Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Sub-Saharan Africa

18/06/2026

From Cape Town to Berlin, South African and regional innovators are proving that world-changing ideas can start anywhere — in a lab, a classroom, a township workshop or a community project.

Applications for Falling Walls Lab Cape Town 2026 close on 22 June.

Which wall will you break next?

Discover how innovators from South Africa, like Dr. Emmie Chiyindiko and Sekelo Shude, tackle global challenges—apply now for Falling Walls Lab Cape Town 2026!

18/06/2026

Falling Walls Lab Cape Town is open — apply by 22 June 2026.

Pitch your breakthrough idea and stand a chance to win:

🥇 1st Place: R15,000
🥈 2nd Place: R10,000
🥉 3rd Place: R7,500

The winner also stands a chance to pitch at the global finale in Berlin.

For Beatrice Ali Phiri, the idea started with a simple family conversation: why did her mother keep getting low yields every time she farmed?

“What if it is the soil?”

That question became Solar Soil — a biodegradable fabric designed to turn almost any surface into a microgarden, so people can farm in any season, anywhere.

Falling Walls Lab was Beatrice’s first time applying for something like this. She was nervous. She discovered she enjoyed public speaking. And then she won.

Now your idea deserves a stage.

If you are a student, researcher, entrepreneur, professional or builder with a breakthrough idea, apply for Falling Walls Lab Cape Town.

3 minutes. 1 pitch. A chance to win locally and go global.

Apply by 22 June 2026: https://fallingwallscapetown.co.za/

10/06/2026

Falling Walls Lab Cape Town is open, apply by 22 June 2026.
Pitch your breakthrough idea and stand a chance to win:
🥇 1st Place: R15,000
🥈 2nd Place: R10,000
🥉 3rd Place: R7,500
The winner also stands a chance to pitch at the global finale in Berlin.
For Sekelo Shude, Falling Walls Lab Cape Town helped take his recycling business to a bigger stage.
His company turns discarded plastic into paving bricks, moving waste away from dumping sites and turning it into something communities can use.
Now your idea deserves a stage.
If you are a student, researcher, entrepreneur, professional or builder with a breakthrough idea, apply for Falling Walls Lab Cape Town.
3 minutes. 1 pitch. A chance to win locally and go global.
Apply by 22 June 2026: https://fallingwallscapetown.co.za/

10/06/2026

Falling Walls Lab Cape Town is open, apply by 22 June 2026.

Cash prizes are up for grabs:

🥇 1st Place: R15,000
🥈 2nd Place: R10,000
🥉 3rd Place: R7,500

Plus, the winner stands a chance to pitch at the global finale in Berlin.

For Emmie Chiyindiko, Falling Walls Lab was a “pinch me” moment: standing in a room with young innovators working on cancer research, clean water, renewable energy and some of the biggest challenges of our time.

Her idea? Ultra-sensitive solar cells inspired by the structure of a leaf.

Now your idea deserves a stage.

If you are a student, researcher, entrepreneur, professional or builder with a breakthrough idea, apply for Falling Walls Lab Cape Town.

3 minutes. 1 pitch. A chance to win locally and go global.

Apply by 22 June 2026: https://fallingwallscapetown.co.za/

09/06/2026

Meet David Oyoo from Kenya, one of the Umholi we Africa Cohort 4 Fellows.

For David, public service is about contributing to better governance and strengthening ethical leadership. His interest has been shaped by his own experiences and by what he has seen in communities and public institutions.

He believes that good policies and systems are important, but they must be supported by ethics, accountability, integrity, and fairness. Without that, public service cannot deliver effectively to citizens.

His message is clear: ethical leadership must be at the forefront of public service.

08/06/2026

Meet Thabang Mmese from Botswana, one of the Umholi we Africa Cohort 4 Fellows.

For Thabang, public service is one of the key ways to drive impact and help shape communities and societies. After spending much of his time in the private sector, he sees public service as a space where policy and legislative change can make a lasting difference.

One issue he is especially passionate about is youth engagement. He believes young people have the talent, skill and drive to help implement change, but are too often left out of the conversations that matter.

His hope is for stronger bridges between generations, where both older and younger leaders contribute to inclusive policies and shared progress.

06/06/2026

Meet Pheladi Tlhatlha from Limpopo, South Africa, one of the Umholi we Africa Cohort 4 Fellows.

For Pheladi, public service is about understanding how systems work from the inside. Coming from a scientific background, she is passionate about connecting technical knowledge with governance, stakeholder engagement, and the experiences of people on the ground.

Her message to young people is clear: active citizenship matters. Public participation is part of governance, and young people need to be more proactive in finding and using those spaces.

05/06/2026

Meet Umar Danilo Aly from Mozambique, one of the Umholi we Africa Cohort 4 Fellows.

For Umar, public service is closely tied to youth representation. He believes that because many of Africa’s challenges affect young people directly, young people must also be part of the decision-making process.

He also sees Mozambique’s work in supporting youth entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas, as an important lesson for the continent, one that can help advance economic empowerment and freedom for young Africans.

05/06/2026

President Ruto’s South Africa visit shifts focus from ceremony to citizens: freer trade, mobility and AfCFTA must deliver real opportunities for entrepreneurs, youth and communities in both nations.

05/06/2026

Meet Buhlebakhe Ncube from Zimbabwe, one of the Umholi we Africa Cohort 4 Fellows.

For Buhlebakhe, public service is not abstract. It begins in her city, Bulawayo, and grows from a deep desire to help build a more equitable world.

Through the Fellowship, she is learning new skills and gaining practical tools to serve with greater purpose, confidence, and impact.