African Innovators using technology to solve social problems on the continent had a rewarding experience on Thursday, 28th November. For the first time in Africa, Google announced that four different Startups won its Impact Challenge from South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.
The four winners smiled home with $250k each while the other eight runners-up went home with $125k each in the three African countries.
Google started receiving applications for the Impact Challenge in May where over 5,000 entries were received in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
The 5,000 entries were cut down to 12 finalists from each country and Google made the finalists’ announcement in three African countries in the early hours of Monday, 5th November. All these finalists were subjected to public voting for 3 weeks.
On the night the winners were announced, each start-up pitched their idea to the panel of jury and 3 were selected based on innovation, sustainability and community impact drive while the fourth winner was determined by the public vote – people’s choice winner.
Google Impact Challenge Nigeria
In Nigeria, the jury panel comprised of John Momoh; Chairman and CEO of Channels Media Group, Oluseyi Oyebisi; Executive Director, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Jude ‘MI’ Abaga, Rapper and CEO Chocolate City Music, Leo Stan Ekeh; Chairman/CEO Zinox Technologies, Parminder Vir OBE, CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Eghosa Omoigui, Managing General Partner, EchoVC, Kanu Nwankwo, Ex Footballer and CEO Kanu Heart Foundation, Mo Abudu CEO EbonyLife TV, Juliet Ehimuan; Country Director, Google Nigeria, TY Bello – Renowned Artist and Photographer.
After the Pitch Sessions and reviews, three social impact ventures won $250,000 each as winners:
Cece Yara Foundation, a safe platform for free access to healing and justice for sexual abuse victims.
HelpMum, set up to reduce maternal and infant mortality rate through the application of low-cost innovation and mobile technology.
Project Enable Africa, a digital inclusion project that promotes the access of persons with disabilities and their caregivers to ICT skills and opportunities.
Vetsark, who use data science technology to protect crops and livestock from pests and diseases for low-income farmers won the People’s Choice category and also carted home $250,000. Other social ventures and NGOs including BudgIt Foundation, Junior Achievement Nigeria amongst others got $125,000 as finalists.
See Also: Nigeria to Roll Out 5G Networks in 2020
Google Impact Challenge Kenya
In Kenya; the jury panel comprised of seasoned business people and social innovators. Dr. Manu Chandaria – Leading Industrialist, Chancellor, USIU-Kenya and Technical University of Kenya; Caroline Mutoko – Popular Youtuber and One Young World Counsellor, GM of Radio Africa Group, Amb. Dr. Tegla Loroupe, OGW – Former Champion Marathoner, Tabitha Karanja, – Founder and CEO, Keroche Breweries; Salim Amin – Chairman, Camerapix Ltd and Founder, Mohamed Amin Foundation, Janet Mawiyoo – Executive Director, Kenya Community Development Foundation and Charles Murito – Country Manager, Google Kenya.
The 3 Judges’ Choice includes:
Startup Lions; a platform for Africa’s rural youth to learn, earn and innovate focused on training talented young adults with core computer skills,
UjuziKilimo Solutions; which leverages on the power of big data analytics and soil sensors to provide precision farming knowledge to smallholder farmers.
African Prisons Project, an NGO that provides legal aid clinics for inmates with legal knowledge and access justice through self-representation, all received $250,000 while
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy carted home the final $250,000 as People’s Choice as a result of getting the highest number of votes from the public. The initiative works as a wildlife conservative catalyst through the protection/management of species, community conservation and development programmes. See the list of full finalists from Kenya here.
Google Impact Challenge South Africa
Over in South Africa, Google.org also rewarded the 8 selected finalists from the region with $125,000 each while the four winners won $250,000 each. Judging the pitches, we had the South African Jury – Basetsana Khumalo – Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Nomzamo Mbatha – Actress and Model, Ferial Haffejee – Journalist, Yvonne Chaka Chaka – Entrepreneur and Humanitarian, Rapelang Rabana – Chief Digital Officer at BCX, Founder & Chair at Rekindle Learning, Maps Maponyane – Entrepreneur and TV Presenter, Simphiwe Dana – Artiste and Civil Rights Activist and Bryan Nelson – Sector Lead Retail and Finance, Google South Africa
The Winners from South Africa were
Corruption Watch: Bua Mzansi, an online platform that seeks to enhance public participation and transparency in the South African policing sector.
RLabs (Zlto Digital Platform), a mobile and blockchain platform that tracks and incentivises positive behaviour and reduce youth unemployment.
Gradesmatch, a platform-based solution that is designed to map career data for learners, parents and teachers/mentors to help them make well-informed career decisions including and –
Memeza Shout Crime Prevention who won the People’s Choice section with the highest number of votes.
The Google Impact Challenge is an initiative that supports non-profit and social enterprises with game-changing ideas to create economic opportunity in their communities. The challenge tasks local innovators on how they would make their community–and beyond–an even better place, supporting them with a package of strategic support, funding and Google volunteers.