Paris, France, May 2, 2022 - Viva Technology and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced today the top 45 start-ups that have been long-listed for the first edition of the AfricaTech Awards. This pan-African initiative, supported by Proparco, aims to recognize and support emerging start-ups that are driving innovation and development impact across the continent in three main sectors - Climate Tech, FinTech, and Health Tech.
The 45 start-ups - 15 in each of the three Awards categories - have been selected from a total pool of more than 300 applications, with Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Morocco showing the highest participation rates. Overall, FinTech is the category that received the most applications (124), followed by Health Tech (95), and Climate Tech (93). Nearly 60% of the applicant start-ups have at least one woman on their board.
"The number and quality of applications received is a testament to Africa's vibrant tech scene, which has proven to be resilient even in the face of the many challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Makhtar Diop, IFC's Managing Director. "These Awards will help scale innovations in key sectors like climate tech, health, and financial services, which are critical to supporting the continent's sustainable and inclusive growth."
The final winners (one per category) will be announced at the first AfricaTech Awards ceremony, which will take place during the 2022 edition of Viva Technology on June 15-18 in Paris. The three winning start-ups will benefit from access to the Viva Technology, IFC and category sponsors' networks, as well as select one-on-one meetings with leaders and top executives in the tech industry.
"Africa is a breeding ground for talent and new ideas, and we are delighted to see so many innovative entrepreneurs participating in this first edition of the AfricaTech Awards," said Viva Technology Co-Presidents Maurice Lévy and Pierre Louette, and Managing Director Julie Ranty. "It is a pleasure to be able to highlight these impactful start-ups and help promote their solutions across the continent and beyond."
The top 15 start-ups in the FinTech category, sponsored by Cassava Technologies, include:
Abela - South Africa
Applied Logic Ltd - Nigeria
Click2Sure - South Africa
Crop2Cash - Nigeria
DreamCash - Cameroon
Duhqa - Kenya
eMaisha Pay - Uganda
Franc - South Africa
ImaliPay - Kenya
Lipa Later - Kenya
Neqabty - Egypt
Popote pay - Kenya
Premiercredit - Zambia
Proxalys - Senegal
SingPay - Gabon
The top 15 start-ups in the Health Tech category, sponsored by Orange, include:
Access Afya - Kenya
Aviro Health - South Africa
BokDoc - Egypt
Chefaa - Egypt
Keeplyna - Tunisia
Med - Tunisia
Meditect - Qatar
Primed E-Health - France, Nigeria, Uganda
SonoCare - Nigeria
Vekta Innovations - South Africa
Vula Mobile - South Africa
Wala Digital Health - Ghana
Welnes - Egypt
Zencey - Ivory Coast
Zuri Health - Kenya
The top 15 start-ups in the Climate Tech category, sponsored by New Energy Nexus, include:
AGROTECH PLUS - Kenya
ATLAN Space - Morocco
Bekia - Egypt
Easy Matatu - Uganda
Eco-V GreenTower - South Africa
Farmtopia - Egypt
Ipren Group - Nigeria
iShamba Limited - Kenya
Koolboks - France, Nigeria, and 12 additional countries
Kumulus - France and Tunisia
My JouleBox (Ares) - Benin
Seavo - Egypt
SUNPave - Egypt
The Awareness Company - South Africa
WEEE Centre - Kenya
KEY DATA
3 award categories Climate Tech, FinTech, Health Tech, 312 applications 45 long-listed start-ups 3 final winners to be announced at VivaTech in June |
About Viva Technology
VivaTech is the biggest startup and tech event in Europe and is recognized worldwide as a powerful catalyst for business transformation, startup growth and innovation for the common good. Since 2016 VivaTech has brought together in Paris the world's top business leaders, startups, investors, researchers and thinkers for a unique experience combining inspiration, networking and a showcase for innovation. Starting with the 2021 edition VivaTech is now enriched with a digital platform that connects a global community of innovators. The sixth edition of VivaTech is taking place 15-18 June 2022. More information available at https://vivatechnology.com/media and @VivaTech.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capitol, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2021, IFC committed a record $31.5 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
