The Institute for Catalysis and Energy Solutions (ICES) is proud to announce that Ms Gosego Sedikelo, a PhD student (supervised by Profs Yali Yao and Linda Linganiso) in the Institute was honoured with the “Best Women-Led Team award” at the 2025 GCIP-SA Awards Ceremony held at Gold Reef City in Johannesburg on the 19^th March 2026.  GCIP-SA (Global Cleantech Innovation Programme) focuses on addressing energy, environmental, and economic issues by fostering clean technology innovation, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups.

The areas of emphasis include energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste management (including e-waste), water efficiency, transportation, and environmental protection. This initiative is conducted in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). The GCIP-SA delivers an annual competition accelerator program, providing SMEs and startups with ongoing training, mentorship, and evaluations focused on refining their business models, investor pitches, communication, and financial competencies.

Ms Gosego Sedikelo, a PhD student

The GCIP-SA 2025/2026 cycle was highly competitive, attracting applicants from across all nine provinces of South Africa. Our team successfully went through the initial selection rounds, advancing to the Top 30 semi-finalists, and subsequently to the Top 10 finalists. This progression involved multiple rounds of evaluation, pitch assessments, and mentorship sessions, during which our innovation was scrutinised against technical, environmental, and commercial criteria by various field expects and investors.

The same project was also pitched in China through JAR-Young PhD Talent Acceleration Camp 2026 which was be held on the 24^th April 2026 in Shaoxing in China, hosted by JAR Partner Innovation Park. On behalf of the student, Prof Linganiso “pitched” the innovative technology to Chinese government and out of three winners, the project took the third place, winning an monetary award of 500 000 Yuan for research and innovation activities.