Cleantech innovation emerging as key growth opportunity for South African startups

Energy insecurity, climate-stressed agriculture, rising waste and strained transport systems are putting immense pressure on South Africa’s growth prospects. But for entrepreneurs and innovators, these infrastructural realities break open an opportunity to fix the nation and succeed doing it.

Patrick Krappie, executive for Innovation and Enabling Support at the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), says the country’s biggest problems have always been great catalysts for innovation.

“Our nation’s transition will always depend on the innovators who take ideas and turn them into practical solutions. Energy resilience, sustainable agriculture, waste management and mobility are all critical areas where we need local innovation to make a real impact.”

These innovators featured prominently at this year’s inaugural South African Innovation Week hosted by the TIA together with the South African Innovation Summit, and supported by the Department of Science, Technology & Innovation.

The event brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, along with corporates, investors and government representatives to discuss how innovation ecosystems can help turn promising ideas into real businesses.

Given the infrastructure challenges facing South Africa, cleantech is an increasingly prominent feature at the event. South Africa’s cleantech market generated roughly US$4.9 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. On its own, solar provided the country with 15% of electricity needs in December 2025.

That growth is also showing up in the startup ecosystem. “The South Africa CleanTech Ecosystem Map now tracks more than 780 ventures across the country,” says Krappie. “We have renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, waste management and so much more to tap into. There’s so much on the go, it’s hard to keep track.”

Developed through the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme, the South Africa CleanTech Ecosystem Map was built to connect startups with investors, partners and technical support networks.

Even with all this opportunity, Krappie notes there is a large number of promising ideas that still struggle to reach the market. “Early-stage ventures often face limited funding, poor access to expertise, technical support and industry engagement experience. That’s where programmes like the National Cleantech Innovation Challenge (NCIC) come in.”

Applications for NCIC 2026 close on 1 April 2026. The programme invites South African entrepreneurs, SMMEs and research teams to develop solutions for nine province-specific cleantech challenges.

The model is designed to connect innovation directly with real-world problems. “The NCIC is about helping innovators get access to the right mentorship, technical expertise and networks that can help them learn, partner and scale.”

The province-based structure reflects the reality that South Africa’s transition pressures look very different depending on where you are. Coal regions are building new industries in the shift away from fossil fuels. Agricultural areas are wrestling with climate volatility and soil degradation. Cities are looking for better ways to manage waste, transport and energy demands. The list goes on.

When entrepreneurs build solutions for these challenges, the innovations are designed for real conditions.

Since the programme was introduced, there has been growth in the number of South African ventures that have entered the pipeline, with many progressing into acceleration programmes and TIA’s pre-commercialisation support.

Krappie believes the moment is right for entrepreneurs and researchers to consider cleantech as a serious business opportunity.

“The cleantech sector is growing and the demand for solutions is real,” he says. “For innovators who want to build things that solve meaningful problems, this is the right place to be – and we couldn’t be more excited about our future.”