2025 Startup Awards reveal SA’s most promising new ventures
The winners of the third annual South African Startup Awards for 2025 were announced on 10 December at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town. The South African Startup Awards, hosted by the Startup Club ZA, recognises leading early-stage technology ventures in the country.
12 Dec 2025
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The winners were chosen amongst 44 finalists, 221 entries, and 4,121 verified public votes by a 28-strong panel of expert judges. The awards consist of 12 categories that broaden the scope of tech-focused startups and ventures.
The Startup Club ZA says the awards exist to 'fairly, independently and credibly recognise the leading early-stage tech startups from around South Africa - and to showcase the incredible innovation and potential of our country's founders to the world'.
The Startup Club ZA hosts monthly events and is dubbed as South Africa's largest tech startup and investor community.
The 2025 winners:
AI and Big Data: Nineteen58 - Building omnichannel AI agents to revolutionise customer service and business growth.
Climate/Sustainability: Still Good - Connecting South Africans with local businesses - to rescue unsold food at discounted prices.
Consumertech: Dream Drive - The skills-based competition platform making car ownership possible for everyday South Africans.
Deeptech: MariHealth Solutions - Leveraging biotech to promote sustainable aquaculture practices and optimise fish health and nutrition.
Digital Commerce: Skubu - The first fully automated refill retail store, selling groceries “packaging free” and for up to 50% less.
Edtech: Levra - Using proprietary psychometrics and immersive learning to boost employee communication, teamwork and resilience.
Fintech: Jem - Delivering affordable and effective HR and financial services to the frontline workforce via WhatsApp.
Future of Work: ArcFlow - The AI-powered ERP software bringing enterprise-level automation and efficiency to SMEs.
Healthtech: Biomine Health - The platform using gut bacteria to predict which cancer drugs are likely to work, before immunotherapy even starts.
Informal Market: PayGas - Enabling low-income households to refill their LPG cylinders on a pay-as-you-go basis, from as little as R10.
Mobility/Logistics: Delivery Ka Speed - Bridging unreliable delivery infrastructure and youth unemployment in underserved communities.
#StartupStory
#StartupStory: Delivery Ka Speed - A township fast-food delivery service
Imran Salie 18 Jul 2022
People's Choice: FindHomes - The AI-powered property intelligence platform that reveals true costs, value and investment potential.
About Imran Salie
Bizcommunity Editor: Automotive, Entrepreneurship, IT
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