Mobile application iDWork, which allows users to identify and manage service providers, was named the winner of the Seedstars World South Africa final last night after being confirmed as the wildcard entry.
Seedstars World was won last year by South African mobile recruitment startup Giraffe, and this year the competition held a number of pre-selection events in South Africa ahead of the national final. A total of nine winners were chosen from events in Cape Town, Durban and Soweto.
iDWork was named as the 10th, wildcard selection for the final in Johannesburg, and ended up winning the overall prize. It will now represent South Africa at the global final early next year and compete for up to US$1 million in equity investment.
The Johannesburg-based startup is a mobile application that allows users to choose a preferred service provider, describe and manage home improvement projects. Users can select and contract a service provider, and manage the project using a WhatsApp group. They can then leave a review of the service provider once the project is completed.
The other nine startups taking part, selected from the local pre-selection events, were online crew booking service Crew Pencil, e-courier service Pargo, logistics startup WumDrop, safety tracking device Guardian Angel Safety Solution, online parenting platform You, Baby and I, wearable medical device Vitls, communication-centric organiser Sortd, free calls provider UmoyAir Communications, and micro-insurer Riovic.
Seedstars World is working with Standard Bank for the event, which was hosted at the bank’s incubator in Rosebank.
