Women in Tech Awards 2026 to Spotlight South Africa’s Female ICT Entrepreneurs
Women in Tech Awards 2026 to Spotlight South Africa’s Female ICT Entrepreneurs. The Innovator Trust Women in Tech (WIT) Awards will return on 24 November 2026 to recognise women-led small and medium-sized enterprises operating in South Africa’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector.
Held under the theme “Tech Believers”, the 2026 awards will celebrate female entrepreneurs who have participated in the Innovator Trust’s Start-up Enterprise Development, Youth Entrepreneurship and Supplier Development incubation programmes.
According to the Innovator Trust, these programmes have supported participating women in strengthening their ability to digitise, monetise and scale their businesses. The WIT Awards will highlight the progression of these entrepreneurs from incubation to business growth.
The event will offer free virtual registration, with women from across South Africa invited to participate.
Beyond recognising individual entrepreneurs, the awards will feature a speaker programme addressing opportunities and challenges affecting women in business and technology.
Previous WIT speakers have included former Public Protector Professor Thuli Madonsela, former Deputy President Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, business leader Irene Charnley, African futurist and business strategy advisor Dr Roze Phillips, Vodacom Central Region managing executive Tsatsi Mthimunye and Cisco senior director for Africa Charmaine Houvet.
The Innovator Trust said the annual platform provides visibility to women already contributing to South Africa’s technology sector while bringing attention to emerging leaders.
Tashline Jooste, CEO of Innovator Trust, said the awards focus on evidence and action demonstrated through growing businesses, employment creation and technology solutions addressing problems in South Africa.
“Through this year’s theme, Tech Believers, WIT and its partners recognise the women who have backed their ideas with action and call on the market to back proven ability with real opportunity,” Jooste said.
She also highlighted the commercial importance of visibility, saying recognition can influence which businesses are remembered when contracts become available, considered ready to scale and invited to contribute their expertise.
The 2026 WIT Awards will take place virtually on Tuesday, 24 November, continuing the platform’s focus on recognising female-owned ICT businesses and their contribution to South Africa’s technology and business landscape.
