African Startups Compete for a €1 Million Prize
Ten promising startups have been chosen to compete in the African final of the Latitude59 competition. The winner of this regional showdown will secure a coveted spot to pitch at the main Latitude59 event in Tallinn, Estonia, with the chance to win from a prize pool of €1 million (US$1.1 million).
Latitude59: Estonia’s Leading Startup Event
Latitude59, Estonia’s premier startup and technology event, celebrated its 12th edition in May, attracting over 3,500 attendees. The event brought together over 900 startup representatives and nearly 600 investors, highlighting the growing interest in global innovation.
Call for African Innovators Yields Impressive Response
In October, Innovation Village announced that Latitude59 was scouting for early-stage startups across Africa to join its next competition. This year’s prize pool remains at €1 million (US$1.1 million), continuing a tradition of substantial rewards for promising ventures.
The response was overwhelming, with 382 applications from 37 African countries. After a rigorous selection process, the top 10 startups have been chosen to participate in the African regional finals.
Final Pitch Event Set for November 28 in Kenya
These startups will present their innovative solutions at the African final in Kenya on November 28, where one winner will be chosen to represent Africa at the main event in Estonia.
Meet the African Finalists
Kenyan Startups
Kenya dominated the selection, with eight of the ten finalists showcasing diverse innovations:
- Eco Nasi: Converts pineapple pulp waste into high-quality vegan leather.
- Grekkon: Enhances smallholder farming with scalable moisture sensors.
- NoMa: Digitizes school transportation for safer and efficient management.
- Paycloud: A neobank enabling MSMEs to pay, get paid, and access credit through payment aggregation.
- Roadrims: Provides reliable and cost-effective logistics solutions.
- Twiva: A social commerce platform enhancing online business for entrepreneurs.
- VunaPay: Facilitates instant payments to farmers, boosting agricultural productivity.
- Zerobionic: Developing a human-like robotic arm to support students with hearing impairments.
Nigerian and Tanzanian Startups
Two other startups have been selected from Nigeria and Tanzania:
- AcemyX (Nigeria): An LMS platform that offers personalized learning tools and study materials to help students prepare for exams.
- Afya Mama (Tanzania): A digital platform providing maternal care and reproductive health information via SMS and web apps.
Looking Ahead: The Road to Estonia
The startups will compete in Kenya to determine the African winner, who will go on to pitch at Latitude59 in Estonia. This is a unique opportunity for African startups to gain international exposure and access to potential investors, opening doors for future growth and development.
The stage is set for these innovative ventures to showcase their solutions and compete for a game-changing prize that could elevate their businesses to the next level.