Start-Up of the Year Award
This award acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit, technological innovation, and potential impact of start-ups in driving growth, solving local challenges, and contributing to the advancement of Africa's tech ecosystem.
2024 Shortlist
Boardroom app
Boardroom is a dating app designed for busy working professionals seeking serious relationships. Recognizing that professionals often struggle to find time for socializing due to heavy workloads, Boardroom offers a solution tailored to their needs. Unlike many dating apps that emphasize hookup culture or have low-quality profiles, Boardroom focuses on creating meaningful connections. Founded in Cape Town, South Africa, the app is committed to providing a high-quality, genuine experience for those looking for lasting love, without the typical gatekeeping found in other platforms.
SprintHive
SprintHive is a South African fintech startup offering AI-powered digital onboarding solutions that reduce customer onboarding time from 25 days to under an hour. Their services, including identity verification, biometric authentication, and fraud prevention, enhance security and user experience while minimizing costs. Trusted by clients like Woolworths Financial Services and TymeBank, SprintHive’s AI-driven technology has maintained a 24-month fraud-free track record.
Their innovations, such as DocumentAI and Profile Building Detection, streamline onboarding and prevent fraud. SprintHive’s rapid growth and industry recognition, including the 2024 Customer Onboarding Software Developer of the Year award, highlight their impact in transforming financial services.
Remedial Health
Remedial Health is addressing Africa’s counterfeit drug crisis, which causes 100,000 deaths annually, by improving access to genuine and affordable medicines. Starting in Nigeria, they use pharmaceutical procurement innovations, inventory financing, and pharmacy operations management solutions. Their platform enhances health service delivery by streamlining operations for pharmacies, clinics, and health providers, ensuring better access to safe medicines and improved patient care across Africa.
redAcademy
redAcademy is a skills and experiential learning hub focused on bridging the tech talent gap in South Africa. By partnering with businesses, redAcademy trains and prepares talented individuals, known as Sprinters, for careers in IT. Through hands-on experience with real-world tech stacks and collaboration with senior developers, Sprinters gain both technical and soft skills to ensure work-readiness. The academy's Career Sprint program fast-tracks participants' entry into the tech industry, building a sustainable talent pipeline for the future.
Kubik
Kubik, an Ethiopian green ICT startup, is tackling plastic waste and the affordable housing crisis by transforming hard-to-recycle plastic into durable, eco-friendly building materials. Founded in 2021 by Kidus Asfaw, inspired by his experience with UNICEF, Kubik offers materials that are 40% cheaper, faster to build with, and significantly less polluting than traditional options. Kubik's innovative "Lego-like" design enables easy assembly, reducing the need for skilled labor. In 2023, Kubik raised $5.2 million in seed funding and plans to expand by partnering with real estate developers and municipal governments to scale sustainable construction across Africa.
About the Start-Up of the Year Award
The Start-Up of the Year Award celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit, technological innovation, and transformative potential of emerging companies that are poised to make significant contributions to Africa's tech ecosystem. This prestigious accolade recognizes start-ups that have demonstrated exceptional ingenuity in addressing local challenges, driving economic growth, and fostering social development through cutting-edge solutions.
By honouring the most promising start-ups, this award aims to spotlight the trailblazing entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to create scalable and sustainable businesses. Through this recognition, we aim to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs to pursue their visions with passion and perseverance, contributing to the continued growth and diversification of the continent's economy.
Award Criteria
Innovation & Originality
The start-up must showcase a unique and innovative approach to solving a significant problem or addressing a market need.
Impact & Scalability
The solution should demonstrate potential for wide-reaching impact and the ability to scale effectively across different markets or regions.
Market Traction & Growth
The start-up should provide evidence of market traction, including user adoption, revenue generation, and business growth.
2023 Award Winner
Winner: Botlhale AI Solutions
"We believe language should not be a barrier for accessing digital services"
Botlhale AI are driven by the belief that language should never hinder access to digital services. While speech-based human-computer interaction systems and Natural Language Processing tools have gained global popularity, they predominantly cater to English and other major languages. Botlhale AI's goal is to eliminate this disparity by extending these technologies to African languages. They aim to empower speakers of African languages to enjoy the conveniences and innovations these systems bring to their daily lives.
