Now in its ninth year, the initiative continues to expand, reaching learners in Namibia, Eswatini and Botswana, as well as deepening its footprint in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu-Natal.
AGEC engages learners through gamified, scenario-based simulations that encourage early exposure to business concepts. The challenge culminates in a Business Pitch Challenge, where top participants present real business ideas live at the AGEC Summit.
“The Challenge is about making entrepreneurship exciting and relevant from a young age,” said Marcel Manikum, programme Lkead at AGEC. “This year we’re launching a new simulation game and enhancing our digital platform to make it more intuitive and mobile-friendly.”
Participants stand a chance to win cash prizes and Allan Gray Unit Trusts. The top three students in the Business Pitch Challenge will receive individual awards, while the overall prize pool includes incentives for schools, including a prize for the school with the most entries.
What began as a digital game has grown into a broader entrepreneurship education initiative. In 2024, over 21,000 learners from four countries took part in the competition, with the Allan Gray High School Game played more than 200,000 times.
AGEC has also trained more than 800 teachers through accredited partnerships with teacher unions, helping embed entrepreneurship into classroom activities.
Internal research from the 2024 competition shows that 95.2% of learners now view entrepreneurship as a tool for community change, while nearly 70% believe they have the confidence to start their own business.
“For us, this is about more than numbers,” said Manikum. “We’re seeing a real shift in how young people think about their futures – and that aligns with our mission to build a generation of problem-solvers and job creators.”
