The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has hosted this year’s World Entrepreneurship Awards, with two of the five winners hailing from Africa.
Held under the remit of the ITU Telecom World conference, held in Hungary, the ITU said the World Entrepreneurship Awards aimed to recognise the most innovative and promising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and initiatives using ICT for social impact.
Kenyan startups M-Shamba and Totohealth were named among the five winners of the award.
M-Shamba provides an interactive platform for smallholder farmers and traders. Disrupt Africa recently reported it was also chosen to participate in Village Capital’s renowned FinTech for Agriculture accelerator programme.
Totohealth uses SMS technology to help reduce maternal and child mortality. In April, the startup was also named winner of the Innovation Awards and Connected Kenya. Shortly after it began raising US$300,000 to support pan-African expansion, and by June had already raised US$60,000.
A recognition of excellence was also awarded to a number of the top startups exhibiting at the event; with SMEs from Djibouti, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda receiving honours.
