant, and economically resilient cities. Through its interconnected workstreams - urban intelligence, advocacy, learning, and innovation - AeT promotes participatory approaches that position informal workers as co-developers of their working environments.

    Within this context, a key challenge has emerged around informal, non-motorised transport systems, particularly the use of shopping trolleys as essential tools of trade. While retailers experience significant financial losses due to trolley misappropriation, informal workers - who often acquire these trolleys through intermediaries - face ongoing criminalisation and enforcement actions, including confiscation by private security. Current recovery approaches are neither sustainable nor socially just, and may raise legal and constitutional concerns. AeT’s research and fieldwork highlight the need for a systemic, diversionary intervention that addresses the full value chain of trolley use, reduces losses in the retail sector, and supports dignified, lawful livelihood practices in the informal economy. This challenge presents an opportunity for collaborative, interdisciplinary research to co-develop innovative, context-responsive solutions that bridge formal and informal urban systems.

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B

• BE Well Medicals

  • Challenge number 34

    How can structured, student‑centred wellness programmes be designed to help university students avoid or overcome drug and alcohol misuse while providing practical strategies for coping with psychological trauma?

    I am proposing a structured wellness programs tailor made for varsity students with practical ways of how to get get out ( or keep out) of drugs and alcohol and how to deal with psychological traumas.

• Bhekulwandle Tribal Authority

  • Challenge number 82

    How can scalable, cost-effective, and community-driven water harvesting technologies be designed, implemented, and sustained in Bhekulwandle and Malagazi to address water scarcity, enhance climate resilience, and support both household and small-scale agricultural livelihoods in the face of irregular rainfall and limited municipal water access?

    Access to reliable water sources is a fundamental driver of sustainable development, particularly in rural communities such as Bhekulwandle and Malagazi. By implementing water harvesting technologies, the project ensures communities have consistent access to water, which directly supports the production of food crops and the rearing of small livestock, thereby strengthening food security.

    The project also contributes to knowledge creation and dissemination through publications and provides in-service training opportunities for agricultural and engineering students, equipping the next generation with practical skills in sustainable water management. By enabling communities to sustainably manage water resources, the project supports local livelihoods, facilitates rural vegetable markets, and fosters economic self-reliance.

    Additionally, the project raises awareness of health and hygiene practices, reducing waterborne diseases and improving overall well-being, while providing targeted support to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. Collectively, these interventions promote resilient, healthy, and self-sustaining rural communities.

• Bigfive Quickfix

  • Challenge number 21

    How can a coordinated, technology‑enabled system be developed to improve the accessibility, reliability, and safety of roadside assistance services in South Africa, particularly in peri‑urban and rural areas?

    The rapid growth in vehicle ownership, particularly in developing countries like South Africa, has increased the demand for efficient and reliable automotive support services. However, the roadside assistance industry remains largely fragmented and informal, with many service providers operating independently without integration into a centralized system.

    In many cases, drivers experiencing vehicle breakdowns or tire failures struggle to access immediate help due to limited information about nearby service providers, lack of real-time communication, and unreliable response times. This challenge is more severe in peri-urban and rural areas, where access to trusted mechanics is inconsistent and often delayed.

    Additionally, safety concerns play a significant role. Stranded motorists are exposed to risks such as theft, accidents, and environmental hazards while waiting for assistance. The absence of a seamless, technology-driven platform further exacerbates inefficiencies, increasing downtime and frustration for users.

• BRICS Student Commission

  • Challenge number 58

    How can we effectively bridge the scarce skills gap in rural areas, where resources are limited and opportunities are scarce?

    Many rural areas in South Africa face significant development hurdles due to limited access to quality education, training, and job opportunities, resulting in a persistent scarce skills gap.

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• BRICS Student Commission UNIZULU

  • Challenge number 59

    How can school‑based food gardens serve as a sustainable solution to food insecurity and inequality among students in South Africa, and what challenges might affect their successful implementation?

    Food insecurity continues to affect many students in South Africa, largely due to economic hardship and rising living costs. As a result, some students struggle to access daily nutritious meals, which negatively impacts their academic performance and well being. At the same time, unequal access to food within schools and campuses highlights a growing gap between students. Although support systems like feeding schemes exist, they are often temporary and not sustainable. This creates a need for long term, practical solutions such as school based food gardens to improve access to food and reduce inequality.

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• BRICS student council

  • Challenge number 89

    How do young people imagine the future they want through a sustainable development lens, balancing today’s global challenges with emerging opportunities?

    I would like young people to be given a platform to discuss the future they want in different aspects, using the lens of sustainable development amidst challenges and opportunities, challenges being global tensions, environmental neglect, poverty. Opportunities being globalisation, alternative solutions, sustainable energy development, 4IR, etc

• Bufff Östergötland

  • Challenge number 4

    How can we effectively and sustainably support children with incarcerated parents (or entire families affected by incarceration) so that they have the conditions to thrive, develop, and ultimately have the same opportunities as children without this burden?

    A central question concerns how formal societal structures and institutions such as social services and other relevant actors can take clearer responsibility for this group. Today, almost all support globally is provided by civil society organizations, which often operate with limited and short‑term resources. This means that responsibility is effectively shifted from formal systems to civil society without accompanying resources, resulting in these children remaining invisible and being perceived as a “non‑issue” by, for example, social services, while civil society carries a large but often invisible burden.

    Another challenge is how to reach all children in a multicultural society, regardless of background. Children from families whose norms, values, and cultural reference points differ from those of the majority population may be difficult to reach, may feel excluded, or may encounter support services that are not adapted to their family structures or cultural contexts.

• Byutveckling AB (Smart Villages Sweden)

  • Challenge number 9

    How can local digital platforms and data‑driven insights be leveraged to drive genuine, long‑term behavioural change towards sustainability at community level?

    Challenge description:

    We are developing a “smart village” in Veberöd, Sweden, where digital tools, IoT data, and community-driven initiatives are combined to support a more sustainable way of living. Our work includes a local mobile app, open data from sensors (e.g. environment, traffic, water), and physical initiatives such as sharing systems and community activities.

    While we see interest and initial engagement from residents, a key challenge remains:

    how to move from awareness and curiosity to sustained behavioural change.

    We are particularly interested in understanding:

    • What actually drives long-term behaviour change at a local community level?

    • How can digital platforms (such as a village app) effectively support this, beyond simply providing information?

    • What role can real-time or local data (e.g. environmental or community data) play in influencing behaviour?

    • How can we design for inclusion, so that different groups in the community feel motivated and able to participate?

    We have already tested several approaches, including local engagement activities, communication through the app, and small-scale pilots. However, the effects on long-term behaviour are still unclear.

    We are looking for interdisciplinary perspectives (e.g. behavioural science, design, digital interaction, sustainability, sociology) to better understand the mechanisms at play and identify new approaches to test in a real-world setting.

C

• Central Energy Fund

  • Challenge number 51

    How can cand Industrial hemp be efficiently converted into low‑cost biofuels to support South Africa’s 2027 blending mandate while enabling whole‑plant value chains for small‑scale farmers?

    The mandatory blending of biofuels is coming to effect in 2027 and this will offer opportunities for small scale farmers to participate in the Biofuels value chains with feedstock that do not compete with food. Biofuels are being implemented as part of reducing emissions in road transport and as part of the climate change. CEF group has done the feedstock study that was finalised in March 2025, looking at more than 53 feedstock in SA. This included the Cannabis and Hemp feedstock as this is seen as perfect crop and it meets the company's decarbonisation roles. The challenge is developing the technologies to convert these to fuels and other value chains. The university can research this to develop the value chains at low cost implementable solutions. The main driver is to use the whole plant that will benefit the farmers and the offtakers.

