Telkom Lions’ Den Season 2: Driving innovation and empowering employees
Johannesburg – 13 February 2025 – Today, Telkom is proud to announce the successful completion of Season 2 of the Lions’ Den Innovation Challenge, a pioneering internal innovation competition that fosters a culture of customer-centricity and business growth among the Company’s employees.
“The Lions’ Den provides Telkom employees with a unique platform to pitch innovative business ideas that can enhance operational efficiency, improve customer satisfaction, and drive revenue growth,” says Dr Mmaki Jantjie, Group Executive for the Innovation and Transformation Office.
Since its inception in 2023, Lions’ Den has served as a catalyst for employee-driven innovation, recognising that those on the frontline of customer interactions are best positioned to identify and develop solutions that meet evolving needs. By tapping into this rich well of internal talent, Telkom is reinforcing its commitment to staying ahead in the highly competitive telecommunications industry.
The Lions’ Den Challenge is not just about generating new ideas; it’s about creating real impact – reducing costs, streamlining processes, and ultimately enhancing the customer experience. It empowers our people to think like entrepreneurs, take ownership of their innovations, and contribute directly to Telkom’s strategic objectives.
“Our employees are the heartbeat of Telkom, and their ideas are the key to our continued growth and success. This initiative is a win-win for employees, Telkom, and customers,” said Dr Jantjies.
After receiving a record-breaking 100 submissions, nearly double what was submitted for Season 1, the project team meticulously evaluated each idea, narrowing the selection down to the Top 20. Following input from employees and compelling presentations by the participants, the final Top 9 were chosen.
The Top 9 finalists were then invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges comprising the organisation senior leadership, Melody Lekota: Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Lunga Siyo: CEO Telkom Consumer and Small Business, Jonas Bogoshi: BCX CEO, Sello Mmakau, Group Chief Digital Officer, and Pushkar Gokhale: Chief Digital & Strategy Officer, Openserve.
The judges carefully assessed these groundbreaking concepts and selected the ultimate winners of the challenge. A grand prize of up to R2 million was awarded among them, acknowledging their dedication to innovation and impactful solutions.
“After weeks working on customer focused innovative ideas, working with experts to refine them into business plans and presenting them to the Lions, we’re thrilled at the calibre of our four winners,” says Dr Jantjies. “We believe their ideas will be game changers for our business.”
“The journey of innovation never stops, and we are excited to see what fresh, groundbreaking ideas will emerge in Season 3,” concludes Dr Jantjies.