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12 Tech Startups Representing Africa At The Seedstars World Competition In 2018

12 Tech Startups Representing Africa At The Seedstars World Competition In 2018

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The Seedstars World Competition in 2018 will bring together the best tech startup talent from around the world this coming April.

Africa will be represented by a list of winners from the various Seedstars World competitions that took place during the last year throughout Africa.

Seedstars World, which describes itself as the world’s biggest startup competition in emerging markets, holds these events in around 70 countries before winners are selected to take part in a grand final.

The winner of the competition in each African nation will join other Seedstars country-winners at the final event in Switzerland during April next year, where they will deliver pitches that could potentially earn them up to $1 million in equity investments and prizes.

Here are 12 of the tech startups representing Africa at the Seedstars World Competition in 2018.

Sources: InnovationVillage, Innov8tiv,  ITWebAfrica, Ventureburn, SiliconeCape.

Internet Users - African governments commit to affordable internet
With M-Shule students are able to receive personalized education via their mobile phones. Photo: rekordcenturion

Kenya – M-Shule

In November Kenyan edtech platform M-Shule was selected as the best startup in the Seedstars Nairobi competition. M-Shule is an edtech platform which uses artificial intelligence and text messaging functionality to deliver personalised, accessible education to primary school students across Africa.

MaTontine is the winner of the Seedstars Dakar competition. Photo - DisruptAfrica
MaTontine is the winner of the Seedstars Dakar competition. Photo – DisruptAfrica

Senegal – MaTontine

Fintech startup MaTonine was the winner in this year’s Seedstars Dakar competition, thanks to their digital take on a traditional savings tool. MaTontine provides financial services through the digitization of traditional, centuries-old, peer-to-peer savings circles, known as Tontines, which remain a popular way to save money in Senegal.

Dr Khan, CEO and co-founder of South African medical tech startup, EMGuidance. Photo - Twitter
Dr Khan, CEO and co-founder of South African medical tech startup, EMGuidance. Photo – Twitter

South Africa – EMGuidance

South African medical tech startup Essential Medical Guidance, known simply as EMGuidance, won the South African leg of the Seedstars World competition at the end of June. EMGuidance provides a mobile app allowing doctors and medical professionals to source treatment protocols for chronic conditions and information on medication that differs from region to region. The app therefore gives invaluable information regarding specific dosages, as well as which medicines are available and registered by the respective local medical council in a particular part of the world.

GiftedMom won the Seedstars Douala competition. Photo - Twitter.jpg
GiftedMom won the Seedstars Douala competition. Photo – Twitter.jpg

Cameroon – GiftedMom

E-health startup GiftedMom was the winner of Seedstars Douala in Cameroon. The medical support platform develops last-mile mobile health solutions geared at increasing maternal engagement in emerging markets through an artificial intelligence-based remote medical platform.

Medsaf won the 2017 Seedstars Lagos competition. Photo - VC4A
Medsaf won the 2017 Seedstars Lagos competition. Photo – VC4A

Nigeria – Medsaf

Medsaf emerged as the winner during the Seedstars Lagos competition. Medsaf is an e-health startup focused on making the process of buying and selling medication in Nigeria’s complex health system easier and more efficient. Medsaf also provides value added services to hospitals and pharmacies such as medications, inventory management applications, and tech-enabled logistics.

LangBot wins the Seedstars Ethiopia event in Addis Ababa. Photo - Twitter
LangBot wins the Seedstars Ethiopia event in Addis Ababa. Photo – Twitter

Ethiopia – LangBot

LangBot, an artificial intelligence language teaching chatbot emerged as the winner of Seedstars Ethiopia, and the startup will now represent Ethiopia at the Seedstars World final. The gamified language teaching messenger chatbot, which is currently in the beta testing stage of its development, uses artificial intelligence to assist individuals to overcome the language barrier that may exist between people.

myRunner was the winning tech startup at the Seedstars Harare Competition. Photo - Twitter
myRunner was the winning tech startup at the Seedstars Harare Competition. Photo – Twitter

Zimbabwe – myRunner

The winner of the Seedstars Harare competition in Zimbabwe, myRunner is an online bus ticket booking platform and app that gives users useful functionality. The startup offers bus reviews, bookings and even live tracking of where each bus is in the system. myRunner will travel to Switzerland next year as Zimbabwe’s representatives at the Seedstars World competition.

fintech
Numida won the Seedstars Kampala competition. (Photo: SeedStars)

Uganda – Numida

Ugandan fintech startup Numida was declared winner of the Kampala leg of the Seedstars World competition earlier this year. The startup has seen excellent monthly growth since March, and has disbursed hundreds of small business loans to clients, boasting a 99 percent repayment rate.

Tech Is Uplifting The Agricultural Industry In Africa
AgroCenta empowers farmers through technology. Photo: textually.org

Ghana – AgroCenta

Agri-tech startup AgroCenta was the Ghanaian winner in their local Seedstars Accra competition. The startup was named the winner for its solution which empowers smallholder farmers through innovative technology.

Tupuca won the Seedstars Luanda competition in Angola. Photo - DisruptAfrica
Tupuca won the Seedstars Luanda competition in Angola. Photo – DisruptAfrica

Angola – Tupuca

Food delivery startup Tupuca was in October named winner of the Angolan leg of the global Seedstars World competition. The online food delivery platform currently serves around 20,000 customers, building on a trend that is growing across the continent.

CinetPay was the startup that emerged from Seedstars Abidjan. Photo - CinetPay
CinetPay was the startup that emerged from Seedstars Abidjan. Photo – CinetPay

Ivory Coast – Cinetpay

The Ivorian edition of the Seedstars startup competition was won by fintech firm Cinetpay. Emerging as the winner in Abidjan out of eight promising startups, Cinetpay has developed a mobile money payment gateway that allows online and offline merchants to accept mobile money and card payments.

PikiWash emerged as the winner in the Seedstars Kigali competition. Photo - The New Times
PikiWash emerged as the winner in the Seedstars Kigali competition. Photo – The New Times

Rwanda – PikiWash

PikiWash was the Rwandan startup selected to take part in next year’s Seedstars World Competition. The startup is focused on providing motorcycle cleaning services that are eco-friendly and time-saving, benefiting those using that mode of transport in the East African country.