South African women entrepreneurs celebrated at WomX

The second annual WomX Conference concluded with a powerful celebration of women in business, drawing more than 130 women entrepreneurs, funders, and partners to Hotel Sky in Sandton for a day of bold dialogue, recognition, and storytelling. A key highlight was the announcement of the Top 3 winners of the 2025 WomX Accelerator Awards, selected from over 50 women-led businesses across all nine provinces. These entrepreneurs completed a rigorous six-month accelerator journey powered by YIEDI and were assessed on measurable growth, participation, and impact.

The 2025 WomX Awards Winners

1st Prize – R50 000: Sindisiwe Nyawuza, Aziye Solutions (Pty) Ltd (KwaZulu-Natal) Aziye Solutions, a 100% black-owned business, delivers organisational diagnostics, engagement services, and legal support. Under Sindisiwe’s leadership, the company expanded from 5 to 17 employees, with an increase annual revenue of over 300%, entered new markets, and strengthened its digital presence. 2nd Prize – R30 000: Anastasia Jacobs, Hands On Approach Printing (Gauteng) A proudly South African woman-owned business specialising in corporate printing, branding, and stationery. Anastasia expanded services into promotional branding, secured major clients including Mercedes Benz and SPAR, and leveraged AI in marketing to increase visibility and revenue. 3rd Prize – R20 000: Caitlin Samuel, Hi-Q Chemicals (KwaZulu-Natal) A black-owned lubricant manufacturer offering high-quality, affordable products. Caitlin grew revenue from R11 000 to R500 000, expanded her workforce by 300%, and secured a significant contract through improved tender readiness and mentorship support. “These winners demonstrate what can happen when passion meets opportunity,” said Jayshree Naidoo, CEO of YIEDI and Founder of WomX. “Their journeys of growth, resilience, and innovation are the very stories that remind us why platforms like WomX exist, to enable women entrepreneurs to rise, thrive, and lead.”

Book Launch: WomX Her Story. Her Success.

The conference also featured the official launch of the WomX Book – Her Story. Her Success. The book is a powerful collection of stories from 100 women entrepreneurs across South Africa. The launch included a heartfelt dialogue between Jayshree Naidoo, curator of the book, and Shameem Kumandan, one of its contributors. Together they explored the power of resilience and storytelling as a way to honour women’s journeys and inspire others to claim their space in business and society.

A Curated Spoken Word Experience

Delegates were also treated to a moving spoken word performance by the talented Puno Selesho, who delivered her specially curated piece “The Call.” Lines such a s “Woman, you are the right one for the job. There is a call, written in your name. A call to rise, to stand firm. To turn your passions into purpose…” resonated deeply with the audience, capturing the spirit of the conference and affirming the strength of women entrepreneurs. Reflecting on the performance, Naidoo said: “Puno’s words gave voice to what we often feel but cannot always articulate, that women are the right ones for this moment. Her piece reminded every woman in that room that they are not only worthy but vital in shaping our collective future.”

About WomX and the Conference

WomX – Woman in Business, powered by YIEDI, is a national platform that supports women entrepreneurs through structured learning, mentorship, and strategic exposure. Since 2023, WomX has supported over 200 women-led businesses through structured accelerators and built a growing community of nearly 2 000 members. The WomX Conference 2025 served as a platform to showcase innovation, amplify women’s voices, and celebrate collective progress in entrepreneurship across South Africa.