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Sifelani Tsiko
Innovations Editor
Four young Harare Institute of Technology innovators walked away with cash prizes after winning awards in the 2024 Business Plan Competition.
The HIT technopreneurship business plan competition is an annual flagship event that showcases the innovative spirit and technopreneurship of young innovators.
Alither Garapo owner of start-up Neatgrow Aquadeli and a first-year student in Biomedical Engineering won the first prize and walked away with US$5 000 for his fingerlings
breeding enterprise.
The second prize with a cash prize of US$3 000 went to Team 10 PETILLANT Pvt (Ltd) run by Godfrey Wapemha and Nathan Gomwe – all fourth-year students studying BTech
in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.
The start-up is involved in the commercial production of starch-based biodegradable plastic packaging material.
Atidaishe Makwavarara owner of start-up Zulubites and a student year BTech in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering won the third prize (US$2 000) for his innovation – a
solar dehydrator for drying foods such as meat, biltong, fruits, and vegetables.
A total of 13 competitors showcased their cutting-edge solutions in the 2024 HIT technopreneurship business plan competition.
“The competition is more than just a contest, it is a celebration of the technopreurial spirit, hard work, and determination,” said HIT Pro Vice-Chancellor Mr Willard Gwarimbo.
“As HIT we are proud to have supported our participants in refining the ideas and taking them to the next level.”
The awards were sponsored by Small and Medium Enterprise Development Corporation (SMEDCo), Varichem, Stanbic and Transerve.
“I urge the HIT students to think beyond the transcripts and qualifications they will receive, to scale heights that will feed into the growth of their households, community, and
the economy in general,” said SMEDCO’s operations director Ms Rosemary Mazo.
HIT is hosting the 2024 Technovation Expo at its campus.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu