Tech in Africa
Vodacom Tanzania Plc and Smart Codes have finally announced the winners of the 2020 Vodacom Digital Accelerator programme. Launched last year, the programme intends to support both early and growth-stage technological startups. The assistance is aimed at nurturing the businesses that generate revenue so as to achieve profitability. Over 600 applications ranging from fintech, agriculture, education, health, e-commerce, and media sent their applications. The past year has seen them go through mentorship, training, and support.
Nguvu Kamando, the Director for Digital & Value Added Services in Vodacom Tanzania shared his vision of adopting technology to achieve sustainable change. The emergent winners of the program were Hashtag pools, Smart Class, and E-dispensary.
Smart Labs links learning institutions with their fellow corporate partners. Ideas generated from the programme are aimed at positively impacting African communities. On completion of the first application phase, 15 tech startups were narrowed down to when arriving at the final decision.
The first prize was clinched by Smart Class, an online platform connecting learners to certified private students offline and online. This edtech startup matches students with their tutors through data analytics and advanced algorithms.
Second place went to Hashtag pools, an e-commerce startup that offers maximum discounts for products through joint purchases.
Third place went to E-DISPENSARY, a healthtech startup handling medical services for users.
Edwin Bruno, the CEO of Smart Codes is a successful digital enterprenuer and mentor for the program. He explained, “Smart Lab hopes to keep bridging the gap between startups and large corporations but mostly nurturing startups in Tanzania and Africa in general.”
Vodacom’s Accelerator Program has become a model for corporates in Tanzania to contribute to society through ground-breaking solutions.
