Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube

Success Story

Nedbank Pitch & Polish Top 8: Interview With Vanessa Snyman

Pitch Polish Contestants Vanessa Snyman@2x 100 780x470 (1)

Nedbank Pitch & Polish Top 8: Interview With Vanessa Snyman

October 17, 2025
Startup mag logo

Nedbank Pitch & Polish Top 8: Interview With Vanessa Snyman. South African entrepreneur and founder of VEZ Technology Vanessa Snyman has made it to the top 8 of the Nedbank Pitch & Polish competition. The competition is about arming the contestants with business skills and valuable insights that they can use to improve their products; they will also gain one-on-one mentorship provided by Raizcorp. StartUpMag took some time to interview Vanessa to discuss her experience in the competition, the inspiration behind her businesses, and her vision for the future. Check it out below!

How did you come up with the idea for bioactive toilet paper?

We come from the contract cleaning industry, where we witnessed first-hand the growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly cleaning products and the increasing popularity of green building certifications. While many green cleaning solutions exist, we noticed there wasn’t a single GreenTag-certified toilet paper on the market. We saw this gap as an opportunity to innovate — and that’s how BioActive Toilet Paper was born.

What was the research and development process like for such a unique product?

We localised an internationally patented bacterial application and secured the manufacturing rights for the SADC region — which was no easy task. From acquiring the right machinery to learning how to produce a premium-quality toilet paper, the R&D process took nearly two years. It was a tough but incredibly rewarding journey, and we’re proud of the product we’ve developed.

How has the market responded to this innovation so far?

The response has been very encouraging. Our BioActive Toilet Paper is available on Makro Marketplace, giving us a national footprint, and it’s already one of the platform’s top-selling toilet paper brands — all achieved organically, without any marketing spend. We’re currently in the final stages of GreenTag certification, and once approved, we plan to target Green Star-rated buildings and environmentally conscious organisations.

What challenges did you face in terms of funding or production?

Funding remains one of the biggest hurdles for SMMEs. Traditional lenders often want perfect financials and guaranteed sales orders, which is not always realistic for innovators breaking into a highly competitive industry like toilet paper converting. We’ve had to be resourceful — reinvesting revenue, leveraging grants, and building strategic partnerships to keep moving forward.

 

How do you see bioactive toilet paper contributing to sustainability in South Africa?

BioActive Toilet Paper actively supports environmental sustainability by introducing beneficial bacteria into the sanitation system. These microorganisms help break down waste, prevent blockages, neutralize odours, and reduce harmful pathogens — all while being completely safe for use (dermatologically tested) and the environment. This means cleaner drains, fewer plumbing issues, and a reduced burden on wastewater treatment facilities.

How Nedbank has Pitch & Polish improved your confidence in pitching such a novel idea?

The Nedbank Pitch & Polish competition with Raizcorp has helped refine our storytelling, sharpen our value proposition, and improve how we communicate the complex science behind BioActive Toilet Paper in a relatable way. We’ve gained the confidence to engage investors, partners, and customers with clarity and impact.

What partnerships are you hoping to form to scale VEZ Technology?

We’re particularly interested in forming partnerships within the tourism and hospitality sector, where sustainable practices are a growing priority, and with the plumbing industry, which directly experiences the benefits of cleaner systems. Our goal is to be seen not as a competitor or just another supplier, but as a value-adding partner that enhances sustainability and operational efficiency.

How do you see your innovation impacting sanitation in rural and urban areas?

Millions of South Africans face sewage overflows daily, especially in under-serviced rural communities. If that waste was treated at the source, even partially, it could significantly reduce environmental and health risks. Wastewater treatment plants already use enzymes to treat sewage — but that happens at the end of the cycle. We’re changing the model by starting where waste begins: in the toilet.

What has been the most exciting part of this entrepreneurial journey?

Seeing a simple idea evolve into a tangible, market-ready innovation that’s improving sanitation and sustainability has been incredibly fulfilling. Every milestone — from producing our first roll to seeing our product listed on Makro — reminds us that we’re creating real impact, not just another brand.

What would winning the competition mean for your business growth?

