Demo Africa the flagship initiatives of LIONS@frica that aims to connect African startups to the global ecosystem today released the list of its final 30 startups that will launch at this year’s DEMO Africa conference in Johannesburg.
The finalists were picked from a record of 723 technology startups from 27 African countries that applied to launch at the event. Out of the 30 startups, South Africa is represented by 11 startups, Nigeria by 6 startups, Kenya by 5 startups and Ghana by 3 startups. For the first time Morocco will have a representative in the continental faire. Other countries include Egypt, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
The 30 finalist startups have products in 11 verticals including logistics, retail, ecommerce, education, banking and finance, media, renewable energy, health and agriculture. Banking and financial technologies had the highest number of entries followed by media, ecommerce and education.
I present to you the long list of 30 Startups that made it to Demo Africa 2016:
- IT Brothers: IT Brothers is a software company based in Nairobi with our focus being on Mobile and Web application. They cohesively integrate graphic design with web page layout, with interactive programming, with database driven content, to plan, build and deploy e- business and to emerge as one of the top IT service provider.
- Strauss Energy: Strauss Energy is a local firm comprising accomplished and enterprising innovators in the fields of engineering, energy and construction. They provide a solution to the energy problem currently being experienced by businesses and households by providing renewable and cost-effective energy through BIPV technology, a revolutionary solar-powered roofing tile designed and made in Kenya.
- MumsVillage Ltd: MumsVillage is an online destination dedicated to enriching the lives of mums and mums-to-be in urban Kenya. The Co-Founders created it as a home for Kenyan Mums to relax and express themselves among a community of like-minded friends. In MumsVillage you will find sympathetic Doulas, Doctors, Nutritionists, Fitness experts and Fellow Mothers.
- Ujuzi Software Solutions: Ujuzi Compliance is an AML solutions provider based in Nairobi Kenya. It is a brand of Ujuzi Software Solutions Limited which focuses on anti-money laundering.
- Boresha Limited: Boresha Ltd. is a digital educational content creator and aggregator that produce relevant curriculum-aligned digital resources from various educational content providers through technology.
- Cocktail Insights: A social media analytics and marketing tool enabling eCommerce businesses and merchants maximize the returns of their social media marketing.
- Iyris KO Ltd : Lyrics KO is a technology company interested in bringing innovate mobile/ computer software and applications.
- Loystar: The philosophy behind a loyalty program is simple—Repeat customers are rewarded and businesses increase sales. The goal for Loystar is to enable businesses build loyalty with customers that are happy to keep patronizing you.
- Grid Supply Chain
- Solstice HES
- Nextwi
- WESABI: An on demand platform that connects you to verified and highly skilled artisans.
- ArtNigeria: An e-commerce platform for sales of artworks - originals, prints, photography, sculptures. The Artists are mainly Nigerians.
- Shuttlers: Shuttlers is a multi-staff bus company set up to assist professionals in the Lagos metropolis and its environs to resolve the daily challenge of commuting to work - such as driving stress, hustling for buses, queuing for fuel, long waits for BRTs, and so on.
- Rubiqube Limited: RubiQube is a mobile platform that gives users unlimited access to a variety of locally developed innovative apps. RubiQube is a product of MOBIQUBE NIG. LTD
- SharpHire Global Limited: SharpHire is a company behind some of Africa's most innovative Internet Start-ups like PushCV and Piggybank. The company builds products that solve real problems that makes life easier, focusing on the labour market.
- Vuga Ltd: VugaPay is a fast and safer way to send and receive mobile money payments online without sharing your financial information. With VugaPay, you can: Send or receive mobile money to these countries Shop online with mobile money. Pay online with your VugaPay balance, mobile money, bank account, or credit card
- ConnectMed: ConnectMed allows your patients to book their appointment 24 hours a day 7 days a week, including same day appointments.
- Reel Gardening: Reel Gardening is designed to be handmade by previously unemployed mothers so we are able to make positive social impact not only through the use of our product but also through the creation of it. Reel Gardening is passionate about kick starting a Planting Revolution with a focus on getting people grounded.
- SolarCap Pty Ltd: SolarCap generates the electric energy during the daytime through solar cells and consumes the energy to keep the light on during the night time. Thanks to the revolutionary ultracapacitor as energy storage device, LED as light source and the solar cells as power source.
- RadioVybe: RadioVybe is a social radio. A social community of radio lovers where you can socially connect with your favourite traditional radio stations and also friends. RadioVybe is built to revolutionize the way we listen to radio stations and music.
- Sortd: Sortd transforms the way you work with email. It brings your email conversations, your tasks and your priorities together in one intuitive workspace, and works right inside Gmail.
- ION Comsys
- Ekes Energy
- 4th Element
- K Measure Pty Ltd: K Measure is a Pretoria-based supplier of electronic test and measurement equipment to the electronic, electrical and automotive engineering industries in South Africa and Africa.
- Zibo Learning: Zivo learning is a language technology startup that develops language learning and translation tools.
- flexyPAY Intenational
- Telescrypts: TeleScrypts provides electronic medical data through the use of a low-cost mobile application and wearable medical device sensors for low-resourced health centers to access quality health care. TeleScrypts is focused on the ability to securely access patient information, collect real-time patient health data, provide predictive diagnosis tools, and connect to regional hospitals.
- Lipa Mobile: LipaMobile (‘Lipa’ Swahili for ‘make payment’) is a fast and easy online mPayment platform to securely send and receive mobile money across all networks in Uganda.
This year’s event is supported by the LIONS@frica Partners, City of Johannesburg, the South African Department of Science and Technology. Other partners include Google, The World Bank, and African Technology Foundation.
“It was difficult to come up with this list,” said Harry Hare, Executive Director, DEMO Africa. “Any of the short-listed companies could make an impression on the DEMO Africa stage due to the quality and their potential. But we can only have 30 companies. I would like to congratulate all the companies that participated and encourage them to continue building their business,” - Harry Hare, DEMO Africa Executive Producer.
The DEMO Africa 2016 conference, which will take place from 25th - 26th August is expected to attract venture capitalists, angel Investors, investment fund managers tech buyers, entrepreneurs, innovation supporters & media from various parts of the world.
