Kume Luvhani, co-founder and director of Vaxowave, presenting the 2026 Tech Entrepreneur Award to eFama co-founder Pretty Kubyane.
Pretty Kubyane, co-founder of eFama, has been named the winner of the Wired4Women Tech Entrepreneur Award, recognising her role in building a digital platform that connects farmers directly with buyers.
Launched in 2023, eFama is a marketplace app designed to streamline the agricultural supply chain, enabling farmers to sell produce directly while giving buyers access to fresh goods.
Now in its third year, the Wired4Women Awards celebrates leading women in SA’s technology sector. The Tech Entrepreneur Award category has been sponsored by Vaxowave since 2024.
“Each year, the calibre of the finalists reminds me that meaningful innovation is not only about technology but about solving real problems with courage and impact,” said Kume Luvhani, co-founder and executive director of Vaxowave.
“The judging process was inspiring, with entrepreneurs building commercially relevant businesses while also addressing some of the most pressing challenges in our society. Pretty stood out because eFama is a powerful example of technology being applied where it matters most.”
Collecting the award, Kubyane said eFama’s success lies in how it approaches a still-emerging market.
“We combined artificial intelligence, blockchain and fintech to solve a real co-ordination gap between supply and demand,” she said.
She added that the company’s funding model has also been a differentiator, with “close to 90% of our capital” coming from proof-of-concept partnerships rather than traditional venture capital.
“What differentiates us is how we define success,” said Kubyane. “While we have over 11 000 customers on the platform, we look beyond platform metrics. Each farmer in our ecosystem supports on average six employees, and each of those supports around five dependants. That means one farmer impacts roughly 36 people directly and indirectly.
“When you scale that across our farmer base, that’s 18 000 people impacted. Then you begin to see impact at a community level – not just business growth, but economic participation and livelihoods at scale.”
Luvhani said: “Her story reflects the kind of entrepreneurship we need more of: deeply rooted in lived experience, commercially thoughtful and courageous enough to tackle systemic gaps.”
Kubyane also pointed to the broader significance of the recognition, noting that awards like this go beyond personal achievement to build credibility and unlock opportunity, as well as accelerate engagement with international stakeholders and strengthen confidence among existing partners.
Kubyane’s early exposure to farming challenges in rural Eastern Cape shaped her resilience and drive to build eFama.
Raised in the Eastern Cape in a rural household, Kubyane’s resilience and resolve in building eFama were shaped from an early age, being surrounded by farming and the challenges faced by rural families.
“What I’ve observed about Wired4Women is that it goes beyond recognition – there’s a real sense of sisterhood and intentional connection,” she said.
“The personal messages have been just as powerful – hearing from women I didn’t even know were following my journey, saying they feel seen and inspired by someone who looks like them and started where they are. That, for me, is one of the most meaningful outcomes of this recognition.”
The winners of the 2026 Wired4Women Awards, across 13 categories, were announced at a gala event recently.
“We are proud to support a platform that celebrates women in technology and builds visibility, credibility and community for women,” said Luvhani.
