Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the Wits University-backed tech hub in Braamfontein, is still operating a decade after it opened, and remains one of Johannesburg’s central venues for startup incubation, skills training and digital events.
What Tshimologong was built to do
Tshimologong, a Setswana word meaning “a place of new beginnings”, was launched by Wits University‘s Joburg Centre for Software Engineering in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and corporate backers including Telkom, Microsoft and IBM. The precinct combines a startup incubator, a business accelerator and shared workspace inside a converted street block in Braamfontein.
Still active in 2026
The precinct continues to run skills programmes such as the Digital Skills for Jobs and Income initiative, which reported 70% female participation in its 2026 gamification training cohort. Tshimologong also remains the anchor venue for the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival, which returns in October 2026 across the precinct, the Origins Centre and Wits’ Anglo American Digital space.
Why the model has lasted
Tshimologong’s durability comes from its university backing rather than a single corporate sponsor: Wits provides continuity that a purely private incubator often lacks when investor interest shifts. For founders, the precinct still offers what it did at launch, shared space, corporate mentorship and a route into Johannesburg’s broader tech ecosystem, without needing to be based in Cape Town’s more established startup scene.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tshimologong Precinct still open?
Yes. It continues to operate as a Wits University tech hub in Braamfontein, running incubation programmes and hosting events.
Who runs Tshimologong?
The Joburg Centre for Software Engineering at Wits University, in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and corporate backers.
What events does Tshimologong host?
It anchors the annual Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival, alongside ongoing skills-training and incubation programmes.
Does Tshimologong only work with tech startups?
Its core focus is digital hardware, software and content, but its skills programmes also serve broader youth employment and gender-inclusion goals.
Where is Tshimologong located?
In Braamfontein, Johannesburg, in a converted precinct near Wits University’s main campus.
Further reading
Originally published in September 2016. Updated September 2026 to confirm Tshimologong is still operating a decade on, and add its 2026 Digital Skills for Jobs cohort results and the Fak’ugesi festival’s current return date.
