Junior Nkosi is a young South African entrepreneur and inventor whose innovative ideas and groundbreaking creations in the renewable energy space have demonstrated the potential to provide solutions to some of the challenges being faced by the industry.
Junior is the founder and chief executive of Vice-Grid, a company he registered in 2024 to make an impact in the area of renewable energy in the South African market and beyond.
His initial attempts to turn his inventions into entrepreneurship ventures hit a brick wall more than once. However, an unwavering spirit and belief in his capabilities eventually saw him achieve a breakthrough.
“My first invention, five years ago, was called G9 Typer, an educational product. That was after I had studied provisional patents and the legal side of inventions. This invention was a failure,” explains Junior.
“My second invention, for the automobile industry, also failed. Then I invented the third, Hoventas, which shifted my focus to renewable energy. This invention led to organizations like the Stanford Seed Program approaching me.
“Hoventas is a wind turbine with colorless blades that can be used for both wind power and area lighting in rural settlements. Despite not getting funding, I still have high hopes for Hoventas. It is a project that is pending,” Junior adds.
Dropping out of School
Junior, born in South Africa in 2001, grew up in New Eeustrus – a small rural town in Hammanskraal that is largely underdeveloped.
“I lost my parents at an early age, so I grew up as an orphan, dependent on the state’s orphanage grant to survive. I went to school at Rapelego Primary School, where I excelled as a top student.
“The government then moved some of us to another school. But even after changing schools, I still managed to win all the awards. Growing up was not that tough because I always had support from teachers, social workers, as well as my siblings.
“I dropped out of school, for complicated reasons. Regardless of dropping out, I never changed my career or my passion. I have always wanted to be a scientist, imagining myself as someone who would change the world with inventions and innovative ideas,” says Junior.
From Construction to Entrepreneurship
After dropping out of school, Junior found himself doing odd jobs to make ends meet. He remembers how difficult life became but never gave up on his dream to become an entrepreneur.
“Dropping out made me rethink everything and start something from the ground up, especially since times were tough. I had to do construction work at the early age of 18 to earn money.
“I could have quit because of the many people that try to set up their ventures, only a few succeed. During those tough days, I lost my sister, a mother of three, and one of the breadwinners in my family.
“However, throughout the tough times, I refused to let go of my dream of becoming a businessman.”
Vice-Grid Battery
By following his passion for invention, Junior has finally found a way to monetize his talents through Hoventas. Junior is now working on inventing a battery that can store more than 10MW of energy within a short space of time.
“I registered Vice-grid a year ago after having about four years of experience in the inventing world. I realized that it was time I fixed my documents and opened a formal business.
“Vice-grid does not have any headquarters at the moment. These days a start-up can start anywhere, even in a garage but we are heading in the direction of growing and establishing ourselves.
“At Vice-grid, we are improving the Vice-grid battery that can store energy in seconds and for longer periods. We even made some improvements and filed another provisional patent, labeled Vice-grid gravity storage 2.0, thanks to AI’s help in evaluating the battery and its disadvantages. I’m sure we can now build the product without doubling the price of regular gravity storage systems.
“Our projects have been successful. Being approached by Stanford University is a sign of success, as Stanford is ranked among the best universities in the world. We have faced a challenge when it comes to funding, but we will get there.
Learning Curve and Looking Ahead
During his entrepreneurial journey, Junior realized that one needs to be proud of their small achievements and use the energy and inspiration they get from doing this as impetus to move forward.
“The lesson that I have learned is that when you move fast, you will definitely make mistakes. That is what investors look for; they look for errors, which shows you are not careful. No one invests in a careless person. Now, I take my time to make fewer mistakes.
“My advice to entrepreneurs with limited resources and new to the industry is that don’t be afraid. First, use what you have, and then many people will offer support. Remember that electricity is a necessity, so many government and private organizations will support you.
“Since it’s one of the biggest industries in the world, it’s a big pie, and everyone can share, especially with a great product. And remember, if energy becomes cost-effective, so will every product,” Junior concludes.
