#Africa4Future accelerator programme selects top 10 start-ups
#Africa4Future has announced the top 10 African tech start-ups
Jan 21, 2019: The second edition of #Africa4Future has announced the top 10 African tech start-ups that will take part in the latest Airbus Bizlab #Africa4Future accelerator programme. The selection process was conducted in Nairobi from 314 entries representing 19 African countries that were received when the challenge was opened in October 2018.
#Africa4Future is a joint accelerator programme between Airbus’ global aerospace accelerator BizLab and Make-IT in Africa, a programme by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit German (GIZ), the German agency for International Cooperation. The initiative will be implemented by the the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST), a non-profit seed fund and pan-African organisation, and Innocircle, the South African-based innovation consultancy.
The Nairobi event kicks off an intensive 6-month business incubation and accelerator programme involving technical, commercial and mentorship activities in France, Germany and South Africa. This includes workshops and coaching sessions with Airbus experts, GIZ’s Make-IT in Africa, MEST and Innocircle coaches.
Top 10 Finalists
| Astral Aerial Solutions, Kenya | Drones for humanitarian cargo, surveillance and emergency response. |
| Cote d’Ivoire Drone, Ivory Coast | Locally-manufactured drones for various applications. |
| Elemental Numerics, South Africa | Applies computational fluid dynamics techniques to the design of machines and components, ranging from aircraft to heart valves |
| Lentera Limited, Kenya | Applies remote sensors to monitor and transmit environmental data to enable more efficient and smarter farming. |
| Maisha ICT Tech PLC, Ethiopia | Deploys locally built drones for delivering medicines, blood and healthcare items to remote and rural areas. |
| MamaBird, Malawi | Platform to help governments, NGOs and other organisations to deliver vital life-saving supplies to remote communities. |
| Map Action, Mali | Offers real-time online urban mapping to identify problems affecting water supplies, hygiene and sanitation. |
| MobiTech Water Solutions, Kenya | A real-time solution for businesses, homes and water-service providers to manage available water using an app-based dashboard and instant messaging. |
| Track Your Build, Nigeria | Novel infrastructure management tool for construction and operations. |
| WiPo Wireless Power, South Africa | Offers reliable and convenient wireless power chargers for the charging of mobile devices, laptops and drones. |
The programme aims to encourage and support entrepreneurship in Africa. The continent’s young and increasingly techno-savvy population is likely to be the driving force behind Africa’s socio-economic development. The competition identifies Africa’s own pool of talented entrepreneurs using innovative aerospace based solutions to tackle the continent’s most pressing challenges such as transportation, agriculture and healthcare.
The programme will culminate with Demo Day events at the biennial Paris International Airshow and a special event in Germany from June 19-26, when finalists will launch their products, define their collaboration with Airbus and announce their investment commitments in front of representatives from across the aerospace industry.