Winning the competition would give us the resources and visibility to accelerate our marketing, expand our distribution network, and refine our production processes. More importantly, it would open doors to collaborations with large corporates and tourism establishments, helping us scale faster and reach more customers who share our commitment to sustainability.

 

 
 
 

Success Stories

Florence Duval

Florence Duval is a seasoned strategist with over 25 years of experience leading sustainability, stakeholder engagement and social impact initiatives across public and private sectors. 

As CEO and founder of IN TOUCH, she guides cross-sectoral teams to deliver high-impact advisory solutions that strengthen institutions, enable public-private partnerships and secure both the legal and social licence to operate. Her expertise spans compliance, community development, issue management and sponsorship development – always anchored in sustainable development principles. 

A former mining executive and committed social activist, Florence is known for her ability to build meaningful partnerships, navigate complex regulatory environments and drive transformative impact through purpose-driven leadership

Monique Chinnah

Monique is a curious, serial questioner who wants to take the mystique out of business and finance to make it practical and relevant to entrepreneurs. ‘Why?’, ‘Why not?’ and ‘How can we help, for real?' are her favourite questions.

She is the Senior Manager of Segment Design and Development in Retail Relationship Banking at Nedbank, and she is responsible for ensuring that small businesses are fully supported through Banking and Beyond® solutions and most particularly as the product owner of the SimplyBiz® platform. Monique believes that keeping business strategy simple, real and practically implementable is fundamental to success. She also believes in the power of fun. If you don’t like what you’re doing, don’t do it!

Monique draws on her own entrepreneurial journeys and extensive management roles in various industries to ensure that solutions are conceptualised and delivered with small-business owners’ needs in mind.

She believes in life-long learning and being a sponge through immersions in over 300 000 businesses, various tertiary and educational programmes, and she is a YouTube and social-media hustler. In 2012 she was awarded a scholarship through Goldman Sachs UK to attend the 10 000 Women entrepreneurial programme through the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and she has been recognised with several Top Achiever Awards in Nedbank.

Allon Raiz

Allon Raiz is regarded both locally and globally as a pioneer and maverick in the business-incubation industry. He is the founder and CEO of Raizcorp which, according to The Economist, is the only genuine incubator in Africa and which currently supports over 500 businesses.

A two-times PhD dropout, Allon is the best-selling author of three entrepreneurial books. He hosted the first national radio show on entrepreneurship in South Africa in 2004; wrote and hosted the first South African prime-time entrepreneurship reality television show; and created and published an entrepreneurial cartoon strip. Allon is currently hosting his 15th season of the popular The Big Small Business Show on Business Day TV.

Allon is a co-founder of the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation South Africa and Rural Roots, and is on the advisory and judging boards of numerous local and international NGOs and entrepreneurial awards. His passion for and focus on the development of entrepreneurs attracted the attention of the World Economic Forum (WEF) which, in 2008, recognised Allon as a Young Global Leader.

As an accomplished international speaker, Allon was invited to speak at the 2011 WEF Annual Meeting held in Davos, Switzerland. In 2011, he became a member of the WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Fostering Entrepreneurship, making him one of 15 recognised global experts in the field. More recently, he became a member of the WEF’s Global Future Council.

In 2013, Allon received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Oliver Transformation and Empowerment Awards. The following year, he became the country winner, regional winner and continental winner of the Titan Award for Building Nations.

Between 2014 and 2016, Allon guest lectured at Oxford University where he was recognised as the Oxford University Saïd Business School’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

In 2015, Allon received an invitation from the White House, on behalf of President Barack Obama, to speak at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit held in Kenya.

Nonkqubela Maliza

Nonkqubela Maliza is the director of Corporate and Government Affairs at Volkswagen Group Africa. She has held the position since 2006 and also chairs the VW Community Trust and VWSA BEE Initiatives Trust. 

Prior to this, Nonkqubela was a senior executive at Metallon Corporation, a pan-African mining and financial services company with operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe. She also served as a chief director at the Department of Trade and Industry and has strong experience in the financial services sector. 

Nonkqubela holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town, a BA Honours in Economics from Rhodes University and a BA in Psychology and Economics from Rhodes University.