UJ launches UniPod: South Africa’s first UNDP-backed innovation hub

This was the sentiment expressed as the University of Johannesburg (UJ), supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Timbuktoo initiative, launched the country’s first University Innovation Pod (UniPod).

Joining 14 other universities across the African continent, UJ becomes the 15th institution to host state-of-the-art facilities featuring advanced labs for AI, robotics, 3D printing and prototyping.

The UniPod also provides business incubation spaces, mentorship, investor-readiness programmes and intellectual property support. In addition, it links innovators to UNDP’s network of more than 25 African hubs, enabling dynamic cross-border collaboration.

The inaugural UJ UniPod cohort includes 28 young entrepreneurs developing solutions in fashion, education, AI-enabled technology, aquaculture and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention.

Speaking at the launch event, UJ Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, highlighted that the hub aligns with the University’s 2035 Strategic Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“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.

“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!”

UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, shared how the concept of UniPods came to life, noting that many African universities lack the facilities needed to support student innovators, a gap the UniPods now address.

“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.”

Among the first cohort of innovators is Nobuhle Mbuyisa, a BCom Honours in Logistics Management student at UJ.

Mbuyisa, 25, from Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal, is developing Bigfive Quickfix, a mobile application that uses blockchain technology to connect informal mechanics to larger, formalised markets.She hopes the UniPod will accelerate the refinement and rollout of her solution: “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.”

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