Various startups from across the continent won corporate-hosted challenges at the AfricArena event in Cape Town earlier this week.
The third annual AfricArena saw over 100 startups from 20 African countries pitch on stage in front of an audience of local and international investors and corporates.
Thirty-three of those were taking part in 11 challenges offered by the event’s corporate partners, which offered participants the chance to access expertise, get connected with business opportunities, and obtain financing. Prizes valued at over US$200,000 from Amazon Web Services were also offer.
The challenge winners included Tanzanian ed-tech startup Mtabe, which won the Viva Technology Challenge, and the Mauritius-based e-health company Erada, which won the BNP Paribas and RCS-sponsored Hello Tomorrow Challenge. Nigeria’s House Africa won the Fantom Foundation Blockchain Challenge, South Africa’s Khoyn won the Old Mutual Startup Challenge, and Senegal’s Weego emerged triumphant in the VINCI Energies Challenge
Egypt’s Alkottab Game Studio took home the title of Air France Challenge winner, South Africa’s PayGas won the ENGIE Africa Challenge, Jobox won the SA SME Fund Challenge, and Uptale emerged winner of the French Tech Challenge. Sanofi ran two challenges, with Syked winning its Mental Health Challenge and Kenya’s Baobab Circle winning the Diabetes Challenge.
Also announced at the event were the 10 startups handpicked as Best of Ecosystem from each of the major capitals around the continent during the AfricArena Tour. They were Cloud 9xp from Kenya, FreshBox from Rwanda, Gerocare from Nigeria, African Food from Ivory Coast, Afrikamart from Senegal, Popaddress from Morocco, Echo from Tunisia, Xiot from Egypt, Africa Business Integration (ABI) from Cape Town, and Khula from Johannesburg.
“Entrepreneurs are Africa’s number one asset and the more than 100 startups that attended the summit this year are amongst the very best innovators on the continent, and demonstrated their desire to create innovation not only to resolve challenges in Africa, but to make the world a better place,” AfricArena founder Christophe Viarnaud said.
