The Covid-19 pandemic is a time many wish to forget, but it also paved the way for new business opportunities and transformative ideologies.
Scientia Products, born from the surging demand for health remedies during those challenging times, emerged as a dynamic phytopharmaceutical manufacturing company in Stellenbosch. According to chief operating officer Kamano Mochoelo the idea behind the business was established in 2021.
“After the impact of the pandemic there was a notable shift towards natural products, yet people also sought scientific validation for their choices,” she pointed out. “This need led to the birth of Scientia Products, an endeavour aimed at providing scientifically validated natural solutions to cater to this demand.”
They envisioned the benefits of Scientia Products extending to South Africans, cherishing the country’s rich traditional knowledge. The mission is to harness the healing power of plants and natural remedies, used as medicines by one’s forefathers, so that they can become relevant and practised today.
Scientia boasts an impressive five co-founders, all esteemed academics from Stellenbosch University. Among them, three are distinguished chemists – Dr Catherine Kaschula, Professor André de Villiers, and Professor Willem van Otterlo. The team includes a renowned physiologist, Professor Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, and a distinguished botanist, Professor Nokwanda Makunga. Together, their diverse expertise forms the bedrock of Scientia Products’ innovative approach to natural solutions.
“During the ideation phase we conducted market research, which revealed that the aftermath of Covid-19 left people grappling with heightened anxiety and sleep difficulties, leading to a surge in the use of costly anti-anxiety medications fraught with side effects,” Kamano said. “This pressing demand birthed the necessity for safer, more natural products that are also cost-effective, and provide a holistic solution for optimal living.”
The company stands at the forefront of promoting optimal living, embracing the philosophy of harnessing nature’s healing powers. It focuses primarily on crafting products that enhance well-being and health through natural remedies.
In a world where pharmaceutical medications often come with side effects, Scientia champions the inherent benefits of natural solutions. Their commitment to natural products goes beyond a trend; it’s a profound belief in the power of Mother Earth to nurture and sustain, ultimately contributing to a healthier and more balanced way of life.
Describing the team’s entrepreneurial journey, Kamano said the journey has been undeniably challenging for these scientist co-founders, as venturing into the realm of entrepreneurship presented a whole new playground for them. Navigating the intricacies of understanding what customers truly want was a learning curve.
“As scientists, we came with our ideas, but this transformative journey taught us a valuable lesson – the art of actively listening to our customers and discerning their genuine needs. In general, our research is driven by scientific interest and not market demands. Embracing this essential insight, our products continue to evolve, fine-tuning our offerings to cater to the real-life requirements of our clientele.”
While preparing for its 2024 launch, Scientia has already achieved a number of milestones which include obtaining patents and obtaining research evidence for the efficacy of our products. They are looking forward to testing the product in future human trials. Their dedication propels them towards manufacturing their highly anticipated natural products.
Explaining the team’s future endeavours, Kamano said Scientia looked forward to its product and website launch, which will entail an educational blog for their customers to refer to, to obtain knowledge about the mechanisms of action of the active compounds in the products. Other plans include distributing the products to pharmacies, wellness shops and functional medical practitioners.
While the team claimed that currently technology hadn’t played a major role in their business they looked forward to exploring the opportunities presented after they have finally launched.
“I would like to encourage all women to take up spaces, and not back down from opportunities presented to them, even if they do not have the knowledge,” Kamano said. “This can always be seen as an opportunity to learn.”