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• Centre for Sustainable Community Engineering (CSCE)

  • Challenge number 52

    How can safe, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure and energy solutions be developed to address persistent service gaps in under-resourced peri‑urban and rural areas while supporting long‑term social and economic development?

    The communities of Felekisi and Ilovu, like many peri-urban and rural areas in South Africa, continue to face significant challenges related to inadequate infrastructure and unreliable access to energy. These challenges are deeply rooted in historical inequalities, rapid population growth, and limited municipal resources, which have resulted in underdeveloped or poorly maintained community facilities.

    In many parts of these communities, essential infrastructure such as community halls, schools, and clinics is either insufficient, structurally compromised, or lacking basic services. Poor construction quality, lack of maintenance, and the use of non-durable materials further exacerbate these conditions, posing safety risks to residents. At the same time, access to safe and reliable electrical systems remains inconsistent, with issues such as unsafe wiring, limited outdoor lighting, and unstable power supply affecting both households and public spaces.

    These infrastructure and energy deficiencies have far-reaching implications. They hinder access to education and healthcare, reduce community safety (particularly at night due to inadequate lighting), and limit opportunities for local economic development. Additionally, the lack of sustainable energy solutions increases dependence on unreliable or environmentally harmful energy sources.

    Despite these challenges, Felekisi and Ilovu possess strong community structures and local knowledge that are often underutilized in development initiatives. There is a clear opportunity to engage residents as active partners in identifying needs and co-creating solutions that are contextually relevant and sustainable.

    Within this context, higher education institutions such as DUT have a critical role to play. By integrating teaching, research, and community engagement, universities can contribute meaningfully to addressing real-world challenges. The use of Problem-Based Learning (PrBL) provides an effective approach to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application, enabling students to work collaboratively with communities to design and implement sustainable infrastructure and energy solutions.

    This project is therefore positioned at the intersection of community need and academic innovation, aiming to address infrastructure and energy challenges while fostering experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and long-term social impact.

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• Cosa Holdings

  • Challenge number 78

    How can strategic and operational challenges—particularly those faced by South African companies in entering and establishing a sustainable presence in the Swedish market—be translated into clear, problem driven questions that enable effective AIMday collaboration, and how can universities and their researchers provide targeted expertise and support to generate actionable, high impact solutions?

    COSA Holding Ltd operates in an increasingly complex and competitive business environment characterised by rapid technological change, evolving customer expectations, cost pressures, and growing sustainability requirements. Like many organisations in South Africa, COSA faces the dual challenge of maintaining operational efficiency while simultaneously adapting to digital transformation and developing future-ready leadership capacity.

    At the same time, higher education institutions such as DUT Business School are under pressure to ensure that their teaching, research, and engagement activities are directly relevant to industry needs and contribute to solving real-world problems. However, there is often a gap between academic knowledge production and the immediate, practical challenges faced by industry partners.

    The SASUF AIMday model presents a structured platform to bridge this gap by bringing together academia and industry around clearly defined, problem-driven discussions. AIMday is designed to move beyond general collaboration toward focused engagement on specific business challenges, enabling organisations like COSA to access interdisciplinary expertise while allowing the university to align its research and postgraduate training with industry priorities.

    In this context, the key challenge is to effectively articulate and translate COSA Holding’s strategic and operational issues into well-defined problem statements that can be addressed through AIMday. Without this clarity, engagements risk remaining broad and exploratory, limiting their impact and reducing the potential for tangible outcomes such as applied research projects, student involvement, or executive development interventions.

    Therefore, the AIMday engagement between COSA Holding Ltd and DUT Business School seeks to create a structured interface where real business challenges are clearly defined, academically interrogated, and translated into actionable solutions that deliver value to both parties.

D

• Delegation for Migration Studies, Delmi

  • Challenge number 100

    How can we address the insider–outsider gap in housing markets—where established residents are favoured over newcomers—by identifying underlying patterns in South Africa and Sweden and developing strategies that enable migrants to access stable housing?

    How to overcome the insider-outsider housing gap? Housing markets in ZA and SE favor those who are already established, making it hard for migrants to break in. What patterns do we see and how to overcome this?

• Department of Agriculture

  • Challenge number 96

    How can the Department of Agriculture design and implement evidence-based intervention protocols that address structural inequalities across South Africa’s food system, enhance equitable access to nutritious food, support smallholder farmers, and strengthen inclusive value chains?

    South Africa’s food system is characterised by deep structural inequalities that mirror broader socio-economic disparities. While the country is nationally food secure in terms of production, millions of households experience food insecurity, limited access to nutritious food, and high levels of poverty. This paradox highlights systemic inefficiencies in how food is produced, distributed, and accessed.

    Recent data from Statistics South Africa and National Agricultural Marketing Council indicates rising food prices, increasing household vulnerability, and persistent exclusion of smallholder and emerging farmers from formal markets. These challenges are compounded by climate variability, supply chain disruptions, and uneven access to land, finance, infrastructure, and technology.

    Inequality within the food system manifests in multiple ways:

    • Smallholder farmers struggle to compete with large-scale commercial producers

    • Rural and peri-urban communities face limited access to affordable, nutritious food

    • Informal food systems remain under-supported despite feeding a large proportion of the population

    • Women and youth are disproportionately excluded from agricultural opportunities

    In this context, the development of targeted intervention protocols is critical. Such protocols can guide coordinated action across government, industry, and civil society—ensuring that policies translate into measurable, inclusive outcomes. By focusing on equity-driven interventions, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development can play a pivotal role in transforming the food system into one that is more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations.

    Ultimately, addressing inequality within the food system is not only a matter of social justice but also essential for national stability, economic development, and long-term food security in South Africa.

• Disabled People South Africa

  • Challenge number 18

    How can independent living for people with disabilities be strengthened and supported in practice?

    There is very limited support to enable people with disabilities to live independently. They require financial support, qualified caregivers, accessible housing and assistive devices.

• Durban Child and Youth Care Centre

  • Challenge number 17

    How can a comprehensive, context‑specific intervention be designed to simultaneously address the mental health needs of child and youth care workers and strengthen their capacity to manage challenging child behaviours, in order to reduce burnout and improve care outcomes?

    Child and youth care workers play a critical role in supporting vulnerable children who often present with complex social, emotional, and behavioural challenges. However, these workers are increasingly experiencing high levels of occupational stress and burnout.

    Evidence from practice indicates that many child and youth care workers feel emotionally drained due to the demanding nature of their work, including managing defiant and aggressive behaviours, exposure to children’s traumatic life experiences, and persistent social problems such as neglect, abuse, and poverty. These challenges are compounded by limited access to psychological support services, resulting in unmet mental health needs among workers.

    Additionally, workers report feeling demotivated and ineffective, with reduced opportunities for personal growth and professional development. A lack of adequate training in managing difficult behaviours further exacerbates stress levels and contributes to feelings of incompetence in the workplace. Financial constraints also limit their ability to engage in self-care practices or access private counselling, intensifying their vulnerability to burnout.

    Despite the clear need, there is a lack of structured, contextually relevant interventions that simultaneously address both the mental health needs of child and youth care workers and their capacity to effectively manage challenging child behaviours. Existing support systems are often fragmented, insufficient, or inaccessible.

    Therefore, there is a critical need to develop and evaluate a comprehensive intervention that integrates mental health support with capacity-building strategies. Such an intervention has the potential to reduce burnout, enhance coping mechanisms, and improve the quality of care provided to children and youth.

• Durban Textile Leather Incubator

  • Challenge number 53

    How can affordable, reusable menstrual products be designed, accepted, and adopted in underserved communities by addressing financial, infrastructural, and socio‑cultural barriers?

