Online streaming service BlackBOX TV was named the winner of the Seedstars World competition in Maputo, Mozambique over the weekend, and will now proceed to the final in Switzerland next year to pitch for up to US$1 million in investment.
Seedstars World, which has already picked winning startups in Egypt, Tunisia and South Africa, held its Maputo event on Friday, July 15.
Disrupt Africa reported last week 10 startups were selected to pitch at the event, with BlackBOX TV emerging as the overall winner. The startup allows users to stream any content they wish using digital broadcast, with no need for an internet connection.
BlackBOX TV will now proceed to the global final, where they will pitch alongside other startups from developing markets around the world for up to US$1 million in funding.
“I started Blackbox TV because I wanted to create VOD (Video on Demand) system, a Netflix for Africa. However, I wanted people to have access to content without a conventional data connection,” said Claude Champier, founder of BlackBOX TV.
IZYSHOP, an online supermarket which connects producers to consumers, came second and Vamobi Net, which aims to modernise the management of small water supply and distribution systems, took the last spot in the top three.
The other seven startups that took part in the Maputo event were online brands marketplace Compra, intelligent shopping tool Kharin, mobile payments platform MolaPay, social media platform +J, music streaming platform Mozik, taxi app Ola Taxi, and bus locator service Kwine.
The Mozambican competition was carried out with the support of Standard Bank and local ambassador UX Information Technologies.
