A new partnership between the Nedbank Foundation and BVisionaries: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship aims to help young Africans transform environmental ideas into thriving businesses, tackling some of the continent's most pressing sustainability challenges as well as creating jobs.
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Announced on June 2, the collaboration is part of the broader BVisionaries: Mercedes-Benz Fellowship programme, a global initiative designed to equip young people with the skills, mentorship and support needed to drive environmental innovation.
The partnership comes at a time when Africa faces increasing environmental pressures as well as persistently high levels of youth unemployment. By combining financial support, mentorship and access to business networks, the initiative seeks to nurture a new generation of eco-entrepreneurs capable of building scalable and commercially viable green enterprises.
The fellowship connects young innovators with mentors, industry experts, and organizations committed to advancing environmental solutions that can make an impact beyond national borders. Its long-term ambition is to create a global community of 10,000 planet-positive innovators and supporters by 2030.
According to Maria Levine, Executive Director of BVisionaries: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, this partnership strengthens the programme's presence across Africa by leveraging Nedbank's experience in the green economy and its established approach to supporting entrepreneurs.
“The BVisionaries: Mercedes-Benz Fellowship was created to empower young people to lead the transition to a more sustainable future,” said Levin. “The partnership with Nedbank allows us to combine global ambition with local expertise, helping young innovators turn purpose-driven ideas into practical solutions.”
At the heart of cooperation is a shared commitment to sustainability, social inclusion and economic growth. Both organizations believe that young innovators will play a vital role in shaping a green future while creating meaningful employment opportunities.
Poovi Pillay, executive head of social impact at Nedbank, said the partnership closely aligns with the bank's purpose-driven approach to growth.
“Young entrepreneurs are not only passionate about protecting the environment, but they are also creating businesses that can create jobs and economic value,” Pillay said. “Through this partnership, we are helping build enterprises that have the potential to grow and make a lasting impact.”
The initiative also complements Nedbank's Green Economy Social Impact Strategy, which was launched in 2021 to support sustainable enterprises through a systems-based approach rather than traditional one-off funding models.
The strategy focuses on four key areas: renewable energy, water and sanitation, waste management and regenerative agriculture. These sectors are widely recognized as critical to Africa's sustainable development and offer significant opportunities for youth-led innovation.
Over the past four years, the program has supported more than 1,300 enterprises, contributed to the creation of more than 2,500 jobs and generated more than R400 million in social value.
Pillay said the fellowship goes beyond funding by helping entrepreneurs journey from idea to business success through mentoring, skills development, market access and tailored funding opportunities.
This partnership marks the first phase of the programme’s implementation, with a wider official launch expected later this year.
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