Cape Town: #YouthStartCT 2026 celebrated 10 years of backing Cape Town’s young business leaders. The city organised #YouthStartCT Entrepreneurial Challenge awards ceremony, held at the Civic Centre Banqueting Hall on Tuesday evening, June 23, 2026.
During the award ceremony Paul Whitehead and Candice Shunmoogam earned top honours. The City of Cape Town felt proud when the winners were announced after just eight weeks of coaching, training and pitching before a panel of judges. It was the most successful year yet, with over 700 entries for existing businesses or business ideas, as out of all 145 of whom met the criteria to participate in the training and mentorship rounds.
The groups divided, included 68 females and 77 males from across the metropole, who either have existing businesses or business ideas, and nearly 40% of them were in the 18 – 25 age group. The participants also represented 77 communities, including young people from Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Observatory, Kraaifontein, Delft, Langa, Mfuleni, Nyanga, Philippi and Gugulethu. The Top-10 ideas in both categories were finalised through a series of pitches.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham stated that this youth upliftment programme has endured because it speaks to something very practical: young people need access to opportunity, not just encouragement. They need spaces where they can test an idea, get honest feedback, learn the basics and build the confidence to keep going.
That is what #YouthStartCT has tried to do over the past decade, and this competition matters deeply in a city like ours. Higham stated that when they create an enabling environment and invest in the young people, then they are also investing in individual businesses or ideas.
According to Higham, they are investing in confidence, in economic participation, and in the future of Cape Town. In the Existing Business Category, the top achievers were:
- Winner: Paul Whitehead of Major John (Woodstock)
- 1st Runner Up: Kylie Andrea Adam of Shanti Natural Care (Gardens)
- 2nd Runner Up: Nadia Abdul Wahab of Gymtech for Weightloss (Kraaifontein)
In the Business Ideas Category, the top achievers were:
- Winner: Candice Shunmoogam of GWIN (Parkwood)
- 1st Runner Up: Malilimalo Phaswana of Wine Behaviour (Pinelands)
- 2nd Runner Up: Izak Liebenberg of Reality Atelier (Thornton)
Cllr Francine Higham also congratulated the finalists and winners. She said that they are proud of them. She expressed, to those who may not have received an award, please do not see this as the end of your journey.
She encouraged them and said that Cape Town needs their energy, their ideas and their courage. She thanked them all for being part of the #YouthStartCT story, and here’s to the next decade of young entrepreneurs building a stronger, more inclusive and more hopeful Cape Town.