Social Innovation
Red Bull Basement Crowns its South African 2026 winner
Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola from Uthutho claimed the title with its digital platform that organizes public transport information into one accessible app for everyday urban commuters
One idea. One stage. One shot at Silicon Valley. Last Friday 20 March at Innovation City, Red Bull Basement South Africa named its 2026 National Champion at the conclusion of the programme's National Final, 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.
Shaqeel Less and Makhi Mangxola from Uthutho claimed the title with its digital platform that organizes public transport information across taxis, buses and trains into one accessible app for everyday urban commuters. This was a concept that impressed a panel of local industry experts with its real-world impact. They were selected from a competitive field of finalists who had progressed through a rigorous multi-stage process, from online submission and video pitch through to live prototype presentation.
Uthutho eliminates the guesswork in the daily commute by providing real-time, community-powered information on routes, pick-up points, and transport availability. It caters to the needs of the everyday commuter who uses transport modes such as taxis, buses, and trains, helping them travel more efficiently and confidently. It helps the commuter travel smarter, safer, and more predictably by using real-time information from fellow commuters.
Judge Mixo Ngoveni at Red Bull Basement National Final 2026
© Mpumelelo Macu / Red Bull Content Pool
The winning team was overjoyed about the opportunity to showcase their work on a larger scale. “Winning this competition is phenomenal for us as the Uthutho team. It affords our project the opportunity to grow beyond our immediate surroundings and to a global platform, allowing us to scale to a level we’ve always wanted. This achievement propels us to the next step in our development cycle, where we can further hone and develop our prototype to bring this model to life in a tangible way. We’re thankful for this platform and the opportunity to share and showcase our vision in its entirety.”
Judges Mixo was impressed with the winning teams solution “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 even globally. It’s exactly the kind of innovation we want to see come out of this platform.” Red Bull Basement South Africa 2026 National Champion.
FROM BASEMENT TO THE BAY AREA
As South Africa's national champion, Uthutho now enters the programme's Development Phase, a structured, resource-backed 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 arrive at the World Final with a product that is not just an idea, but a working reality.
From 1–3 June, they will join national winners from more than 40 countries at an immersive three-day World Final in San Francisco, pitching their MVP to a panel of 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.
Critically, every team retains full ownership of their idea. Red Bull Basement does not take equity. It takes ideas seriously.