UNDP and UJ Unveil South Africa’s First UniPod, Accelerating Innovation and Entrepreneurship

South Africa today marked a significant milestone in strengthening youth innovation and digital transformation, as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa, through its timbuktoo initiative, partnered with the University of Johannesburg (UJ) to launch the country’s first University Innovation Pod (UniPod).

The UniPod forms part of UNDP’s continental network of university-based innovation facilities designed to equip student innovators with cutting-edge tools and market pathways. Joining 14 other universities across Africa, the UJ UniPod becomes the 15th in this growing ecosystem — featuring advanced AI and robotics labs, 3D printing, prototyping facilities, business incubation spaces, mentorship, investor-readiness programmes, and intellectual property support. The platform further connects South African innovators to UNDP’s network of more than 25 African hubs, strengthening cross-border collaboration and scaling opportunities.

Speaking at the launch, UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, underscored the transformative ambition behind UniPods and the urgent need to redesign pathways for youth-led innovation.

“Our universities are the prime locations for these Unipods, because they are idea hubs. We should not neglect this. Our systems are not expanding fast enough, some of the jobs we used to study for at universities simply no longer exist and this has left us with a quiet but dangerous crisis. Unipods aim to address this by creating the space for innovators and entrepreneurs to build and innovate; while ultimately working to expose these creators to funding and other ecosystems that will make these dreams a reality. We’ve seen some exciting solutions here today, and we will provide, as the Unipod, the ecosystem to help these students go commercial when the time comes.”

UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, emphasised how the UniPod aligns with both the university’s long-term strategy and broader development priorities:

“This exciting initiative aligns with UJ’s Strategic Plan 2035, which promotes entrepreneurship, access to technology, and leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) as well as supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.”

He added that the UniPod represents a bold investment in South Africa’s future:

“I have no doubt that the UniPod will inspire excitement about the future and generate a positive impact on our community, our country, and the wider continent. For young Africans, this marks the beginning of a future where great ideas are not only heard but built! With this facility, we are planting deep roots for innovation so that we can grow towards a future of limitless possibilities!”

Among the first cohort is Nobuhle Mbuyisa, a BCom Honours student from Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal, who is developing Bigfive Quickfix, a blockchain-enabled mobile platform connecting informal mechanics to formal markets. She believes the UniPod will accelerate her innovation journey:

“The UJ Unipod provides an ecosystem that combines expert mentorship, research capabilities and industry connections. This environment will help strengthen the app. By making use of Unipod resources, this will accelerate development, improve the quality of our solution and make greater impact by improving the service we aim to deliver.”

The UniPod is powered by timbuktoo, UNDP’s bold pan-African innovation initiative reshaping how Africa nurtures startups and transforms development challenges into scalable economic opportunities. Its model connects university-based pods with sector-specific hubs across the continent — from fintech and agritech to the creative economy — creating a coordinated innovation value chain.

Watch highlights of the UniPod launch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6M9kF4zEe0