Denis Opudo
Kwesé Inc #GoGettaz entrepreneurship competition is the biggest entrepreneurship competition in Africa. The 2018 event took place at Strathmore University in Nairobi. The event registered a total of more than 4,800 applicants. Besides, there were a total of 50 million people who used social media to share. Moreover, over 200,000 people visited the website page.
Liquid Telecom and Kwesé Inc sponsored the event which took place on 26th January 2017. Pathways for Prosperity, Commission on Technology and Inclusive Growth hosted the discussion. Oxford University’s Blavatnik School was the founder and manager of the event. Meanwhile, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the event.
Peter Wachira from Kenya and Nigerian Ezinne Uko were the winners of the competition. The two won a price worth $200,000 which they shared equally. Apart from that, they took home $100,000 investment. The same amount was given to them by Equity Bank Kenya. On top of the prices, there was mentorship program that lasted for two weeks. That was to take place in South Africa at the Kwese headquarters. Strive Masiyiwa who is the founder, and Executive chairman of Econet Global was in charge of the mentorship program.
The two took the prizes after a two days training program at the Nairobi Garage. Moreover, innovation and entrepreneurship and mentors oversaw the program. The mentors were rich of vast experience in the business. Innovators and entrepreneurship comprised of the following;
Patricia Jumi from Growth Africa
Sebastian Wafula from the Wafula Corporation Limited
Peter Park from Connect Health
Jussi Hinkkanen from Fuzu
Grant Brooke from Twiga Foods
There were a total of twelve finalists from various countries. The countries included Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ghana, and DRC. The twelve comprised of six men and six women totaling to twelve. Peter and Ezzine, later on, emerged as winners from the twelve finalists. They also displayed and received feedbacks on ways to improve their businesses. The twelve finalists had a chance of three minutes each to display their businesses to a group of judges. Lary Madowo (NTV anchor) and Terryanne Chebet (Founder/CEO Keyara Organics) were the co-hosts of the event. The judge was Juliana Rotich (co-founder of Ushahidi, and Tech Partner, Africa Tech Ventures). Clive Msipha (CEO, Untu Capital Limited) and Ndidi Nwuneli (Founder at LEAPAfrica) took the number of judges to three.
Vetting of finalist happened on the various platforms including a one-month period social media voting process. The social media voting, therefore, came to an end on 30th November 2017. Apart from that, they were judged on the ability of their business to influence the community. Another group that moved the judges was Contrail Stores and A Remote Youth Venture. The group will take home $100,000 given by Mr. Masiyiwa. The group will use the money to improve and sustain their business development.
Moreover, there was a talk that there was a talk which took place at the Tech & Entrepreneurship Town Hall. The talk addressed many issues that included the use of technology in improving businesses. The moderator was by Lorna Irungu-Macharia (CEO Gina Din Group). There was also a call to the government and private sectors to create job and wealth in Africa.
