Five creative entrepreneurs have been selected for the next phase of the Ventures Foundation programme. Each brings a distinctive creative voice, combining craftsmanship, material understanding and the ambition to build a sustainable design business.
They will now work with manufacturing partners to develop fully realised prototypes for exhibition at 100% Design South Africa in August 2026. They will also take part in an intensive series of masterclasses and receive one-on-one mentorship from industry experts and the Sanlam Private Wealth team.
Together, they represent the next generation of South African creative entrepreneurship – moving from concept to prototype, and from passionate makers to confident, future-ready founders.
BONOLO CHEPAPE
(HOMEWARE AND TEXTILE DESIGN)
Bonolo Chepape is a multi-disciplinary designer and founder of LULASCLAN. Working across craft, object and surface design, she explores the relationship between material, identity and contemporary African expression, and creates tactile, narrative-driven pieces rooted in personal memory and cultural symbolism. Her work reinterprets traditional forms through a modern lens, balancing softness and structure, grounded in storytelling and process.
NICOLA SMITH
(CERAMIC AND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DESIGN)
Nicola Smith is a product designer and co-founder of Kilnhouse Design Studio, a ceramic studio working across tableware, lighting and installation. Her practice explores the relationship between material, architecture and experience, creating objects that move between function and spatial storytelling. Rooted in hand-making, Kilnhouse seamlessly combines traditional ceramic techniques with a multi-material, contemporary approach.
SASH CEBEKHULU
(FASHION DESIGN)
Sakhile Cebekhulu is a designer and founder of SASH, whose practice explores the intersection of craft, material and contemporary cultural expression. Working across object and surface design, his work draws on traditional techniques reinterpreted through a modern lens. Rooted in storytelling and identity, his pieces reflect a strong connection to heritage, balancing functionality with artistic expression.
SIYANDA MBELE
(FURNITURE DESIGN)
Siyanda Mbele is a textile and surface designer and founder of Phinda Design, whose work explores identity, heritage and contemporary African visual language. His practice centres on bold pattern-making and graphic storytelling, translating cultural narratives into expressive textile compositions. Drawing on both traditional and contemporary influences, his work ceates a distinctive aesthetic that is vibrant, intentional and confident.
@pindadesign
TUMI MPHAHLELE
(COMMUNITY TEXTILE AND INTERIOR DESIGN)
Boitumelo (Tumi) Mphahlele is a designer and founder of Thekga Movement, working at the intersection of ecological materials, craft and contemporary design. Her practice transforms invasive water hyacinth into woven fibre, linking environmental restoration with local craft economies. She creates tactile, sculptural textiles through collaboration with female artisans, balancing sustainability, heritage and a refined, contemporary design language.
@thekga_ecoliving
ABOUT THE VENTURES FOUNDATION
The Ventures Foundation by Sanlam Private Wealth is dedicated to discovering and developing South Africa’s next generation of creative entrepreneurs. Through mentorship, business training and international exposure, we empower emerging entrepreneurs to refine their craft, build sustainable businesses, and share their vision with the world.
THEESAN MOODLEY
Sanlam Private Wealth CEO
Application
HOW IT WORKS
Application
More than 150 submissions were received from South African creative entrepreneurs looking to elevate their craft, business skills and creative vision. Applicants designed a luxury textile piece – prototyped as a rug – to reimagine what luxury means in Africa today.
Selection
Selection
From a highly competitive pool, twelve finalists were shortlisted. They took part in a focused entrepreneurship programme of mentorship, masterclasses and commercial development, refining both their concepts and their growth potential. From this group, five finalists progressed to the next phase.
Mentorship
Mentorship
Currently, the five finalists are working with leading mentors across design, business and market development, including experts from Sanlam Private Wealth. Sessions are tailored to each finalist’s goals, covering brand strategy, production, pricing, marketing and market access.
Paris winner
Paris winner
One winner will travel with a mentor to Maison&Objet in Paris, the world’s leading design event. This immersive experience offers direct access to global brands, trendsetting ideas and international networks to inspire the next chapter of their creative journey.
TRACY LEE LYNCH
LENTSOANE LEKALAKALA
LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN
MPHO VACKIER
ZIZIPHO POSWA
CHARL EDWARDS
CLAUDE MORRIS
TRACY LEE LYNCH
(CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGN CURATOR)Tracy Lee Lynch is the visionary creative director at Clout/SA where she champions South African designers and makers through bold, culturally grounded interior projects, curated collections and design showcases. Tracy brings together aesthetic, community and impact to elevate South African voices and build bridges between local designers and global audiences.
LENTSOANE LEKALAKALA
(FINANCIAL EXPERT)Lentsoane Lekalakala heads up Sanlam Private Wealth’s Johannesburg region. As a seasoned investment professional, he brings a pragmatic, long‑term lens to evaluating opportunities. He leads multidisciplinary teams and has spent years helping clients turn good ideas into sustainable growth. Expect clear judgement, straight talk and dependable follow‑through.
LAURIE WIID VAN HEERDEN
(DESIGNER AND MAKER)Laurie Wiid van Heerden is the founder and lead designer of Wiid Design, a renowned studio defined by craftsmanship, material innovation and sustainability. Combining African authenticity with global appeal, Wiid Design crafts original, enduring designs for residential, commercial and bespoke projects worldwide. Each piece explores form, tactility and longevity through materials such as cork, which is a defining element in Laurie’s work.
MPHO VACKIER
(FURNITURE DESIGNER)Mpho Vackier is the founder and creative force behind TheUrbanative™, a studio known for pushing the boundaries of contemporary furniture design in South Africa. Her work rethinks form and function with bold shapes, material exploration and an eye for sculptural presence.
ZIZIPHO POSWA
(CERAMICIST)Zizipho Poswa is a Cape Town-based ceramic sculptor whose monumental hand-coiled forms celebrate African womanhood, drawing on her roots in Xhosa ritual and the life of rural women. Her work bridges abstraction and figuration, often referencing rituals like umthwalo (the load), as well as traditional hairstyles in her Magodi and uBuhle boKhokho series. Her pieces are held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, LACMA, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art among others.
CHARL EDWARDS
(EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR)Charl Edwards is an all-round creative with a strong aesthetic sensibility for imagery, branding and editorial language. As the co-founder and creative director of Lookbook Studio and editor of House and Leisure, Charl brings together visual storytelling and narrative direction to help shape and curate distinctive local identities and stories.
CLAUDE MORRIS
(BUSINESS MENTOR)Claude Morris is a business strategist and coach dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow, sustain and evolve their businesses with clarity and confidence. Drawing on extensive experience across creative and commercial sectors, he equips business owners with the insight, structure and accountability needed to achieve lasting profitability and impact. Through Claude Morris Coaching & Consulting, he partners with clients to unlock their full potential and build sustainable, thriving enterprises.
Our mentors are leaders in design, business and creative entrepreneurship. As a finalist, you’ll gain direct access to their expertise and networks through workshops, one-on-one sessions and real-time feedback, customised to your craft, business goals and vision. The ultimate prize: one finalist will travel with a mentor to Maison&Objet Paris, immersing in the world’s leading design event, meeting global brands and drawing inspiration to shape a lasting creative future.
