The AgritourZA Limpopo Innovation Platform has been launched by mLab in collaboration with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
This project is intended to provide a venue for 20 local innovators to showcase their businesses, draw investment, and promote an innovation community.
The AgritourZA Limpopo Innovation Platform will encourage these groups of talented innovators, academics, technologists, entrepreneurs, and designers to work together to create a sustainable, tech-driven agriculture and tourism ecosystem in Limpopo, South Africa.
Top performers will advance to the final round of the AgriTourZA Startup Accelerator Programme, where their ideas will be turned into real-world solutions that support their communities.
These are the participants, as announced by mLab on Tuesday, May 4, 2021:
1. Nosetsa
2. Drone Eye Technology
3. Cracking Star technologies.
4. Pedology Smart Sensor
5. IncHub Polokwane (Pty)Ltd
6. Farmers Assistant
7. Farmru
8. Abiri Innovations
9. Riverside Tech solutions
10. The Golden Pathway Investments
11. Dibjalo Solutions
12. CODECS
13. Innovationists
14. Agri-tech
15. Easy Farming
16. PhathuR Holdings
17. Mangau Animal Feeds
18. Software Fanatics
19. ML Data Systems
20. Seed to a Flower
After that, four of the twenty finalists will be selected to earn R125 000 in early-stage capital and funding.
They’ll be given the technological, industry, and soft skills they need to see their ideas through to completion, as well as close mentoring from mLab to help them create, realize, and implement their solutions.
Palesa Antony, mLab provincial coordinator, says, “No one is better placed to overcome the region’s unique problems and seize its resources than its local youth.” “We not only have a unique understanding of the climate, but they also have the desire and inspiration to see their province flourish as a result of technological advancements.”
This project will be used by mLab, DSI, and CSIR to engage the community, create relationships, and promote networking in the Limpopo Province, eventually unlocking the potential of mobile AgriTech and TravelTech.
6 mLabs with a high level of expertise Alumnus of the Limpopo Academy has also been chosen to assist in the creation of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), a digital solution for Agri-tech and travel-Tech for all startups with the goal of demonstrating business viability and capacity to address socio-economic challenges.
Letsoalo Antonia, Kgotso Moyahabo Matotoka, Mokgadi Ngoasheng, Kenneth Ranthutje Chuenyana, Lethabo Lekoloane, and Moloto Jansen Malema are among the names listed.
They’ll be headed by Letsoalo Antonia, a female African Scrum Master.
“Not only are we encouraging gender equality in technology, bridging the digital divide, and linking industry to talent with this step, but it also falls in line with a part of our AgritourZA mandate, which is to stimulate a vibrant ecosystem that promotes innovation,” says Choene Makhasa, AgritourZA Coordinator.
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