African entrepreneurs have been named winners of 13th Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM), securing various cash prizes.
Launched in 2011, the award recognises innovative startup projects using information and communication technologies that have a positive impact on society in Africa and the Middle East. Most of the projects focus on education, healthcare, e-commerce, agriculture or the environment.
Since starting this program, Orange has rewarded 47 projects and financed the support of 90 entrepreneurs through expert guidance from Orange or its partners.
This year’s prize was divided into three categories, for which Orange received 1,300 applications from 17 countries. The International Grand Prize is awarded to three projects that have a social or environmental impact and are based on new technologies. Cameroon’s Adinkra Jeunesse, who specialises in digitally publishing African children’s books with characters that convey African cultures and stories, won first prize and EUR25,000 (US$27,000).
Second prize, and EUR15,000 (US$16,000) went to Egypt’s Egrobots, which offers farmers a digital solution to optimise their business, and the EUR10,000 (US$11,000) third prize went to Jordan’s Smart WTI, which offers advanced water management solutions using IoT/AI technology.
The International Women’s Prize, worth EUR20,000 (US$21,000), is awarded to a startup whose project is led by a woman and that helps to improve living conditions by providing specific solutions to social or environmental problems. This year, it was won by Tunisia’s Bionic Soul, which manufactures and markets smart, custom-made, affordable bionic prostheses for amputees.
The winner of the Jury’s Favorite Prize, worth EUR10,000 (US$11,000), was Cameroon’s Services for Aged, which provides health, hygiene and assistance services for elderly people living at home in rural areas.
All winners will also receive support at Orange Digital Centres, with the prospect of expanding their business beyond the borders of their respective countries through the network of Orange Digital Centres in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
