Nando’s Names Top 10 Finalists for 2026 Hot Young Designer Competition
Nando’s Names Top 10 Finalists for 2026 Hot Young Designer Competition. Nando’s Hot Young Designer (HYD) has announced the 10 finalists selected for the 2026 edition of its design competition, following a search that attracted nearly 200 submissions from emerging designers.
The latest edition challenged participants to create a linear light fixture suitable for use in any Nando’s restaurant around the world. The competition is managed on behalf of Nando’s by Clout/SA and combines design mentorship with business development.
The 10 finalists are Kgomotso Monnakgotla, Kulani Keagile, Chelsea Makin, Rethabile Motaung, Bianca van Vuuren, Reneilwe Molala, Bradley van Graan, Anele Mkhize, Ashleigh Witney and Tshegofatso Mako.
Their concepts were selected by a judging panel of almost 20 design industry leaders and previous HYD winners. The panel included Paula Baúlde Portas, head of marketing at Maison&Objet in Paris; Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio; Nikhil Tricam and Nindya Bucktowar of Studio Kalki; and Charl Edwards, co-founder and creative director of Lookbook Studio.
Other judges included Brad O’Neill, head of design and development at Nando’s South Africa, Tracy Lynch, curator of the Nando’s Design Programme and executive creative director of Clout/SA, and Michael Cathie, CEO of Nando’s South Africa.
The finalists will now present their concepts in person to the judging panel at Nando’s Central Kitchen in Johannesburg. Five designers will then be selected to participate in an intensive mentorship programme.
Those selected will develop prototypes while working on their entrepreneurial skills through workshops and a business bootcamp facilitated by business coach Claude Morris.
“This shortlisting marks a significant milestone for the designers,” said Lynch.
The programme will shift the finalists’ focus from developing concepts to creating physical prototypes and exploring commercial realisation.
The eventual winner will receive a tailored programme covering mentorship, market access, showcasing opportunities and community engagement with established South African designers. The winner will also participate in a business accelerator programme designed around their design-focused business.
If the winning product and production process meet the required criteria, the design may also be included on Nando’s Portal to Africa, a global marketplace used by interior designers working on Nando’s restaurants in markets around the world.
Nando’s said the six previous editions of HYD have demonstrated the platform’s impact on participating designers, with finalists going on to develop their careers within the design industry. The programme also provides access to a sales platform and global marketplace opportunities for successful designers.
