Uthutho Set To Represent South Africa at the Red Bull Basement World Final in San Francisco

One idea. One stage. One shot at Silicon Valley. Last Friday, 20 March, at Innovation City, Red Bull Basement South Africa crowned its 2026 National Champion, selecting the team that will carry the country’s innovation credentials to the global stage at the World Final in San Francisco from 1–3 June 2026.

Emerging victorious from a competitive field of finalists, Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola of Uthutho impressed the judges with a digital platform that organizes public transport information across taxis, buses, and trains into a single, accessible app for everyday urban commuters. The team’s concept stood out for its practical, real-world impact and scalability.

Uthutho tackles the daily commute head-on, removing uncertainty for commuters with real-time, community-powered data on routes, pick-up points, and transport availability. By aggregating insights from fellow commuters, the app empowers users to travel smarter, safer, and more predictably—whether they rely on taxis, buses, or trains.

“Winning this competition is phenomenal for us as the Uthutho team. It gives our project the opportunity to grow beyond our immediate surroundings and onto a global platform. We can now refine our prototype and bring our vision to life in a tangible way,” said Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola.

Judges were equally impressed. Mixo, one of the panel members, noted:

“I’m really excited about the winning team. Their solution challenged us as judges and sparked a lot of debate. While there’s still room for improvement, it’s a strong, impactful idea with real potential to scale across South Africa and globally. It’s exactly the kind of innovation we want to see from this platform.”

As South Africa’s national champion, Uthutho now enters the Development Phase, a structured sprint from prototype to Minimum Viable Product. The team will receive an AMD AI laptop, Microsoft Azure credits, and dedicated mentorship from industry experts—all designed to ensure they arrive in San Francisco with a fully functional MVP.

From 1–3 June, Uthutho will join winners from over 40 countries at the immersive Red Bull Basement World Final. They will pitch their product to global judges, venture capitalists, and industry leaders, competing for $100,000 in equity-free funding, $25,000 in Microsoft Azure credits, and ongoing mentorship from Red Bull Ventures.

Importantly, every team retains full ownership of their idea—Red Bull Basement supports innovators without taking equity, proving that good ideas deserve the spotlight, not the strings attached.