Unlock Your Potential: Entries Now Open For The 2025 YouthX Awards By Nedbank

It’s that time of the year again — the moment when South Africa’s most ambitious young minds are invited to step into the spotlight and claim their space on the national stage. YouthX by Nedbank has officially launched entries for the 2025 YouthX Awards, and this year’s edition is set to be more empowering than ever before.

Celebrating five years of inspiring transformation and innovation, the YouthX Awards are not just about trophies or accolades — they’re about possibility. It’s a platform for young people who’ve often felt overlooked or underestimated to unlock their ‘X’ — that special something that sets them apart — and turn their bold ideas into tangible, impactful ventures.

Below is the official press release from YouthX by Nedbank:

PRESS RELEASE: IT’S TIME TO UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL WITH THE 2025 YOUTHX AWARDS

YouthX by Nedbank is excited to announce the call to entry for the annual YouthX Awards – an opportunity for the bold, ambitious, and hopeful youth of South Africa to redefine their futures. This year, YouthX celebrates 5 years of progress, showcasing that this is more than an award programme; it’s an invitation for every young person who has felt overlooked, unheard, or underestimated to step up, share their story, and transform their ideas into ventures that help them unlock their full potential.

The YouthX Awards invite South Africans aged between 18 and 26 to step into the spotlight. Running from 1 July to 31 August 2025, it is a chance to win up to R200 000 in funding, gain access to tailored mentorship, and join a community that knows ‘no’ is never the end of the story.

“Through YouthX, specifically the YouthX Awards, we’re nurturing bold ideas and reshaping futures. We’re building a space where talent, grit, and resilience can flourish by providing platforms that help young entrepreneurs reach their full potential,” says John Makgato, Head of Youth Strategy and Client Value Proposition at Nedbank.

Each entry will be judged on its creativity, innovation, and potential to uplift communities. The top 10 finalists will stand tall as examples of resilience and possibility, gaining not only a prize but also tools, connections, and belief systems required to build ventures that matter.

‘Unlock Your X’ is an invitation to discover and embrace what makes you stand out – your talent, your passion, your resilience, and your drive to make a difference. It’s about seeing ‘X’ as the catalyst for change within you and your community. Through the YouthX Awards, Nedbank creates a space for you to tap into that potential, harness it, and transform it into a force for good. Whatever your X may be, this is your moment to unleash it, own it, and build a brighter future for yourself and those around you.

“The YouthX Awards gave me more than just a platform. It gave my business visibility, real momentum, and a renewed sense of purpose. Being recognised validated my vision and gave me the confidence to dream bigger and move faster,” says 2024 YouthX Award winner and founder of Reagile Gaming Interactions, Brandon Mashaba. “It reminded me that we the youth are not just the future — we’re the now.”

“This year, as we mark 5 years of the YouthX Awards, we’re proud to celebrate the countless stories of resilience, innovation, and empowerment that have shaped this initiative. It’s a testament to Nedbank’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the leaders, changemakers, and entrepreneurs of tomorrow,” adds Makgato.

This is more than a competition. It’s a movement. A call to action for every young South African to rise, hustle harder, and embrace the full extent of their potential.

If you’re a young Nedbank account holder aged 18 to 26, your future starts here. Enter the YouthX Awards today and unlock your ‘X’ for a chance to win R200 000, expert mentorship, and the spotlight you deserve.