    The aim of this project is to address the challenges women face in accessing menstrual products, particularly those affected by financial constraints. Recognising menstrual hygiene as a societal challenge requiring sustainable solutions, the project seeks to investigate barriers to access and usability while developing contextually relevant menstrual product interventions. The project aims to design and develop a sustainable menstrual product (reusable pads) for underserved communities and individuals. Part of the project seeks to promote skills transfer amongst the underserved communities.

E

• East London IDZ SOC Ltd

  • Challenge number 49

    How can academic curricula be better aligned with real‑time business needs to ensure graduates are equipped with practical, industry‑ready skills and experience?

    The challenge of integrating curriculum with real-time business expectations lies in bridging the gap between academic learning and the dynamic skills demanded by industries today. Employers are increasingly requiring people that are au faire with the modern equipment that is used in the processing and manufacturing spaces. The challenge of integrating curriculum with real-time business expectations is rooted in the disconnect between theoretical education and practical industry needs. Addressing it requires curriculum redesign, stronger industry partnerships, and experiential learning opportunities. By embedding real-world business problems into education, institutions can produce graduates who are not only knowledgeable but also agile, employable, and future-ready.

• Energy House ZA

  • Challenge number 38

    How can South Africa sustainably shift development focus from cities to rural areas to support population and economic growth?

    The historic movement of labour from rural areas to urban areas is no longer a viable solution in South Africa since urban areas are also battling with no economic growth, high unemployment and crumbling infrastructure…. There has to be a sustainable way to shift both population growth and economic growth towards rural areas.

• eThekwini Maritime Cluster

  • Challenge number 69

    How can Durban develop a sustainable, integrated blue economy by aligning port‑city planning with environmental, social, and economic priorities?

    How can Durban’s blue economy be developed as an integrated, sustainable port-city coastal system? This challenge seeks to co-develop an interdisciplinary, systems-based framework that embeds environmental sustainability, social inclusion and economic development into the planning and governance of Durban’s blue economy.

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• eThekwini Municipality

  • Challenge number 85

    How can innovative, scalable, and sustainable solutions be developed to manage and recycle e-waste, ensuring hazardous materials are safely processed, reducing reliance on the informal sector, and preventing environmental contamination?

    Durban faces a critical electronic waste (e-waste) management challenge, with over 360,000 tons of e-waste generated annually in South Africa, much of which is improperly disposed of. Toxic materials such as mercury and lead from this waste contaminate soil and water, posing significant environmental and public health risks. Despite a national ban on dumping e-waste in landfills, 90–95% of e-waste does not reach formal recycling facilities. In Durban, industrial areas like Umbogintwini and Southgate produce high volumes of hazardous e-waste, while municipal services lack the necessary infrastructure to manage it effectively. This situation has led to reliance on the informal sector, which often lacks safe recycling practices. Addressing this challenge through innovative and scalable solutions is critical to protecting the environment, safeguarding public health, and establishing a sustainable e-waste management system in the city.

• eThekwini Municipality

  • Challenge number 79

    How can multi‑stakeholder collaboration be structured to co‑design scalable, evidence‑based solutions that strengthen community participation, environmental resilience, and socio‑economic outcomes?

    Cornubia is one of KwaZulu Natal’s largest integrated human settlements projects, yet residents continue to face challenges common in rapidly urbanizing, low income settlements limited awareness of housing rights, low community participation in planning, environmental vulnerabilities, and gaps in service delivery. These issues persist largely because community voices remain underutilized in decision making.

    This AIMday will explore how academia, local government, civil society, industry, and community representatives can co design practical solutions for strengthening resident participation, improving environmental resilience, and enhancing socio economic wellbeing in Cornubia.

    Dialogue is essential because Cornubia’s challenges sit at the intersection of governance, infrastructure, economics, and social cohesion. By providing an evidence based platform for multiple actors, this AIMday will generate practical, scalable ideas that can inform community based research, policy, and planning.

F

• Future Families

  • Challenge number 13

    Does money in your pocket make migrants safer?

    Future Families has worked in the field of migrancy/refugees and asylum seekers for a number of years. We also have a focus on economic empowerment as an exit strategy for families who have been in the welfare system for many years and in a country with high unemployment. We are now bringing the two spheres of practice together. It would be good to have empiracal evidence to continue with such work. Looking at the implications of income and migrancy - are their children receiving better care if Mom has an income, are the risks of GBV reduced, is the money benefitting the local economy.

G

• Global Child Forum

  • Challenge number 14

    How can technology companies and digital platforms meaningfully integrate children’s voices into the design and governance of digital products—so that online environments better support children’s wellbeing, safety, and development in both Sweden and South Africa (and beyond)?

    Children and young people spend more time online than ever before—learning, socialising, and exploring. However, digital spaces are often not designed with their needs in mind. This creates risks such as cyberbullying, privacy violations, and exposure to harmful content, while also leading to missed opportunities for positive engagement.

    Too often, companies fail to include children’s perspectives when designing digital products and services. This project aims to address that gap.

    We are already engaging directly with children through focus groups and surveys across eight countries in Europe and Africa (with more to be added). This ongoing three‑year initiative provides a unique evidence base on children’s digital experiences. The AIMday challenge offers an opportunity to deepen this work by bringing researchers into the next phase—helping us analyse emerging findings, develop new methods for integrating children’s voices into platform design, and explore cross‑cultural insights especially relevant for Sweden and South Africa. Insights from this session will directly inform the project’s final co‑creation stage with young people and industry actors.

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• Green Scarf NPC

  • Challenge number 57

    What nutrition challenges exist within Early Childhood Development centres, and which evidence‑based interventions can effectively strengthen food preparation, safe cooking practices, and age‑appropriate nutrition to reduce malnutrition in children aged 0–5 years?

    Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres play a pivotal role in shaping the health, cognitive growth, and social development of children aged 0–5 years. Nutrition is a cornerstone of this development, yet many ECD practitioners lack formal training in food preparation, safe cooking practices, and age-appropriate nutrition. This gap often results in inadequate diets, contributing to malnutrition, stunting, and poor learning outcomes. Establishing and capacitating ECD centres as hubs for nutrition could reduce malnutrition and allow children to flourish, resulting in early preventive measures.

H

• Health Systems Trust

  • Challenge number 80

    How can a collaborative, evidence‑based partnership between health organisations, practitioners, and student leadership be designed to increase HIV and TB testing uptake, strengthen preventive practices, and sustain meaningful student engagement with measurable health outcomes?

    KwaZulu Natal remains disproportionately affected by HIV and tuberculosis (TB), with high infection rates among young adults. While the provincial health system manages approximately 1.5 million people on antiretroviral therapy (ART), over 200,000 individuals have disengaged from treatment. Nationally, the Close the Gap campaign aims to re-engage people living with HIV who are not on treatment and to expand access to prevention and testing services.

    University community including students represent a critical but underserved population for HIV and TB prevention, testing, and education. Factors such as stigma, limited access to youth friendly services, and inadequate health literacy contribute to delayed testing and care seeking behaviour.

    The Department of Biomedical Sciences at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) has strong capacity in medical laboratory sciences, research, and student training. In collaboration with Health Systems Trust (HST), an organisation with expertise in health systems strengthening, implementation support, and data driven public health interventions, this initiative proposes an integrated, student centred HIV and TB programme aligned with the SASUF AIMS focus on student empowerment, innovation, research, and social impact.

I

• Illovo Sugar

  • Challenge number 88

    How can diverse waste streams be optimised for pyrolysis to maximise high‑value product yields, accurately assess product quality, and establish pyrolysis as a scalable, sustainable, and economically viable solution for waste management and resource recovery?

    Same as the rationale above

  • Challenge number 94

    How can industry, in partnership with researchers and smallholder farmers, develop and implement data-driven, climate-resilient strategies to assess and mitigate the impacts of climate change on sugarcane production in KwaZulu-Natal, while safeguarding farmer livelihoods and ensuring long-term sustainability of the value chain?

    Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural systems globally, with developing regions such as KwaZulu-Natal being particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on the climate-sensitive sugarcane (Buthelezi et al., 2024). Increasing variability in rainfall, rising temperatures, and the frequency of drought events have adversely affected agricultural productivity and farmer livelihoods (Masinga et al., 2021). In this context, there is a growing need for empirical research that provides quantifiable evidence of how climate variables influence crop yields and farm incomes. This project addresses this gap by examining the relationship between climate variability and sugarcane production, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the economic impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers.

    Beyond its economic focus, the study is grounded in principles of social justice. Climate change disproportionately affects smallholder and marginalized farmers who often have limited access to resources necessary for adaptation, such as finance, water, and technology (Olabanji et al., 2021). By analyzing disparities in access to climate adaptation strategies between smallholder and commercial farmers, this research highlights structural inequalities and contributes to more equitable and inclusive agricultural development. Furthermore, the study promotes democratic participation by incorporating farmer perspectives into climate adaptation strategies, ensuring that local voices are included in decision-making processes that directly affect their livelihoods.

J

• Jönköping (SE) & Stellenbosch municipalities (SA)

  • Challenge number 15

    How can a transferable and evidence‑based model for youth participation be designed to strengthen young people’s influence in democratic decision‑making and local project implementation across countries?

    Jönköping and Stellenbosch municipalities have been cooperating since 2021 through the municipal partnership program through International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD) in Sweden. We completed a 3 year project in the summer of 2025 focusing on gender equality and gender based violence. We have the ambition to continue cooperate within the field of youth participation. Since the ICLD will be closed down in the end of 2026, we are now looking for new funding opportunities to continue work with challenges in both of our municipalities.

    Youth Participation in Stellenbosch Municipality

    A Junior Town Council model started in 2025 aiming to recruit youth between the ages of 15 and 17 (grades 10 and 11) in local secondary schools within the Stellenbosch Municipal boundaries. The objective is to increase exposure to decision making within the democratic system of the municipality and to encourage/promote active citizenry amongst the target group.

    Challenges and needs:

    -Understanding and buying into a youth representative structure – Junior Town Council

    -Orientation to local government for the youth: Political and Service Delivery mandates

    -Thematic themes including leadership, democracy, participation and influence

    - Measure the long term impact on decision-making and on the influence on the long term carriere choice of the learners.

    Youth Participation in Jönköping Municipality:

    The municipality is in the process of presenting a Youth participation model to the municipal assembly. The model is different from the common model for Youth Council in Sweden (similar to the one in SA) used in many municipalities. The new model is aiming to broaden the participation allowing more/different youth to participate from various areas of the municipalities from school level Grade 7-9 or gymnasium grade 10-12 as well as from youth active in Youth Centers run by the municipality.

    Challenges and needs:

    - Starting phase and adapt the model.

    -Thematic themes including leadership, democracy, participation and influence

    - Measure the long term impact on decision-making and on the influence on the long term carriere choice of the learners.

    Potential Collaborative Partners beside the two municipalities and the District of education Western Cape.

    Stellenbosch Municipality, South Africa

    Jönköping Municipality, Sweden

    WC District Department of Education

    Stellenbosch University: School of Public Leadership, Department of Education, Social Impact Division

    Jönköping University : School of Health and sciences- CHILD research

    We hope to create a model for youth participation to influence democratic decision making along with practical project implementation which could be replicated.

K

• Khanyisa

  • Challenge number 5

    How can the absence of affordable technologies for detecting and monitoring water pollutants in remote areas be understood, and what strategies could effectively address this gap?

    Due to lack of supply for drinking water in remote areas in South Africa, people drink borehole water, water from river water and dams and rain harvesting. There is poor drinking water monitoring in these remote areas. Technologies that are easy to maintain and simple to use are required to ensure that people drink clean water.

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  • Challenge number 30

    How can simple and low‑cost water‑reuse technologies be developed and implemented in water‑scarce regions?

    South Africa is currently experiencing high shortage of water due to climate change and increase population. To increase water availability for different uses is crucial. Water availability can be increased by producing reuse water for different applications. There is a need to develop easy to use technologies to produce reuse water in remote areas.

• Kwedu Initiatives

  • Challenge number 22

    How can community-based organisations and academic researchers co-develop participatory health equity assessment tools that centre the experiential knowledge of marginalised communities in environmental health contexts, and what institutional and methodological conditions enable this knowledge to influence policy?

    Communities where informal waste management and recycling take place are often characterised by overlapping environmental and health vulnerabilities: poor sanitation infrastructure, proximity to pollution sources, limited access to primary healthcare, and occupational health risks associated with waste handling. Yet the health experiences of people living and working in these contexts are frequently invisible to formal health systems and policy processes. This invisibility constitutes what Miranda Fricker terms ‘epistemic injustice’ – a situation in which certain knowers are systematically excluded from processes of knowledge production and validation.

    Kwedu Initiatives’ Waste2Wealth Enterprise Incubator and EcoHealth Communities programmes work directly in these contexts, supporting grassroots recycling cooperatives and community health and sanitation initiatives. While Kwedu’s work addresses environmental and economic dimensions of community resilience, there is currently no systematic tool for documenting and amplifying the health inequities experienced by the communities they serve. Similarly, existing health equity assessment tools tend to be designed for professionals rather than for community members.

    This project addresses both gaps by developing a community-led ‘EcoHealth Equity Audit’ tool that enables grassroots organisations and community members to identify, document, and advocate for environmental health inequities, using their experiential knowledge as a legitimate evidence base.

    • Attachment

• KZN Esports Federation

  • Challenge number 71

    How can the esports sector overcome challenges such as high equipment costs, poor internet infrastructure, load‑shedding, and limited investment to support sustainable industry growth?

    Esports in in KZN faces significant challenges, including high costs for equipment, unreliable internet infrastructure, and frequent load-shedding. A lack of local investment, government support, and limited career longevity also hinder growth

    • Attachment

• KZN Network on Violence against Women

  • Challenge number 41

    How can we measure gender-based violence (GBV) more effectively across provinces and coordinate stakeholders to transform community hotspots into violence‑free zones?

    There are many hotspots in our communities where GBV is accepted as normal behaviour. Social mobilisation needs to be implemented in these areas to challenge and change harmful social norms, including mindsets, behaviours, and beliefs. It is crucial that we transform these hotspots into violence-free zones where communities take ownership and accountability for creating safe, enabling environments.

    To achieve this, community safety audits must be included in the process, because “communities that are safe for women and children are safe for all.” This approach also strengthens collective responsibility and encourages active community participation in prevention efforts. Furthermore, sustained engagement with local leaders and organisations is essential to ensure long-term change and accountability.

    • Attachment

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• Linzwa Foundation

  • Challenge number 62

    How can food insecurity be addressed in communities facing high unemployment and rapid population growth?

    The Foundation is located at Kwa Dlangezwa where there is a high rate of food insecurity due to unemployment and the increased rate of the population in the community.

  • Challenge number 63

    How can youth unemployment be reduced in communities where many young people lack CV‑writing skills, interview preparation, and early career guidance?

    We have a high rate of young people who are unemployed due to lack of knowledge of writing cvs and how to conduct themselves during interviews. This is caused by the lack of career guidance from their high school level, Ending up not enrolling to tertiary level.

  • Challenge number 64

    How can communities support orphans, elderly people, and people with disabilities who rely on pensions and struggle to stay on chronic medication due to lack of food?

    We have orphans, elderly people and those living with disabilities in our community, they dependable on pension money. They are also on chronic medication which makes them to default on their medication because of lack of food.

