AFRICAN START-UP AWARD
4 laureates and the Top 50 most innovative African Start-ups!
• 1ST PRIZE: GiftedMom – Cameroon (See Interview)
• 2ND PRIZE: GreenWize Energy – Kenya
• 3RD PRIZE: Tech-Innov Niger – Niger
• SPECIAL JURY AWARD: Appropriate Energy Savings Technology - Uganda
The African Start-Up Award was developed by the New York Forum Institute in partnership with France 24 and Le Point to support talent and the most creative initiatives, particularly those with a social impact component. A total grant of € 100,000 Euros was awarded to the top four African Start-Ups by The New York Forum Institute and split between four laureates.
Stay tuned as the New York Forum Institute follows the development of the winning projects!
1st Prize - 50,000 Euros awarded to GiftedMom, Cameroon
➢ Based in Cameroon, GiftedMom is the first social enterprise in Central Africa to develop innovative technologies to lower costs to improve maternal and child health.
➢The first innovation is a mobile application that provides reminders to mothers about important heathcare dates and commitments, like their next prenatal visit or the date of their child’s next vaccine.
➢ "For two years now, we have been fighting against maternal and infant mortality, a key issue for Africa, using new and mobile-based technologies. With this award, we can replicate the impact that we have had in Cameroon in other African countries." - Alain Nteff, Co-founder and Director of GiftedMom
In conjunction with France 24 (See Interview France 24 & Le Point Afrique)
2nd Prize - 30,000 Euros awarded to Greenwize Energy, Kenya
➢ Greenwize Energy, based in Kenya, specializes in the creation and development of renewable energy products, and renewable or sustainable energy consulting in Africa.
➢ It offers products and innovative solutions that stand out for their originality, low price, reliability, ease of use, design and support services.
➢ "This grant will allow us to expand our project to Malawi, a key country where many people live in poverty and have no access to electricity. With our solution, we wanted to provide electricity that is affordable, clean and renewable." - Evans Wadongo, Co-founder of Greenwize Energy
3rd Prize - 10,000 Euros awarded to Tech-Innov, Niger
➢ Tech-Innov specializes in the development and marketing of remote irrigation systems and agricultural-technical advising.
➢ It was created to manage, operate and market the " Tele- Irrigation " system and its derivatives : automatic watering , Potable Water Kiosk in rural areas, Meto -Mobile, and discrete scanner Multimedia Center Agri- Info , proper to tech innovation
➢ "With this grant we can grow our business and strengthen our capacity for communication and marketing to increase awareness and understanding of our innovative system." – Adbou Maman, Director, Tech-Innov Niger
Special Jury Award - 10,000 Euros awarded to Appropriate Energy Saving Technologies (AEST) LTD, Uganda
➢ Appropriate Energy Saving Technologies (AEST) converts agricultural waste like, peanut husks into a readily available and clean source of energy used for cooking, both in institutions and households.
➢ Individuals or institutions with modest incomes that previously used charcoal or firewood, can now use these processed briquettes that do not generate smoke, allow for long-term burning and are less expensive than coal. They have the added value of reducing air pollution; deforestation and the time spent cooking.
➢ "This grant will allow us to buy equipment and better machinery to increase our capacity to cope with the currently increasing demand. This grant will also allow us to expand our distribution network and marketing efforts to ensure that our products reach a wider market.” - Betty Ikalany, Founder and CEO, AEST
The Top 50 of the most innovative African Start-Ups!
• 1task1job - Cameroon
• AFRIINCOMES - Togo
• Agence Merci - Ivory Coast
• Asaj and Co Sarl - Cameroon
• Aywajieune - Senegal
• Boorgeon - Cameroon
• CarpartsNigeria Automobile Limited - Nigeria
• Clintonel Technology - Nigeria
• Cobitech Solar Limited - Kenya
• Coterique - Egypt
• E.T. Edwin Industrial Company Nigeria - Nigeria
• Ecobag Senegal - Senegal
• EdgePoint - Tanzania
• EIC (Eagle Investment Capital) Corporation - Ivory Coast
• Himore Medical - Cameroon
• iMadrassa.com - HADDAR Consulting - Algeria
• Impact Africa Industries - Kenya
• Infinity Space - Cameroon
• Intelgeo – Ivory Coast
• JikoTamu - Kenya
• Konoz Yadaweya - Egypt
• Kouaba - Cameroon
• Lizzie’s Creations - Nigeria
• Madlyn Cazalis - Cameroon
• Marque Africa Intiative (MAI) - Nigeria
• Mobimarket - Maroc
• Noble Microsystems - Nigeria
• Pepinotech - Tunisia
• Plastic Recycling - Tanzania
• PollAfrique - Ghana
• RIGHTCOM - Benin
• Roue Bleue - Mali
• Sabitoo Investments Solution S/C GMCG - Gabon
• Samaskull SARL - Senegal
• Société de Production Articles Hygiéniques (S.P.A.H) - Madagascar
• Station Energy - Ivory Coast
• StoneHouse Finance (T/A MicroVenture Africa) - Zimbabwe
• Synnefa Green Limited-Illuminum Greenhouses - Kenya
• Topspace Nigeria Limited - Nigeria
• Tukia coffee - Ethiopia
• Tunisie Coop - Tunisia
• Tuteria Company - Nigeria
• Twim Infomedia Solutions Ltd - Nigeria
• WATTS Mimosa Solar Enterprises - Nigeria
• Young Voice Africa - Rwanda
• Youngsoul Limited - Nigeria
The African Start-Up Award Jury:
· Stéphanie Antoine, Journalist, France
· Richard Attias, Founder of New York Forum Institute, Morocco
· Samir Benmakhlouf, Director, Microsoft Morocco, Morocco
· Etienne Gernelle, Editor-in-Chief of Le Point Magazine, France
· Verone Mankou, President and Founder, VMK, Republic of the Congo
· Serge Mickoto, Director General of the Gabonese Strategic Investment Fund (FGIS), Gabon
· Bright Simons, Astrophysicist and entrepreneur, Ghana
· Rahama Wright, President and CEO, Shea Yeleen Health and Beauty, Ghana
· Marie-Cécile Zinsou, President of the Zinsou Foundation, Benin
About the African Start-up Award
Africa has ideas and talent but African start-ups lack access to capital, especially in the first phase of development. In 2014, the first Train My Generation Survey undertaken by the New York Forum AFRICA with the Train My Generation vocational training fund established by the New York Forum Institute in 2013 highlighted this point: 56% of the 5,000 young African respondents pointed to their difficulty in finding funding.
In this context, Richard Attias, founder of the New York Forum Institute, initiated the African Start-up Award in partnership with Le Point Afrique, the on-line edition of Le Point dedicated to Africa launched in March 2014 and France 24.
The Award will support talent and the most creative initiatives, particularly those with a social impact component.