Orange Corners x OYW Pre-Programme and Summit

Empowering 40 Young Entrepreneurs at One Young World Cape Town 2026
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), and Orange Corners briefed Soapbox South Africa to design and facilitate a transformative learning and networking experience ahead of and during the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town. Through a two-day Pre-Programme, an interactive Summit exhibition booth, and an exclusive corporate networking session at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), we equipped 40 Enterprising Futures Scholars from across Africa and the Middle East with the financial insights, personal branding, and PechaKucha storytelling tools needed to turn purpose-driven ventures into global partnerships.

Demystifying the Finance Ecosystem and Grounding Founders in Purpose
Rather than relying on passive lectures, Soapbox South Africa designed a human-centered journey that bridged systemic finance realities with authentic founder narratives. Day 1 kicked off with an energising Secret Sunrise session in Green Point Park before moving to the Radisson RED in the V&A Silo District. To flip traditional power dynamics, key financial players from FNB, Standard Bank, Launch Africa Ventures, CDI Capital, and VC4A took the stage for a “Reverse Pitch,” explaining what capital providers can do for growing businesses. This was followed by an interactive debate on financing the future of Africa, where scholars and financiers challenged assumptions around risk, investment readiness, and impact. To connect commercial ambition with personal conviction, SoapboxSA led a keynote and workshop on purpose storytelling and personal branding. Scholars mapped their entrepreneurial journeys through the River of Life exercise and celebrated their heritage by sharing inspiring proverbs from their home countries. The day concluded with cultural bonding and relationship building at GOLD Restaurant.

From PechaKucha Labs to a Signal Hill Celebration
On Day 2 at the Craft + Design Institute (CDI), the cohort shifted into intensive narrative execution. Inspired by a keynote from the Mama Money CEO on building a financial inclusion product, the scholars broke into mentored pods. Using the fast-paced PechaKucha format, entrepreneurs scripted their personal hooks, problem statements, messy beginnings, and future visions—interspersed with a curated networking lunch at the Consulate Residency. Each scholar delivered their pitch in groups of five before closing the Pre-Programme with a ceremony and group photo on Signal Hill and dinner at Spiced Restaurant.

Putting Changemakers on the Map at the One Young World Summit
SoapboxSA carried this momentum directly onto the main exhibition floor and breakout rooms of the One Young World Summit at the CTICC. To spark meaningful foot traffic and global connection for the Enterprising Futures Scholars, we designed for Orange Corners a high-engagement booth centered around an Equal Earth map—giving true geographic proportion to emerging markets. Delegates from around the world stepped up to snap instant Polaroids of themselves and physically pin their photos to their home countries, turning the installation into a living visual testament to grassroots global leadership.

Alongside the booth, we hosted the exclusive Networking Session with Enterprising Futures Scholars on November 5th. Following a high-energy “Cross the Line” icebreaker that stripped away corporate titles to highlight shared human realities, the 40 entrepreneurs engaged in rapid-fire speed dating across seven tables with global industry leaders including L’Oréal, DSM, and Rabobank. Each corporate partner awarded a binding Orange Ticket guaranteeing a post-Summit strategy meeting—ensuring that connections sparked in Cape Town translate into concrete commercial pilots and cross-border collaboration.