Nabilah Safira
TechInAfrica – Tiny Totos, the Kenyan-based startup, has won the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC) Africa finale along with other names. The startup, which launched in 2014, was selected in the ‘Income Growth and Job Creation’ category eliminating Kumwe Harvest from Rwanda and South African based Indlu. Tiny Totos help entrepreneurs discover cost-effective solutions to improve children’s welfare. It currently operates in Nairobi but isn’t closing an opportunity of expanding a countrywide franchise. More than 400 applicants from 35 African countries entered the competition.
“We are thrilled to have been recognized as a start-up bringing change to women and children in slums, through our growing network of financially self-sustaining, quality daycare businesses in the informal settlements. Our daycare intervention model and platform provide informal daycare entrepreneurs with access to the key business knowledge and information they need to improve standards of care, monitor their financial growth – as well as provide reliable, elevated care to children so working mothers can go to work with peace of mind. My team and I are excited about taking Tiny Totos through to the global stages of the competition.” Emma Caddy, CEO of Tiny Totos said.
The finale was hosted by pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom at the African Inclusive Innovation Summit in Ethiopia. The one-day event highlighted how technology is creating economic opportunity for the low and middle-income class across Africa. The event was a partnership with the African Union Commission, the Ethiopian Jobs Creation Commission (JCC), and the Ethiopian Ministry of Innovation and Technology.
Other winners are:
- Nigeria’s Social Lender (Financial Inclusion Category)
- Egypt’s Taskty (Skills Development & Opportunity Matching Category)
- South Africa’s Shopit (Technology Access Category).
“I would like to congratulate all the finalists that presented at the regional level. It’s indeed encouraging to see how technology is being used as a force for good in Africa. I am especially pleased to see Kenyan based Tiny Totos amongst the Africa regional winners for transforming service standards across Nairobi’s informal childcare market through innovative technology.” Ben Roberts, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer, Liquid Telecom, said.
Now Tiny Totos will compete and win the $1 M Global Grand Prize, which will be awarded at MIT in November, and it will face finalists of the same category from Asia, Europe, Latin America, the US, and Canada.
Source: Techtrendske.co.ke
