Tech in Africa
AfricArena stands out as a leading African accelerator within the African tech ecosystem. This year, the annual virtual summit is a hybrid event held via the AfricArena Wired mobile app and the web-based AfricArena Air platform.
The event aims to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic. The opener was done by the French ambassador Aurélien Lechevallier who dared emerging startups to disrupt old norms, ask questions, and boldly express the kind of investment they deserve.
The winners of this year’s 2020 AfricArena are finally out. One of South Africa’s most iconic startups of the decade Kudoti clinched the Future of Africa category.
During a press release, Christophe Viarnaud, AfricArena’s founder ad CEO commented on the quality of startups shortlisted for the 2020 summit, describing the launch as “incredible” and pointing out his hope to “unlock further value” within the startup ecosystem.
AfricArena
AfricArena is knownn as a deal-flow platform for startups, corporates, and investors across the continent. This year’s summit ran from the 24th to 25th November, and proceeded by a Founders’ Bootcamp, VC Unconference Weekends, and a virtual segment with AfricArena Air. The Bootcamp was held two weeks prior to the actual conference and was powered by FSAT Labs, Founders Boost Camp, and a VC Conference. Its aim was to support and train 50 tech startups preparing to make their pitch at the summit.
AfricArena platform is tailored for both entrepreneurs and investors within the African continent. Since its inception, the AfricArena brand has gained enormous credibility in the tech startup ecosystem through with its alumni raising over a hundred million dollars in the last 4 years.
Winners at the 2020 AfricArena
34 innovative startups made their presentations to a judging panel comprising of leading experts in business, tech, and investment.
- “Scale from Africa to Europe Challenge” won by Casky from Morocco (Bpifrance)
- “Future of work challenge” won by SmartWage (Viva Technology)
- “Tech innovations in water analysis and purification” won by Kusini Water (AirFrance/KLM Challenge).
Prizes were also awarded to the “Best of ecosystem winners.” Among them were CloudFret (Morrocco), FoodSasa (Tanzania), Oze (Nigeria), Enova Robotics (Tunisia), 3DIMO (S.A), BezoMoney (Ghana), Yusudi (Kenya), Seekewa (Ivory Coast), Maad (Senegal), Yego (Rwanda), Tripplo (SA), Oze (Nigeria), and, TaskMoby (Ethiopia) – More on the winners, cash prizes awarded and press statements issued on Ventureburn.