• Lukho development Agency

  • Challenge number 47

    How can women‑owned construction SMMEs access the technical training, capital, and supplier support needed to accurately prepare tender documents, secure project funding, and successfully deliver awarded contracts?

    We are the construction woman owned company.

    We have to hire someone for the calculations of our documents.

    When awarded the tender We cannot access to the capital or supplier of material

• Luminari-Tech

  • Challenge number 42

    How can we create an affordable, non‑invasive wearable patch that accurately monitors multiple health markers using smart materials and AI?

    Current wearable health devices often measure only a single biomarker and therefore struggle to provide a holistic picture of user health. Sweat based, non invasive sensing is promising, but accuracy remains a challenge because sweat composition varies across individuals and environmental conditions. Meanwhile, existing continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are invasive, costly, and largely inaccessible in low resource settings such as South Africa.

    Luminari Tech is developing a needle free CGM patch that uses sweat analysis and RF technology to monitor glucose alongside additional biomarkers such as hydration, ketones, and cortisol. Developing this multifunctional patch presents several technical challenges, including improving sensor accuracy, achieving stable calibration between sweat and blood glucose, preventing signal interference among biomarkers, and ensuring reliable real time data transmission.

    Affordability is also a central objective. To make CGM technology viable in low and middle income regions, the device must use low cost, flexible, and biocompatible materials suitable for long term wear and scalable production. Durability and environmental sustainability are also key considerations.

    Because continuous monitoring produces large volumes of data, the platform will incorporate AI driven analytics to translate raw sensor outputs into clear, personalised insights. This requires accurate predictive modelling, strong data quality controls, and robust privacy and security safeguards.

    Luminari Tech is currently in the research and early prototyping phase and is seeking collaboration with university researchers in biomedical engineering, biosensing, nanotechnology, and data science. Priority challenges include validating non invasive glucose detection, improving overall sensor reliability, identifying low cost materials, and advancing the prototype toward clinical testing and eventual commercialisation.

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• Matsafu Capital

  • Challenge number 16

    How can cleantech innovations be more effectively supported to move from pilot validation to scalable, commercially viable deployment through improved research, funding, and market collaboration?

    Southern Africa faces pressing challenges across energy access, waste management, water security, and emissions reduction. While there has been a growing pipeline of cleantech innovation emerging from both research institutions and entrepreneurial ecosystems, a persistent gap remains in translating these solutions beyond pilot stage into scalable, commercially viable deployments.

    Many promising technologies stall in the so-called “valley of death” due to fragmented funding pathways, limited access to suitable markets, and a disconnect between research outputs and real-world implementation requirements. As a result, solutions with strong technical potential often fail to achieve meaningful impact at scale.

    This challenge seeks to explore how applied research, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration can better support the transition from prototype and pilot phases to full commercial deployment. Of particular interest are solutions that are already validated at a pilot level and show potential for adaptation within African market conditions.

    The discussion aims to surface practical pathways to bridge gaps between research, funding, and market adoption, and to identify opportunities for collaboration that can accelerate the scaling of impactful cleantech solutions.

    • Attachment

• Mearl Hub Africa

  • Challenge number 101

    What scalable, community-driven models can effectively improve early detection, continuous monitoring, and long-term management of hypertension and diabetes in underserved populations?

    Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly hypertension and diabetes, are rapidly increasing across Africa and are now among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. However, health systems in many low-resource settings remain largely reactive, focusing on treatment rather than prevention and early detection.

    A significant proportion of individuals with hypertension or diabetes:

    • Remain undiagnosed

    • Are diagnosed late, often after complications arise

    • Have limited access to continuous care and monitoring

    Health facilities are often overstretched, while community-level systems for screening, awareness, and behavior change remain underdeveloped or fragmented.

    Emerging approaches—such as community health workers, mobile health tools, and community-driven interventions—show promise, but challenges remain in scalability, sustainability, and integration into formal health systems.

    Key Issues for Exploration

    • What role can community health workers and local networks play in sustained NCD management?

    • How can low-cost digital tools support screening, tracking, and adherence?

    • What behavioral and socio-cultural factors influence prevention and treatment adherence?

    • How can community-based models be integrated into national health systems without overburdening them?

    • What financing and partnership models can ensure long-term sustainability and scale?

    Why This Matters

    Addressing this challenge is critical to achieving sustainable health systems and reducing the long-term burden of NCDs. Effective solutions could:

    • Shift systems from reactive to preventive care

    • Reduce healthcare costs and complications

    • Improve quality of life and productivity in vulnerable populations

    Expected Outcomes from AIMday Dialogue

    • Identification of innovative, scalable intervention models

    • Cross-country insights and comparative approaches

    • Opportunities for pilot programs and applied research collaborations

• MMX Foundation

  • Challenge number 40

    How can agricultural high schools better connect their productive school‑based farming programmes with nearby institutional buyers to close the gap between local supply and local demand?

    School agricultural programmes across the Eastern Cape produce fresh, quality produce

    but lack structured channels to reach nearby institutional buyers. Supply and demand exist in the same geography but remain disconnected. Meanwhile, institutional buyers—hospitals, school feeding schemes, community kitchens, and clinics—have consistent procurement needs but no reliable local sourcing mechanism.

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• Nare Foundation

  • Challenge number 72

    How can indigenous foods be integrated into sustainable, resilient local food systems to reduce food and nutrition insecurity among vulnerable communities, especially children under five?

    Food and nutritional insecurity remain persistent challenges in many vulnerable communities across South Africa, with children under five been most affected. The increase in the levels of household food insecurity have intensified threats to health, wellbeing and livelihoods for vulnerable communities. The urgent need to address the right to basic nutrition for all children under five suffering from is highlighted by increase in the stunting (28.8%) and wasting (5.3%), resulted to death associated with malnutrition and hunger. Indigenous foods have long been part of local food systems and indigenous knowledge systems for generations and have potential to improve dietary diversity, resilience, sustainability, and culturally relevant nutrition to respond to food and nutrition insecurity. However, the indigenous food is normally underutilized as results of lack of awareness and nutritional education, restricted market access, changing food preferences, lack of traditional knowledge and inadequate research, documentation and policy support. The discussions can assist to explore how indigenous foods can be effectively integrated into sustainable health and resilient local food systems to address food and nutrition security challenges.

• Ncebzar Innovation Solutions

  • Challenge number 32

    How can research partnerships support municipalities in analysing the chemical and genetic profiles of local cannabis strains to enable indigenous knowledge holders to genotype, register, and develop internationally compliant pharmaceutical‑grade products?

    The indigenous knowledge holders do not have registered strains that are accepted for international pharmaceutical grade commercial standards. The intent is to get research assistance towards genotyping and registering the strains and innovation products from the region.

• Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

  • Challenge number 25

    How can municipalities implement sustainable and coordinated strategies to prevent and respond to infrastructure vandalism, theft, and illegal connections while strengthening asset protection, community stewardship, and continuity of service delivery?

    The Municipality is facing increasing incidents of vandalism, theft, and illegal connections affecting critical infrastructure, including electricity networks, water systems, transport infrastructure, and business-related assets. These acts not only disrupt essential service delivery but also impose significant financial burdens through repair and replacement costs, reduce investor confidence, and undermine economic productivity.

    The drivers of infrastructure-related crime are multifaceted, including socio-economic hardship, organised criminal activity, inadequate enforcement capacity, and limited community ownership of public assets. Strategic Question

    What comprehensive and sustainable measures can the Municipality adopt to prevent, mitigate, and respond to infrastructure vandalism and theft, while strengthening asset protection, enhancing community stewardship, and ensuring the continuity of service delivery?

