Last night marked the end of the first round of the 2025 Nedbank Pitch & Polish competition, revealing which of the original 16 contestants will move through to the next round – taking them one step closer to the first prize worth R1 million. While the journey of 8 talented contestants has come to an end, they leave the competition armed with improved business skills and valuable insights gained through the immersive learning experience and one-on-one mentorship provided by Raizcorp. As in previous years, the top 8 finalists represent a range of businesses and products – from a reflective spray that’s keeping our roads safer to a company making bioactive toilet paper and a modest fashion retailer.
Meet the top 8 contestants
Blessing Sithole
• Company name: Bakers Creationz
• Location: KwaZulu-Natal
What started in a home kitchen in the heart of Maphephetheni has been baked into something seriously sweet! Meet Blessing Sithole, the creative force behind Bakers Creationz – the confectionery brand turning nostalgic treats into retail gold. His creations are stocked by retail heavyweights like Pick n Pay and Spar and it’s easy to taste why. His signature masterpiece? A reinvention of the classic snowball cake – fluffy sponge, creamy filling and pure nostalgic delight. The market is eating it up – literally – with over 10 000 snowballs flying off the shelves every week!
Prudence Mabaso
• Company name: The Kitchen Wrap Company
• Location: Gauteng
No moving out, no dust, no demolition – just a fresh new look overnight! Prudence Mabaso’s company is transforming home renovations in South Africa with its innovative wrap solutions. Whether it’s turning dull brown cupboards into sleek white ones or giving your furniture an instant style boost, they make it happen quickly, cleanly and affordably. No mess, no fuss – just instant home makeovers!
Cate Olifant
• Company name: Akani Paints
• Location: Limpopo
Cate Olifant is proving that paint can be both eco-friendly and top-notch. Her business, Akani Paints, crafts high-grade, water-based paints that let you personalise your colour palette without harming the planet. With two branches and a growing team, Cate is making waves in the coatings industry. From competitive pricing to offering internships for young chemical engineers, Akani Paints is all about quality, sustainability and opening doors to brighter futures.
Vanessa Snyman
• Company name: VEZ Technology
• Location: Mpumalanga
Here’s proof that even the most basic household items can spark meaningful change. Vanessa Snyman’s business is pioneering bioactive toilet paper – this clever innovation involves a process where a five-strain bacteria blend is added to toilet paper, making it effective in reducing blocked drains, eliminating odours and promoting a healthier water system. Vanessa’s vision is simple: transform everyday essentials into sustainable solutions for a cleaner, greener future – one flush at a time.
Orion Herman
• Company name: LiquidGold Africa
• Location: KwaZulu-Natal
Orion Herman is proving that waste can be a goldmine – literally. With LiquidGold Africa, he’s spearheading waterless sanitation systems that turn human waste into valuable products like animal feed, compost and fertiliser. Using innovative Black Soldier Fly processing and urine-to-fertiliser technology, Orion’s approach saves precious water and fuels regenerative farming while transforming waste into real solutions for food security, water conservation and a greener planet.
Nontsikelelo Mokoena
• Company name: TamRex Holdings
• Location: Gauteng
Nontsikelelo Mokoena is redefining modest fashion with her luxury brand, TOLTHEMA. Blending traditional aesthetics with contemporary design, TOLTHEMA celebrates cultural heritage while embracing sophisticated style. All fabrics are locally sourced and every product is proudly manufactured in South Africa – a testament to the fact that elegance, comfort and modesty can coexist beautifully.
Tshitso Mosolodi & Karl Carter
• Company name: Snake Nation
• Location: Gauteng
Business description Tshitso Mosolodi and Karl Carter are revolutionising the creative economy with Snake Nation – a Web3 platform where young, diverse creators can build, distribute and monetise their work. Forget gatekeepers! Snake Nation uses blockchain to track every piece of content and ensure fair payment, turning creative energy into economic opportunity. From studios to global audiences, they’re unlocking doors for African creatives to earn in rands and thrive in a decentralised, creator-first ecosystem.
Memphis Kaotsane
• Company name: Moonshine Reflective Spray
• Location: North West
Memphis is making rural roads safer and giving farmers peace of mind with Moonshine Reflective Spray – a simple, non-toxic innovation that makes stray animals like livestock shine bright at night. Acting like reflective paint, it ensures motorists can spot animals from 200 metres away, reducing collisions and saving lives by avoiding countless accidents caused by free-roaming livestock.
One step closer to the prize worth R1 million
Over 4 rounds, the contestants will be whittled down to the final 2 and that’s when a wildcard entry will be introduced. The wildcard contestant will go straight through to the final round where they will compete against the 2 finalists for 1 of the top 3 prizes. While the winner bags the prize worth R1 million, the runner-up goes home with R100 000 in cash and the 2nd runner-up gets R50 000.