Entrepreneurship is thriving across Wits University, from Tshimologong in the Braamfontein Precinct to Wits Plus, from a burgeoning new campus housing the Wits Crucible Centre for Entrepreneurship in downtown Johannesburg to the Wits Innovation Centre. There are numerous initiatives underway, creating exciting opportunities for collaboration.

Against this backdrop, Wits Business School (WBS) organised and led, in partnership with the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, Prof Lynn Morris, the inaugural Wits Entrepreneurship Education Summit on 9 September 2025.  

The Summit attracted academics and researchers from across the university to exchange ideas on developing a unified entrepreneurial ecosystem at Wits, aiming to enhance the impact of initiatives both within the university and beyond.

Entrepreneurship has long been a key focus at WBS. The Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation has been offered since 2010, inspiring many successful South African innovators and small business owners. Recently, WBS established the Wits Crucible Centre for Entrepreneurship at 47 Main Street, formerly owned by Anglo American. The Centre aims to play a vital role in creating jobs and boosting economic growth in Johannesburg through entrepreneurship education, training, and support. 

Mr Robbie Brozin, co-founder of the Jozi My Jozi movement and member of the WBS Advisory Board, addressed the summit, calling on all Wits stakeholders to seize the opportunity to lead the way in creating a vibrant and economically strong Johannesburg. 

“It is up to us, at Wits, to turn the city around, while keeping human dignity at the centre of whatever we do. We need to stand up and be visible. We have a golden moment right now to get things done, to take action. This summit marks the beginning of real job creation for Johannesburg, real societal impact and we cannot afford to miss the opportunity.”

Prof Morris agreed that an entrepreneurial university means a university with societal impact. 

“Entrepreneurship, in the broader sense, means three things: innovation, entrepreneurship itself, and commercialisation.  That is why this summit really matters – we need to define the various role players so that Wits can be a catalyst for opportunity in South Africa – a place where talent meets purpose, a place where ideas are transformed into jobs, where innovations solve real-world problems.”

Also speaking at the opening of the summit, Vice-Chancellor Professor Zeblon Vilakazi noted that, while Wits is academically excellent, it is important to translate research into impact. 

“Across our faculties, we are seeing positive signs: our scientists are driving enterprises through centres such as the Digital Dome, engineers are partnering with industry, heath scientists are developing innovations in biomedical research, Humanities scholars are experimenting with AI, Commerce, Law and Management scholars are shaping the future of fintech, cyber-security and executive education.  Together, we are building the blocks of a truly entrepreneurial university.”