Ten Ugandan tech startups recently competed in the 2018 Seedstars Competition for a chance to feature in the global finale in Switzerland next year.
Winners of each of the country competitions in each emerging market earn their place in Switzerland next April, and will have the chance to compete for $1 million in equity investment and prizes alongside other impressive startups.
Agritech mobile micro savings platform Agro Supply Uganda Ltd was selected as the winner, but other impressive contenders included a blockchain-based digital asset exchange dealing in cryptocurrencies and a digital logistics solution enabling farmers to deliver produce directly to consumers.
Here are 10 Ugandan startups which competed for $1 million in the largest emerging markets startup contest.
2ambale Limited is an online clothing marketplace that helps users to buy clothes from stores throughout the capital city of Kampala. Users are able to shop directly from the platform and have the clothes they choose and purchase delivered to them within an hour at no extra charge.
Agro Supply Uganda emerged as the winner of the Seedstars Kampala competition, and will represent Uganda next year at the Seedstars Global competition in Swizerland. This agritech startup uses mobile micro savings financing to supply smallholder farmers with certified agricultural inputs, agricultural extension services and markets for their produce, according to Africabusinesscommunities.
Bringo Fresh Deliveries is a digital logistics solution that provides farmers with an organised market to which sales can be made by delivering fresh produce boxes to users. This startup provides small holder farmers with an organised market for their fresh produce, thereby supporting their livelihood and the uplifting the agricultural sector in the East African country. Bringo Fresh Deliveries won third prize at the Seedstars Kampala competition.
CoinPesa is a blockchain-based digital asset exchange that is focused on making cryptocurrencies and other digital assets available to emerging markets. The platform attracted around 500 users in its first two months of operation, and it aims to give users access to digital currencies without the exhorbitant fees often attached to these transactions. The blockchain startup came second among the Ugandan companies chosen by Seedstars.
Digi Health is a data collection and report generating mobile app that has been designed with the intention of improving data management for community health workers. In an industry that still relies too heavily on unreliable paper-based data collection, Digi Health is providing a better alternative, according to Seedstars.
Mallan is the Ugandan startup that has developed YakaKo Pay, an emergency electricity payment option. The platform allows users to enjoy uninterrupted electricity usage on credit accessed through any mobile phone, making it far easier to keep the lights on.
Medical Street International is an online e-commerce platform offering a wide range of medical supplies and products to health consumers at affordable prices. The startup is aiming to address the challenges of the current system, which is paper-based and results in collected patient data being potentially lost at times, according to Ventureburn.
OlyCash is a Ugandan startup that provides an intuitive payment tool for use in local and international e-commerce and non-physical cash settlements. The solution therefore makes remote payments convenient, cheap and available in cash-based economies, allowing users who wish to shop online the ability to pay with cash to local and international businesses.
Quest Digital Finance is the fintech startup behind Akello Banker, a digital platform that enables farmers and traders to access credit services. Agriculture is an industry that often requires farmers to purchase equipment and other necessary items on credit, and this platform makes it easier for farmers in Uganda to do so, according to Weetracker.
Digital Health Access is another of the medical startups in this list. The company’s tele-health platform connects its users to health professionals and providers across the country. The company reveals that there are approximately 7,272 Ugandans to every doctor in the country and a lack of specialist access for most people, so their app tries to connect people to health professionals when they are in need.