  • Challenge number 26

    How can a municipality strengthen its environmental management systems to restore urban cleanliness, improve air quality, and implement sustainable waste management practices?

    Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has historically been recognised for high standards of urban cleanliness and environmental management. However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in environmental performance, characterised by inadequate waste management, illegal dumping, deteriorating public spaces, and emerging air quality concerns.

    These challenges are exacerbated by rapid urbanisation, constrained municipal resources, ageing waste management infrastructure, and behavioural factors within communities. The decline not only affects public health and environmental sustainability but also negatively impacts tourism, investor perceptions, and overall quality of life. Strategic Question

    How can the Municipality strengthen its environmental management systems to improve urban cleanliness, enhance air quality, and implement sustainable waste management practices in order to restore its environmental performance and resilience?

  • Challenge number 27

    What integrated and evidence‑based economic development interventions can a municipality implement to stimulate inclusive growth, expand youth employment, and reverse the current economic decline?

    Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is experiencing persistently high levels of unemployment, with youth disproportionately affected. This challenge is compounded by a contracting local economy, declining investor confidence, and structural constraints in key sectors such as manufacturing and logistics. The socio-economic consequences are increasingly visible through rising poverty levels, reduced household income, and growing dependence on social support systems.

    Additionally, there is a misalignment between labour market demands and available skills, limited growth in labour-absorbing sectors, and insufficient support for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs), which further constrains inclusive economic growth.Strategic Question

    What integrated, evidence-based economic development interventions can the Municipality implement to stimulate inclusive growth, expand employment opportunities - particularly for youth - and reverse the current trajectory of economic decline?

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• Omnihelp

  • Challenge number 2

    In what ways might broader access to health insurance in South Africa support progress toward universal health care coverage?

    Rising medical aid premiums

    Limited coverage and high co-payments

    Inequality between private and public healthcare

    Declining membership in medical schemes

    Fraud and abuse in medical claims

    Uncertainty around National Health Insurance (NHI)

    Strain on the public healthcare system

    as such we need affordable health insurance products to ensure coverage

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• Parys Wetland PArk NPC

  • Challenge number 7

    How do we develop effective, user friendly, scalable and affordable waste and water treatment solutions to support small to medium scale industrial areas and local municipalities?

    attached below

    • Attachment

• Philips Healthcare

  • Challenge number 8

    How can under‑equipped government hospitals and limited clinician skills be addressed to reduce examination delays, improve patient management, and prevent staff burnout, particularly in contexts where patients must travel long distances for adequate care?

    Under equipped government hospitals and under skilled Clinicians resulting in longer exams, longer waiting times resulting in poor patients' management and staff's burnout.

    Because of lack of proper equipment, Patients moving from their local area, clinic and hospital to a longer distance facility for a proper care with a longer waiting time because of under skilled staffs.

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• Region Norrbotten

  • Challenge number 10

    How do we engage men in Perinatal Mental Health: Lessons Across South Africa and Sweden?

    Our recent qualitative research, conducted as part of an ongoing partnership between Region Norrbotten in Sweden and Kajiado County in Kenya, highlights how limited female autonomy, gender norms, and male decision-making power shape maternal mental health and access to care.

    The challenge:

    How can we engage men as supportive partners—and as individuals with their own mental health needs—in perinatal care, without reinforcing gender inequalities across diverse cultural and health system contexts?

    We invite discussion on:

    • How men’s perinatal mental health is recognised and addressed in different settings

    • The role of men in shaping women’s access to care and mental health outcomes

    • Strategies to involve men while promoting women’s autonomy and gender equity

    • Opportunities for cross-country learning between South Africa and Sweden

    • Community-based versus health system-based models for engaging men

• RSCorp

  • Challenge number 83

    How can scalable, innovative technologies be developed to prevent theft of critical infrastructure—amid rising copper prices—while ensuring the security and long‑term reliability of power, transport, and communication systems?

    RS Corp has developed and patented a solution for the measurement and detection of cable theft in the rail industry. A pilot project implemented for PRASA in Cape Town (September 2024 – present) along a 20 km stretch from Strand to Eerste Rivier has successfully eradicated theft in the monitored area. The solution works by measuring power in the lines and gathering data, which also allows the identification of non-theft-related cable damage, such as train hookups or fires along the tracks.

    With enhanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, this data can be further analyzed for predictive maintenance and pre-warning, improving overall infrastructure safety. There is also a need to explore reducing the solution’s form factor to provide a cost-effective monitoring system for smaller infrastructure assets such as streetlights, water pumps, and earthing cables, which are critical for public safety.

    RS Corp has also extended the technology to measure theft on non-energized conductors. This innovation, piloted in Durban from October 2025, allows for monitoring infrastructure that is dormant but operational at specific times, providing opportunities to reduce power consumption while maintaining theft protection.

    Additionally, the detection of lost or tampered earthing cables is a growing requirement. A compact monitoring solution will ensure protection against equipment damage from lightning, incorrect utility connections, and the risk of electric shock to people in the vicinity.

  • Challenge number 84

    How can real‑world solutions be refined and tested to improve grid stability, integrate renewables, and manage peak and non‑essential loads—while protecting consumer equipment and supporting widespread EV adoption—to reduce reliance on costly, polluting peaking plants?

    Background:

    Currently, base load electricity is supplied predominantly by coal or nuclear power due to their stable output, while peak demand often requires diesel generators. These generators are expensive, environmentally harmful, and inefficient. A more sustainable approach involves shifting the load of non-essential household appliances to off-peak times, thereby reducing reliance on peaking plants and improving grid stability.

    Integrating renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, into the grid is challenging due to their intermittent nature. Real-time management and optimization of energy loads can enable greater adoption of renewables while maintaining reliability. RS Corp has developed technologies that support grid stability through advanced solutions such as millisecond-level frequency trimming, protection of consumer equipment from surges and brownouts, and randomized reconnection of households after outages.

    This technology can also address challenges in regions with high adoption of electric vehicles, where grid strain is a growing concern. While these solutions are proven in principle, further refinement and testing in real-world conditions are necessary to optimize performance, enhance efficiency, and ensure seamless integration with both traditional and renewable energy sources.

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• Sangoma Diaries

  • Challenge number 76

    How can South Africa build equitable, trust-based partnerships between traditional health practitioners (Abangoma), academia, and research institutions that bridge technical knowledge gaps, enable responsible innovation and entrepreneurship in traditional medicine, and ensure robust intellectual property protection—while also improving access to platforms such as Tech Stations and supporting the ethical mainstreaming of indigenous health products within an integrated healthcare system?

    The growing recognition of indigenous knowledge systems within healthcare and innovation spaces has brought renewed attention to the role of traditional medicine in supporting both community wellbeing and economic development. In this context, sustainable harvesting and community development emerge as critical priorities, particularly in ensuring that traditional health practitioners are supported not only as custodians of knowledge but also as participants in emerging value chains.

    A key area of focus involves enabling healers to engage with the cultivation and processing of medicinal plants in ways that promote consistency, safety, and efficacy. This includes developing appropriate techniques for standardised production, which can enhance the reliability of traditional remedies while preserving their cultural integrity. Such efforts are essential in positioning traditional medicine within broader health systems and markets.

    Closely linked to this is the need for the conservation of medicinal plant resources. Increasing demand, coupled with unsustainable harvesting practices, has placed pressure on many indigenous species, including highly utilised and endangered plants such as isibharha. Research and training initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable harvesting methods are therefore necessary to ensure long-term ecological balance and the continued availability of these resources for future generations.

    In parallel, there is growing interest in the potential for drug development informed by traditional knowledge. This includes scientific efforts to investigate and isolate active compounds from indigenous plants, with the aim of developing standardised and commercially viable medical products. Such initiatives present opportunities for collaboration between traditional practitioners and biomedical researchers, while also raising important considerations around intellectual property, benefit-sharing, and ethical engagement.

