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Startup World Cup Pitch Competition

Empowering Africa's Next Generation of Innovators

Startup World Cup Pitch Competition


In partnership with Startup World Cup, powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures, Africa Tech Festival brings together 10 of Africa’s most promising startups to pitch their innovations, showcase their solutions and connect with investors, industry leaders and potential partners.

Taking to the stage, the finalists will present their businesses to an expert judging panel, competing for the opportunity to take their startup to the global stage.

One startup. One regional champion. A chance to win $1 million.

The winning startup will be crowned Africa’s regional champion and advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco in 2027, where they will compete against top startups from around the world for a $1 million investment prize.

Join us to watch Africa’s next generation of innovators pitch live and cheer on the finalists!

📅 Thursday, 19 November 2026
📍 Stage 5 | Hall 7, CTICC 2, Cape Town
🕑 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Meet our 2026 Startup World Cup Pitch Competition Finalists


Imali AI

Imali AI is an AI-powered business management platform that helps shop owners and merchants manage sales, stock, staff, finances and customer interactions directly through WhatsApp.

Using text, voice notes or photos, businesses can track transactions, manage operations and automate customer responses. The platform also connects merchants with suppliers, distributors and funders, offering solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Launched in October 2026, Imali AI supports nine languages and 25 currencies, with a free plan and affordable paid options starting at R199 per month in South Africa.

Seoreh

Seoreh is a AI-powered healthcare platform connecting patients, healthcare professionals and pharmacies. It simplifies access to healthcare through virtual consultations, digital prescriptions, medication ordering and medical record management.

Its AI assistant, Doris AI, provides 24/7 health guidance, helping make quality healthcare more accessible across Africa.

Malva

Every online fashion purchase is based on a guess. Malva lets you try any outfit on your own digital twin before you buy, wherever you already shop online.

Our technology moves with you across 200+ online stores, helping you shop with confidence and helping brands sell more while reducing returns.

NobzTech

NobzTech is a South African digital transformation agency that helps SMEs and startups build affordable websites, custom web applications, and AI-powered automation tools. Our solutions include booking systems, smart contact forms, CRM automations, WhatsApp chatbots, inventory calculators, and educational workshops on AI, cybersecurity, and digital tools.

Through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Programme, we train and mentor township youth by placing them on real client projects, bridging the gap between youth unemployment and SME digital adoption.

Our mission is to use technology to create opportunities, improve business efficiency, and build the next generation of African tech talent.

Job Crystal

Job Crystal is an AI-enabled recruitment partner operating in South Africa and the UK.

Founded in 2009 and led by CEO Sasha Knott since 2015, we combine a proprietary AI sourcer, Crystal, with experienced human recruiters.

Crystal takes a job spec and returns curated Active, Passive and Applicant candidate batches using semantic matching rather than keyword matching. Our recruiters then validate, interview and shortlist, so every CV a client sees has been checked by a person.

Zaio Institute of Technology

Zaio Institute of Technology (Zaio Technology (Pty) Ltd) is a tech education platform bridging the gap between education and employment. Through practical bootcamps and accredited qualifications in software development, AI, data science, cybersecurity and digital business, Zaio equips learners with industry-ready skills.

Having trained over 100,000 people, Zaio is helping unlock Africa’s tech talent and create pathways into digital careers. We are a QCTO-accredited Skills Development Provider with 9 QCTO programmes.



PasswordKid

PasswordKid(Pty)Ltd is Africa's largest child safety company offering advanced leading child safety innovative technologies.

At PasswordKid, we strongly believe that children deserve the security of routine and familiarity.

We also believe in drilling down to find the root cause of any situation that may jeopardize children's safety, and as a result, we innovate to build a concrete innovative solution with a solid and waterproof foundation.

Batho Pele Bioloop Africa Farm

Batho Pele BioLoop Africa Farm is a South African climate-smart circular agriculture enterprise focused on transforming food, organic, and plastic waste into sustainable economic value through smart farming systems, organic fertilizer production, renewable energy generation, and sustainable food production.

The business integrates artificial intelligence (AI), Earth Observation (EO) data, IoT sensor technologies,hydroponics, and circular economy principles to address critical challenges including food insecurity,unemployment, waste pollution, climate change, and agricultural inefficiency.

MINT Platforms

MINT Platforms is a South African financial technology company focused on making financial services more accessible, practical and relevant to everyday people and businesses.

We believe that building wealth, accessing funding and managing money shouldn't be complicated or reserved for a select few. Our goal is to use technology to remove those barriers and create solutions that make a real difference.

Through **MyMINT**, we help individuals take control of their financial futures by making investing and wealth creation more approachable. **AlgoLend** focuses on simplifying the lending process, giving credit providers the technology to manage applications, approvals, disbursements and repayments more efficiently.
Beyond financial services, we also develop digital platforms and business solutions that help organisations improve their operations, reduce manual processes and work more effectively.

At the heart of MINT is a belief that technology should solve real problems, not create new ones. We're building a business that brings together financial expertise, innovation and a genuine understanding of the challenges South Africans face.

Renewa Fuels

Renewa Fuels is a South African, student-founded clean-energy startup transforming used cooking oil into biodiesel and biodiesel blends.

By converting waste into a valuable energy resource, the company aims to address two key challenges: responsible waste management and the growing demand for sustainable, locally produced alternative fuels.

Through its circular-economy approach, Renewa Fuels combines waste-to-energy innovation, local sourcing and adaptable fuel formulations to meet commercial and industrial needs.

Having progressed through laboratory testing, initial biodiesel prototyping and partnerships with institutional kitchens for oil sourcing, the startup is working towards building a scalable biodiesel business that supports a cleaner, more resource-efficient energy future for Africa.