University of the Witwatersrand
- Company typePublic
- Founded1922
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
University of the Witwatersrand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of the Witwatersrand
- Legal name
- University of the Witwatersrand
- Website
- https://wits.ac.za
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1922
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of the Witwatersrand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education and Research University Services
- NAICS
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Quantum Tech Commercialization, IP, Tech Transfer & Venture Research (HDAGAMAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH), Quantum Education, Workforce Development & Academic Centers (HDAGAMAM), Quantum Standards, Testbeds & Open Research Infrastructure (HDAGAMAL)
Keywords
Where University of the Witwatersrand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
University of the Witwatersrand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Public university funded by South African government for research and academic operations
- Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and postgraduate student tuition across five faculties offering over 3000 courses
- Research Grants: Secured R54 million funding from Department of Science and Innovation for South African Quantum Technologies Initiative
- Strategic Partnerships: R100 million Strategic Hydrogen Localisation Investment Facility funded by Air Liquide South Africa
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
University of the Witwatersrand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is a multi-campus South African public research university delivering accredited undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes across five faculties and 33 schools, encompassing more than 3,000 courses in commerce, law, management, engineering, health sciences, humanities, and the sciences. Alongside its teaching mission, Wits operates a research and innovation portfolio including the Ulwazi learning management system, the Wits Innovation Centre ecosystem (commercialization, entrepreneurship support, health consortium, and start-up incubator Tshimologong), and specialised institutes such as the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience and African-first quantum computing access infrastructure.
Product overview
Wits University operates as a comprehensive research university offering a portfolio of educational programs across five faculties (Commerce/Law/Management, Engineering/Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science) with 33 schools and over 3000 courses. The university's product ecosystem includes the Ulwazi Learning Management System (built on Canvas cloud platform) for educational delivery, and the Wits Innovation Centre ecosystem comprising innovation support, commercialization services (Wits Commercial Enterprise), entrepreneurship support (Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic and Hub), health innovation (Wits Health Consortium), and startup incubation (Tshimologong). The university also hosts specialized research infrastructure including quantum computing access and the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, positioning itself as a leader in African research and innovation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ulwazi Learning Management System Cloud-based learning management system built on the Canvas platform, supporting anytime-anywhere online learning and teaching for Wits students and staff.
- Wits Innovation Centre (WIC) Provides intellectual property support, patent registration services, and academic research and development around innovation for the university ecosystem.
- Wits Commercial Enterprise Commercialises research ideas that have been registered with Innovation Support, bridging academic research with market applications.
- Wits Entrepreneurship Clinic Provides advice, mentorship, and practical support for aspiring entrepreneurs both on and off campus.
- Wits Entrepreneurship Hub Offers resources and opportunities tailored for student entrepreneurs at different stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
- Wits Health Consortium Provides legal, financial, and organisational support for research, donor-funded activities, and entrepreneurial innovation in health and clinical services.
- Tshimologong Start-up Incubator Provides incubation support for Wits spin-out companies, helping research-based ventures scale and commercialise.
- Wits Quantum Computing Access Research infrastructure providing African-first access to a quantum computer for use by researchers and postgraduate students.
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) Research institute advancing African-led genomics research and clinical capacity building, hosting the Roche Research Chair for Precision Medicine and Genomics.
- Postgraduate Cyber Security Degrees Bachelor of Science Honours and Master of Science degrees in cyber security that prepare graduates for careers in cyber security, data protection, and AI, with international collaboration support.
- Wits University Degree Programmes (5 Faculties, 33 Schools, 3000+ Courses) Undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes covering commerce, law, management, engineering, health sciences, humanities, and the sciences across five faculties and 33 schools.
- Wits Strategic Hydrogen Localisation Investment Facility (Wits-SAHLI) R100 million hydrogen research, innovation, and localisation facility including a pilot hydrogen production plant on Wits West Campus producing 2.2kg of hydrogen per hour via a 110kW electrolyser powered by university solar installations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 1% globally in CWUR rankings with score of 78.9
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use University of the Witwatersrand
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
University of the Witwatersrand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability9 records
University of the Witwatersrand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SITA Air Transport Community FoundationcorePartnership to deliver educational programmes and technology to communities in need across Africa. Initial focus on creating computer labs in Ethiopia and Uganda, providing educational grants in South Africa, and installing solar power at schools. First year target of ~30 computer labs improving lives of 10,000+ students.
- Computer Aid InternationalcorePartnering with SITA Foundation to create computer labs in underserved African communities as part of educational technology initiative.
- PEASminorEducation-focused NGO partner collaborating on computer lab establishment and educational programme delivery in Africa.
- CAFminorPartner in SITA Foundation initiative contributing to educational technology and programme delivery across African communities.
