BONJOUR IDÉE AND THE GROUPE OCP ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF STARTUP OF THE YEAR / AFRICA 2017 COMPETITION, FOLLOWING THE AWARDS CEREMONY HELD IN CASABLANCA ON 26 JANUARY 2017.
Following the two successful editions of the “Startup of the Year” award in France (2700 participating startups), Bonjour Idée, the collaborative startup magazine and OCP Group, the global leader of the phosphate market and its derivatives market and committed player for sustainable agriculture in Africa, have joined forces for the first African edition of the “Startup of the Year / Africa 2017” competition.
Other leading companies including PWC, ENGI E, SNCF, Be-Bound, Qwant, LABS NS Avocats and MICROSOFT along with approximately fifty media and ecosystem partners have joined the initiative with the aim of promoting the economic and social development of the African continent through innovating and successful startups.
For this first edition, Startup of the year I Africa 2017 jury experts came together during the Awards Ceremony in Casablanca (Morocco) on 26 January 2017 to choose the winners of the Awards below :
Startup OF the Year Award : ThinVoid (Uganda)
Cofounded by Joseph Kaizzi, ThinVoid Tambula is a service that promotes financial inclusion for unbanked professionals in the agriculture and transport sectors.
Special Mention For the Jury Award : Fapel Guinee (Guinea Conakry)
Founded by Aguibou Barry, Fapel is specialized in the production and sales of alternative double-action piston pumps for domestic and irrigation use.
Special Agritech OCP Award : Zenvus (Nigeria)
Founded by Dr. Ndubuisi Ekekwe, Zenvus is an intelligent solution for farms using electronic sensors to collect soil data on humidity, nutrients, temperature, pH.
Qwant Public Award: Mahazava (Madagascar)
Founded by Christian Randriam, Mahazava is a startup that finances, distributes and ensures the monitoring of solar kits in Madagascar.
SNCF Special Destination Africa Award : Trustin Africa (France)
Founded by Thibaud Leclerc and Etienne Morne, Trustin Africa supports companies present in Africa, or in the process of setting up their business, mainly in West and Central Africa, by connecting them with young local talents, key relays for companies in the field.
Microsoft Special Africa Diaspora Award : EthicPhone (France – Côte d’Ivoire)
Founded by Mouhamed Diakité, EthicPhone offers a mobile solution to call, transfer money to Africa and make purchases, in addition to investing in African SMEs.
African Community Manager of the Year Award : Wizall (Senegal)
Founded by Ken Kakena, Wizall aims at facilitating financial exchanges within african families, whether they live in the same country or they are part of the diaspora.
Startups Just Land from Ghana and Teach Me Pad from Cameroon also Made it to the finale.
THE “STARTUP OF THE YEAR AFRICA – 2017” JURY AND EXPERTS
The finalists received awards from a jury composed of experts, leaders of large global groups and successful startuppers :
- Younes ADDOU , Vice President Finance, OCP AFRICA.
- Bernard Gainnier, Chairman, PWC France Franch-Speaking Africa
- Kossi Adzo, founder, Bonjour Idée
- Stéphane Quéré, Innovation Director, ENGIE
- Fatiha Charradi, CEO, OCP Innovation Fund for Agriculture (OlFfA)
- Jean Jacques Thomas, Innovation Director, SNCF RESEAU
- Cyril Garnier, Managing Director, SNCF Développement
- Noël Albertus, Managing Partner, PwC Afrique Francophone
- Eric Léandri, CEO, QWANT
- Djiba Dialio, Head of MICROSOFT for Africa
- Outmane El HASSANI, Director, OCP Entrepreneurship Network (OCPEn)
- Yazid CHIR, Co-founder, BE-BOUND
- Jean Khiat, Founder, New Consulting Experience
- Fortuné Ahoulouma, Attourney at law — Paris Bar, Co-founder LABS-NS AVOCATS
- Cécile Saint Jean, Director PwC France, Coordinator Smart Up Offer
The awards ceremony was broadcast live on internet (videos & livetweets) throughout the entire event.
Hashtag : #StartupAfro
For information, the winners will receive the following :
THE “STARTUP OF THE YEAR AFRICA – 2017” JUDGING PANEL :
- 1 st Prize : 10,000€ in cash and a 10,000€ communications package (featured on bonjouridee.com, press and social network communications campaign). Networking with all competition partners. Access to Microsoft Bizspark MySkills4Afrika Interns4Afrika Biz4Afrika platforms
- Favourite Entry Award : A 10,000€ communications package. Networking with all competition partners. Access to Microsoft Bizspark MySkills4Afrika Interns4Afrika Biz4Afrika platforms
THE QWANT PUBLIC AWARD : 2,000€ in cash, the Bonjour Idée communications package and networking with all competition partners.
THE AGRITECH OCP, DESTINATION AFRIQUE SNCF, AFRICAN DIASPORA MICROSOFT SPECIAL PARTNERS AWARD
In addition to the Jury and Public Awards, our partners also granted Special Awards, each for up to 5,000€ in cash, support packages and Bonjour Idée communication packages.
[VIDEO] The Startup Of The Year Africa – 2017 awards ceremony
https://youtu.be/ZRjJ8fM9d5I
Nice article, keep it up.