The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is redefining innovation in Africa with the launch of the University Innovation Pod (UniPod), South Africa’s first innovation hub supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Timbuktoo initiative. Launching on 17 November 2025 in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, the UniPod will serve as a catalyst for transformation, empowering early-stage entrepreneurs with tools, expertise, and networks to turn ideas into real-world solutions.

The initiative aligns with UJ’s Strategic Plan 2025–2035, which promotes entrepreneurship, access to technology, and leadership in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Located at 39 Plantation Road, UniPod removes barriers that often hinder progress for Africa’s emerging innovators by providing access to funding, technical support, and digital infrastructure.

“Innovation doesn’t begin with hardware. It begins with hope, access, and the right environment to dream boldly,” said Professor George Letlhokwa Mpedi, UJ Vice-Chancellor. “UniPod shows what’s possible when universities and global partners create sustainable pathways for inclusive growth.”

The facility features advanced labs for AI, robotics, 3D printing, and prototyping, alongside business incubation spaces, mentorship, investor-readiness programmes, and intellectual property support. It also connects innovators to a UNDP network of over 25 African hubs for cross-border collaboration.

Timbuktoo is UNDP’s bold pan-African innovation initiative, designed to redefine Africa’s development trajectory through entrepreneurship. Its approach is anchored in building a connected network of university-based innovation pods (UniPods) and sector-specific hubs across the continent, each focusing on industries with the highest potential for transformation.

Among the UJ+UNDP  Unipod’s  early successes is Viwe Duma, a third-year Civil Engineering student from KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal. Her project, GridSolutions, uses piezoelectric technology embedded in roads to convert traffic vibrations into electricity, powering streetlights and sensors. “This space didn’t just help me build a product,” Viwe said. “It made me feel like I could solve real problems that affect my community.”

Added Prof Mpedi; “We’re not just developing prototypes; we’re building platforms for self-determination. The solutions to Africa’s challenges will come from innovators who live the realities they’re solving.”

UniPod is intentionally inclusive, prioritising women, youth, and rural-based innovators to close digital and structural gaps. From township mechanics to entrepreneurs tackling period poverty, the hub nurtures ideas that reflect Africa’s diversity and creativity.

The launch event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and student innovators, showcasing live demonstrations of technologies aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With early-stage entrepreneurial activity in South Africa having dropped to 8% in 2023, the timing is crucial.

“For governments, UniPod offers a scalable blueprint; for the private sector, it unlocks untapped talent; and for young Africans, it’s the beginning of a future where great ideas are not just heard—they’re built,” said Prof Mpedi.

Prof Mpedi added: “The UniPod strengthens UJ’s global engagement and advances its leadership in innovation, entrepreneurship, and the 4IR, supporting SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth.”

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