- Carnegie Mellon UniversitycoreResearch collaboration on digital financial literacy study of Rwandan young adults, involving survey research and AI-enabled mobile money loan literacy chatbot development.
- Carnegie Mellon University AfricacorePartner in digital financial literacy research collaboration examining Rwandan young adults' financial knowledge and digital literacy.
- Indiana UniversityminorAcademic research partner in cross-institutional study on digital financial literacy and AI applications in Rwanda.
- InstructurecoreCanvas platform provider whose backend supports Wits' Ulwazi learning management system. Partnership impacted by cyber attack attributed to ShinyHunters extortion group affecting ~8,800 education institutions globally.
- Monash UniversitycoreCollaboration on disordered mosaic metasurfaces research performing 11 optical functions in single thin layer, with potential applications in telecommunications and biomedical scanners.
- University of ExeterminorResearch partner in metasurface photonics collaboration alongside Monash University and Wits.
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)coreAdvanced synchrotron X-ray CT scanning facility used to discover 250-million-year-old Lystrosaurus embryo fossil - first egg found from a mammal ancestor.
- Huzhou UniversitycoreInternational research collaboration discovering hidden topological universe within entangled photons, identifying 17,000+ unique topological signatures across 48 dimensions published in Nature Communications.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of the Witwatersrand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Cairo University: Largest public research university in North Africa with established quantum, genomics, and engineering programmes. Comparable in scale and continental leadership claims, though operating in a distinct North African market.
- Makerere University: East Africa's flagship research university with strong health-sciences and basic-research profile. Peer for pan-African talent competition and research collaboration, though operating in a different national market.
- University of Nairobi: Kenya's leading public research university with growing STEM and innovation activity. Comparable continental peer, but competes for East African rather than Southern African students and grants.
Direct peers
- Stellenbosch University: Major South African research university with strong STEM, agri-science, and tech-transfer activity. Competes with Wits for postgraduate students, research grants, and corporate partnerships within South Africa.
- University of Cape Town: South Africa's other top-ranked research university with comparable five-faculty structure, large research output, and continental brand recognition. Direct competitor for students, faculty, and grant funding in the same domestic market.
- University of Johannesburg: Johannesburg-based public university collaborating with Wits in the Siyaphumelela network. Competes for the same urban student pool, faculty, and employer partnerships in the Gauteng region.
- University of Pretoria: Large South African public research university with comparable faculty breadth, veterinary and biomedical sciences, and active research commercialisation. Competes directly in the Gauteng-adjacent and broader South African tertiary market.
Broad incumbents
- Stanford University: Global benchmark for university-led technology commercialisation (Stanford OTL, StartX incubator, Sand Hill ecosystem). Illustrative peer for the integrated innovation-to-spin-out model Wits is emulating through Tshimologong and Wits Commercial Enterprise.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Top global research university with deep-tech commercialisation model and large industrial partnership pipeline. Useful reference for what a mature, research-intensive university with strong IP transfer can achieve at global scale.
Emerging players
- Carnegie Mellon University Africa: CMU's Kigali-based campus focusing on ICT and engineering, with a formal research collaboration with Wits. Comparable on technology focus and emerging-market talent development, though smaller in scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
University of the Witwatersrand social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of the Witwatersrand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of the Witwatersrand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
University of the Witwatersrand subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
University of the Witwatersrand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
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University of the Witwatersrand M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of the Witwatersrand
What does University of the Witwatersrand do?
The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is a multi-campus South African public research university delivering accredited undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes across five faculties and 33 schools, encompassing more than 3,000 courses in commerce, law, management, engineering, health sciences, humanities, and the sciences. Alongside its teaching mission, Wits operates a research and innovation portfolio including the Ulwazi learning management system, the Wits Innovation Centre ecosystem (commercialization, entrepreneurship support, health consortium, and start-up incubator Tshimologong), and specialised institutes such as the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience and African-first quantum computing access infrastructure.
Is University of the Witwatersrand a public or private company?
University of the Witwatersrand is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of the Witwatersrand founded?
University of the Witwatersrand was founded in 1922. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is University of the Witwatersrand based?
University of the Witwatersrand is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does University of the Witwatersrand make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are tuition and Academic Fees, research Grants and strategic Partnerships.
Who are University of the Witwatersrand's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Cairo University, Makerere University and University of Nairobi. Direct peers are Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg and University of Pretoria. Broad incumbents are Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Carnegie Mellon University Africa is listed as an emerging player.
Does University of the Witwatersrand have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of the Witwatersrand.
What industry is University of the Witwatersrand in?
University of the Witwatersrand's product category is Higher Education and Research University Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAGAMAN, Quantum Tech Commercialization, IP, Tech Transfer & Venture Research, with a secondary code of EDAHAEAH, Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus. Its NAICS code is 54 and its SIC code is 8200.