The University of Pretoria’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program hosted its first Entrepreneurship Bootcamp on 4–5 April 2025 at the Digital Capability Lab on Hatfield Campus, a dynamic space that became a hive of creativity, collaboration, and innovation over two impactful days.

The bootcamp was designed to equip Scholars with entrepreneurial thinking and practical problem-solving skills through immersive, hands-on activities. With a fresh and engaging approach, the event focused not only on understanding entrepreneurship concepts but also on applying them in fun and challenging group settings.

Day one kicked off with a warm welcome, registration, and coffee as Scholars gathered with eager anticipation. The session opened with an energizing ice-breaker and introductions led by Lennox Wasara, setting the tone for an atmosphere of openness and teamwork.

Participants were then taken through interactive sessions on:

• Introduction to entrepreneurial creativity
• Group dynamics and problem-solving
• The role of creativity in addressing real-world challenges

The facilitators skilfully guided the Scholars in thinking beyond conventional frameworks, encouraging bold ideas and collaborative exploration. Following a networking lunch, the afternoon sessions built on the morning’s momentum with a practical dive into group activities and a creative problem-solving exercise. The day closed with inspiring words from Prof. Alex Antonites and Mr. Tony Oche, who emphasized the importance of curiosity, resilience, and taking initiative as cornerstones of entrepreneurship.

The second day pushed the boundaries of innovation even further. After a prompt start and a quick recap, Scholars were grouped into teams and introduced to a unique challenge: designing a board game that teaches and simulates entrepreneurial concepts.

Through this exercise, Scholars worked intensively to turn abstract ideas into tangible, playable games, learning through doing. The process encouraged critical thinking, communication, planning, and execution, all while deepening their understanding of entrepreneurial principles in a fun and memorable way.

The morning culminated in group presentations of the developed board games, followed by constructive feedback from facilitators. Each group’s creativity and effort were acknowledged, with facilitators praising the diversity of concepts and depth of insight demonstrated in such a short time.

The event wrapped up with final reflections, the announcement of upcoming opportunities, and closing remarks delivered by Lennox Wasara, who thanked the Scholars for their enthusiasm and commitment. A celebratory group photo and lunch concluded what had been an energizing and enlightening experience for all involved.