    Together, these areas underscore the importance of an integrated approach that balances sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment in the evolving landscape of traditional medicine.

  • Challenge number 77

    How can collaboration between traditional healers, scientists, and technologists help standardise and improve traditional health products to ensure safety, efficacy, stability, and market readiness?

    This is also a chance to collaborate around medicine conservancy, with healers and also medicine-picker associations.

    We believe in Indigenous Health and Wellness Innovation and that medicine from our traditional huts still have a place in South Africa’s biomedical space. It is our hope to be brought to the MUT fold, and to access specialised academic and development expertise that could transform what we do into economic opportunities for our organisation and network that takes care of many healers, addressing sector needs.

• SEZ Foundation NPO

  • Challenge number 11

    How to leverage Indigenous Knowledge Systems for Democratic Innovation and Social Justice?

    The proposed challenge leverages Indigenous Knowledge Systems, with particular emphasis on how entrepreneurs can take advantage of indigenous and traditional knowledge systems to develop modern, contextually relevant solutions.

    This aligns with the broader objective of strengthening collaboration between academia, industry, and societal organisations in South Africa and Sweden.

    However, there is a significant underutilisation of this knowledge in contemporary innovation, entrepreneurship, and development processes.

    Much of this indigenous knowledge remains undocumented, uncommercialised, or excluded from mainstream economic systems, creating a real risk that valuable practices, technologies, and cultural insights may be permanently lost due to urbanisation, generational shifts, and limited institutional integration.

    This underuse has implications for democracy and social justice, as Indigenous Knowledge Systems represent not only intellectual heritage but also the lived experiences, identities, and problem-solving frameworks of historically marginalised communities. Failure to recognise and integrate IKS perpetuates epistemic inequality and limits inclusive participation in knowledge production, economic opportunity, and sustainable development.

    Entrepreneurship presents a critical pathway for revitalising and safeguarding IKS by transforming traditional knowledge into modern, contextually relevant products, services, and business models.

    Consequently, there is an urgent need for coordinated initiatives that document, protect, revitalise, and integrate Indigenous Knowledge Systems into entrepreneurship ecosystems, ensuring that this heritage contributes meaningfully to contemporary solutions while remaining preserved for future generations.

• Sirius Fotboll

  • Challenge number 98

    How can we develop robust methods to measure and demonstrate the societal impact of community-based sports initiatives aimed at preventing youth crime and promoting positive life pathways?

    Community-based sports initiatives—such as Gränslös Fotboll—are built on the idea that sport can function as more than physical activity. They create safe spaces where young people, particularly those in vulnerable or underserved areas, can build relationships with positive role models, develop social and emotional skills, and experience a sense of belonging.

    Many of the participants in these initiatives face risk factors linked to youth crime, including social exclusion, lack of structured leisure time, limited access to supportive adults, and low future expectations. By offering consistent engagement, mentorship, and a value-based environment, these programs aim to redirect young people toward healthier and more constructive life pathways.

    Despite strong anecdotal evidence and positive local experiences, there remains a critical challenge: demonstrating measurable societal impact. Stakeholders such as municipalities, funders, and policymakers increasingly require robust evidence showing that these initiatives contribute to crime prevention, improved wellbeing, and long-term social outcomes

    This makes the question of how to develop reliable and credible methods for measuring impact both timely and essential.

• SMPI Pty Ltd

  • Challenge number 28

    How can a solar‑powered energy storage system be designed and integrated to enable efficient generation, storage, and peak‑period sale of electricity back to the national grid?

    Generate electricity using solar panels to harness solar energy and store electricity in to the 50 Megawatts Energy/Electricity Storage System. The electricity will be sold back to the national grid during peak periods.

    • Attachment

• South Africa Centre for Industry and Technology (SACIT)

  • Challenge number 33

    What challenges, opportunities, and development pathways exist for establishing a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production industry in South Africa, given its strong feedstock potential, synthetic fuel expertise, and the absence of SAF production facilities on the African continent?

    Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a liquid fuel currently used in commercial aviation which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%. It can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, municipal waste, and non-food crops. It can also be produced synthetically via a process that captures carbon directly from the air. It is ‘sustainable’ because the raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies, and is not responsible for forest degradation. Whereas fossil fuels add to the overall level of CO2 by emitting carbon that had been previously locked away, SAF recycles the CO2 which has been absorbed by the biomass used in the feedstock during the course of its life.

    11 biofuel production pathways are certified to produce SAF, which perform at operationally equivalent levels to Jet A1 fuel. By design, these SAFs are drop-in solutions, which can be directly blended into existing fuel infrastructure at airports and are fully compatible with modern aircraft.

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Worley Consulting, has published a study demonstrating that sufficient sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock exists to enable the airline industry to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. All feedstocks considered meet stringent sustainability criteria and do not lead to changes in land use.

    The global SAF project pipeline is extremely strong: over the last 10 years nearly 190 companies have announced their intention to produce sustainable fuels across 330 locations worldwide. However, out of those 190 companies, only 18 are currently producing SAF, and only a few of them are producing at scale. That leaves 170 aspiring producers at various stages of investment and development.

    SAF is currently most available in Europe and North America, though other regions are developing supply and demand. Investment is a key enabler, with significant amounts flowing into SAF projects. For example, £14.7 billion in investment was recorded by October 2025, with the USA receiving 46% of the total. Governments worldwide are implementing mandates and targets to encourage SAF adoption. The European Union has set a 2% SAF mandate for 2025, increasing to 70% by 2050, while the UK has a similar mandate growing from 2% in 2025 to 10% in 2030.While the US, EU, and UK have led the way, SAF policy is spreading across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.

    There are currently no SAF production facilities in South Africa (or on the African continent). South Africa has substantial potential to become a leading producer of SAF in Africa, driven by its abundant, diverse feedstock resources and existing synthetic fuel expertise. Research suggests that, if properly developed, a domestic SAF industry could produce between 3.2 and 4.5 billion litres of fuel annually, which is sufficient to meet local demand while leaving a significant volume for export. A domestic SAF sector could be a pillar of South Africa's low-carbon economy, playing an important role in the just transition process, and help to address the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

    This challenge would explore the challenges, opportunities and pathways for developing a SAF production industry in South Africa.

    • Attachment

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• TB/HIV Care Programme, O.R. Tambo District Municipality

  • Challenge number 39

    How can new interventions derived from natural products help address the growing challenge of drug‑resistant tuberculosis?

    Currently, TB treatment is challenged by the emergence of drug resistant strains. It is necessary to search for new interventions from natural products

• Tech Innovators Hub (Emakhaya Wifi)

  • Challenge number 48

    How can a rural WiFi project using solar power, community hotspots, and voucher-based uncapped data be supported or expanded to better bridge the digital divide?

    The Emakhaya Wifi project is innovative for several reasons:

    1. *Solar-powered WiFi access points*: Utilizing renewable energy to power the infrastructure reduces reliance on traditional electricity sources, making it more sustainable and suitable for rural areas.

    2. *Public residential WiFi access points*: By placing access points in community areas, you're increasing accessibility and reducing the need for individual installations, making it more cost-effective.

    3. *Voucher-based system*: Allowing users to purchase vouchers at local spazas or via an app makes it accessible and convenient for the community, while also creating economic opportunities for local shop owners.

    4. *Uncapped data*: Offering daily, weekly, and monthly plans with uncapped data removes data limitations, enabling users to fully utilize the internet for various purposes.

    5. *Community-focused approach*: By targeting rural villages and aiming to bridge the digital divide, the project promotes social and economic development in underserved areas.

