South African Startup Ukiyo Wants to Make Finding a First Job Less Complicated
A student looking for a bursary might visit one website. Another student might find internship opportunities on a different platform. Accommodation providers often advertise available rooms somewhere else entirely. For many young South Africans, finding opportunities means tracking dozens of websites, social media pages and WhatsApp groups. Ukiyo believes it can simplify that process. The
South African Startup Ukiyo Wants to Make Finding a First Job Less Complicated
A student looking for a bursary might visit one website. Another student might find internship opportunities on a different platform. Accommodation providers often advertise available rooms somewhere else entirely. For many young South Africans, finding opportunities means tracking dozens of websites, social media pages and WhatsApp groups. Ukiyo believes it can simplify that process. The South African startup has launched the Global Student Support Platform (GSSP), a mobile app that brings together bursaries, scholarships, accommodation, internships and entry-level jobs. The timing is notable. South Africa continues to struggle with high youth unemployment. More than 60% of people aged between 15 and 24 were unemployed in the first quarter of 2026. Millions more were not in employment, education or training. For Ukiyo founder Nozuko Mzamo, the challenge is not always a shortage of opportunities. Many young people simply struggle to find them. “South Africa does not have a shortage of ambitious young people,” Mzamo said. “It has a shortage of systems that connect young people to what they need to succeed.”
More Than Jobs
While job listings make up part of the platform, GSSP also targets students who have not yet entered the job market. Users can search for bursaries and scholarships, compare study options, look for accommodation and connect with mentors. The platform also offers wellness support and graduate programme listings. Mzamo said the idea came from repeatedly seeing employers, universities and funders discuss opportunities that never reached the students who needed them most. She argues that this gap widens outside major cities, where young people often have fewer professional networks and less access to information.
Early Numbers
According to Ukiyo, more than 4,200 people joined the platform during its private beta phase. The company says users generated more than 1,300 clicks on bursary and scholarship listings and over 2,100 clicks on job opportunities. At the moment, students browse opportunities through searches and filters. Ukiyo plans to add tools that suggest opportunities based on a student’s interests and profile.
Competing for Attention
Ukiyo is entering a market where students already use job boards, career portals and professional networking platforms. Mzamo argues that most of those services solve a specific problem, such as finding work or securing funding. She believes students often need help with several challenges at once. A student searching for a bursary today may need accommodation next month and an internship a year later. Ukiyo built GSSP around that reality. The company has also started listing international exchange opportunities and is exploring expansion beyond South Africa. For now, it remains focused on helping local students find funding, support and employment opportunities.
