Our Experience at YX24 Festival | YouthX by Nedbank

The 2024 YX24 Festival, hosted at Constitution Hill, was a vibrant celebration of youth creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The event, powered by Nedbank, brought together young South Africans with bold ideas, offering them a platform to showcase their talents and ideas. With the festival theme centering on empowering young entrepreneurs, this year’s YouthX Awards Top 10 finalists reflected a wide range of innovative solutions to real-world problems.

The energy at Constitution Hill was undeniable, from the moment you arrived and saw Nedbank branding everywhere, to the immersive Red Bull experience, gaming stations, and the YFM booth. Attendees could capture memories at the Nedbank photo booth or explore art stations, while Heineken promotions kept everyone refreshed throughout the day. The venue, a symbol of South African heritage, provided a fitting backdrop for an event that aimed to inspire the next generation.

Among the highlights were the Top 10 announcements, with MCs Primo and Lula Odiba keeping the audience engaged as they revealed the winners. John and Bridget from Nedbank, along with celebrity judges like Candice Modiselle, helped shine a spotlight on the remarkable young innovators. Each finalist presented a unique solution to a pressing issue, with the top three showing particularly impressive vision.

In 1st place, Brandon Mashaba stood out with Simple Affordable, a solution designed to improve accessibility and affordability for essential products. Asivile Mondile, who took 2nd place, wowed the judges with Mondil_Air, and Akhona Mtongana and Queen Malinda tied for 3rd place with their projects, 3D Vision and Ndzilo Fire Solutions respectively.

The creativity of the other finalists was equally impressive. Neo Ntholeng (10th place) introduced 1One, a platform designed for easy access to products, while Anokunda Mudzielwana (9th place) showcased Taxic, a project that aims to revolutionize the taxi industry. Fanosi Maharela (8th place) wowed the judges with iWashCars, a digital car wash solution that also conserves water. Other standout projects included Nkosinathi Ndwandwe‘s (7th place) AI-powered educational chatbot AskSmarty and Thokozani Xaba‘s (6th place) Signify, which translates English into sign language in real time.

The festival wasn’t just about business and ideas. It was a cultural showcase, too, with performances by top South African artists such as Thakzin, MÖRDA, Nkosazana Daughter, Blxckie, and Kabza De Small, adding musical excitement to the day. Celebrities like Zamani Mbatha, Keneilwe Mothoa, and Phila Madlingozi were spotted mingling with the crowd, adding star power to the event.

Overall, YX24 was an unforgettable experience, uniting creativity, entrepreneurship, and culture. As the festival came to a close, one couldn’t help but feel inspired by the innovation and energy that filled Constitution Hill. With a platform like this, it’s clear that South Africa’s future is in good hands, driven by a new generation of problem solvers and creative thinkers.