    6. *Scalability*: The project's design and technology allow for easy expansion to other villages and provinces, making it a potentially impactful solution for rural connectivity.

    These innovative aspects combined make the Emakhaya Wifi project a pioneering effort in addressing the digital divide in rural South Africa.

    • Attachment

• The Key Ministry International

  • Challenge number 23

    How can sustainable funding mechanisms be developed to address unemployment and prevent xenophobic attacks against refugees, migrants, and other foreign nationals?

    In Pietermaritzburg, many refugees and migrants live with daily fear and uncertainty. They come seeking safety and a better life, but instead face rejection when looking for jobs. With no opportunities, they are forced to create small businesses just to survive. Yet even these are not safe; they are often targeted during xenophobic attacks, looted, or destroyed, leaving families with nothing.

    Life is filled with constant struggle: hunger, lack of basic services, discrimination, and fear of violence. Women and children are especially vulnerable, facing even greater risks.

    The Key Ministry International (KMI) stands with these communities, trying to bring hope through support and empowerment. But with little funding, KMI is struggling to respond to the overwhelming need. Many cries for help go unanswered, not because of unwillingness, but because there are simply not enough resources.

    • Attachment

• Transkulturellt centrum, Region Stockholm

  • Challenge number 99

    How can healthcare systems ensure that patient information accessed through third‑party translation apps remains accurate, safe, and reliable, despite not controlling these tools—and what lessons can be learned from other sectors that have already confronted similar digital translation risks and challenges?

    The increasing use of translation apps, which are not developed or quality assured by the healthcare system, means that patients are increasingly accessing healthcare information through automated translations. How can we ensure that this information is accurate, safe, and reliable, despite the fact that healthcare providers do not control these tools? And what lessons can we draw from other sectors that are already managing similar digital translation challenges and risks?

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• Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka and North Karelia Biosphere Reserves

  • Challenge number 81

    How can local, traditional and indigenous knowledge inform practical preparedness models that strengthen community resilience during a green and just transition?

    Rural, sparsely populated and indigenous communities are facing rapid changes driven by the green transition and by the increasing impacts of climate change. These shifts bring new land‑use pressures, changing resource demands and heightened expectations for local preparedness and adaptive capacity. Within UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), biosphere reserves are recognised as living laboratories where approaches to climate change adaptation and community resilience can be developed, tested and shared.

    These communities hold rich local, traditional and Indigenous knowledge built through long-standing practices, close observation of local ecosystems, seasonal land use and community‑based problem‑solving. Such knowledge provides valuable methods for preparedness and adaptation, yet it is often fragmented or not fully integrated into formal planning and modern tools.

    In Biosphere Reserves Vindelälven–Juhttátahkka (Sweden) and North Karelia (Finland), part of the global MAB network, this knowledge is a crucial resource for understanding how people and landscapes locally respond to climate‑related disruptions. As we work to identify effective preparedness methods, conduct needs assessments and strengthen local capacity, we seek to understand how this knowledge can support a green transition that is both climate‑resilient and socially just — while reinforcing the role of biosphere reserves as learning environments for adaptation.

    What we hope to gain

    Research-based insights and examples that can guide the development of practical, community‑anchored preparedness tools grounded in local, traditional and Indigenous knowledge, and applicable to biosphere reserves working at the intersection of people, nature and sustainability.

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• Wear your Brand

  • Challenge number 90

    How can stakeholders, including municipalities, civil society organisations and residents, co-create inclusive, community-led planning mechanisms that strengthen housing rights awareness, enhance environmental resilience, and improve service delivery?

    Cornubia, as one of KwaZulu-Natal’s largest integrated human settlements, represents both a significant development opportunity and a complex socio-spatial challenge. Despite substantial investment and planning, persistent issues such as limited awareness of housing rights, low levels of community participation, environmental vulnerability, and gaps in service delivery continue to affect residents’ quality of life.

    A key underlying factor is the insufficient integration of community voices into planning and decision-making processes. Without meaningful participation, development risks being misaligned with local needs, resulting in reduced sustainability and limited socio-economic impact.

    This initiative is grounded in the recognition that sustainable human settlements require collaborative governance. The involvement of the eThekwini Municipality Human Settlements Unit ensures policy alignment and access to spatial and service-delivery frameworks, while Tongaat Hulett Developments contributes technical expertise and continuity of development. Civil society organisations, including GroundWork, PlanAct South Africa, and CEAG, play a critical role in facilitating participatory processes, advocacy, and community empowerment.

    Most importantly, the active inclusion of Cornubia residents, Community Policing Forums, and local Community-Based Organisations ensures that lived experiences directly inform solutions. This collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach enables the co-creation of practical, contextually relevant strategies that enhance environmental resilience, strengthen social cohesion, and improve overall wellbeing.

    Ultimately, the AIMday seeks to bridge the gap between policy, planning, and lived reality, transforming Cornubia into a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable human settlement.

• Wesgro

  • Challenge number 36

    How can we design scalable regulatory and quality compliance pathways for health innovation in resource-constrained settings?

    Health and life sciences innovators in emerging markets often face high barriers to achieving internationally recognised regulatory and quality certifications (e.g. CE marking, ISO standards, FDA). These barriers delay market entry, limit innovation uptake, restrict access to essential healthcare solutions.

    There is limited research on how compliance pathways can be redesigned to be more accessible, cost-effective, and scalable for early- and growth- stage companies, without compromising safety or efficacy. Understanding these pathways could unlock local manufacturing, innovation diffusion, and broader health system benefits.

    This raises important questions: What system-level models (e.g., shared infrastructure, regulatory sandboxes) could support scalable compliance? How can regulatory science, innovation systems, and health policy be integrated to accelerate market access? And what lessons can be drawn from Sweden and other mature ecosystems to inform emerging market contexts?

    The goal is to identify practical, evidence-based models that strengthen innovation readiness, increase access to healthcare technologies, and support equitable and sustainable health outcomes.

  • Challenge number 37

    How can intermediary models such as innovation hubs, accelerators, and investment‑facilitation platforms be designed to scale health‑innovation ecosystems by improving capital allocation and driving regional economic growth?

    In many emerging markets, health and life sciences innovators struggle to access the right funding at the right stage. As a result, many viable companies fail to scale, limiting both health innovation uptake and regional economic growth.

    Intermediary actors, such as innovation hubs, accelerators, and investment facilitation platforms, have the potential to aggregate demand, de-risk investment, and improve efficiency in capital allocation. However, there is limited research on how these intermediaries can be optimised to support a larger number of companies, maximize funding efficiency, and deliver measurable economic development outcomes such as job creation, firm growth, and export activity.

    This prompts key questions: Which intermediary models best improve funding access at scale? How can investment readiness be standardised to reduce transaction costs for funders? And what are the measurable impacts on economic growth and health innovation diffusion when intermediaries operate efficiently?

    The aim is to explore scalable, evidence-based approaches that enable more companies to access funding, accelerate innovation adoption, and generate broader economic and health system benefits.

Y

• York Timbers Chair

  • Challenge number 60

    How can a South African sawmill turn sawdust waste into useful products or energy while cutting electricity costs?

    A South African sawmill is facing two linked challenges: increasing volumes of sawdust waste with limited disposal options, and rapidly rising electricity costs. How can the sawmill convert sawdust into a valuable resource—such as energy or secondary products—while improving overall energy efficiency and reducing operational costs within local constraints?

  • Challenge number 61

    How can the timber construction sector in South Africa change public perceptions and build trust so that timber is accepted as a mainstream building material?

    Despite its environmental and performance benefits, timber is still widely perceived by end-users in South Africa as less durable, less safe, or inferior to conventional materials like concrete and steel. How can the timber construction sector effectively shift these perceptions and build trust among the public to support wider adoption of timber as a mainstream building material?