Seven Kenyan startups received a financial boost after winning KES 1 million in the Mozilla Mashinani Tech-Innovation Challenge. The challenge was organized by the Mozilla Africa Mradi programme and the Gladys Boss Foundation (GBF) and brought together businesses and startups to share their experiences and showcase the solutions offered by their business.
Tindo is one of the startups that won the challenge. It is a video-on-demand platform that targets filmmakers from various communities in the region who are producing indigenous films. My Shule, another startup at the challenge, is an app that provides safe transport solutions for students to school and back home in time through a live bus map.
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Mche, another top startup at the challenge, offers a comprehensive solution to smallholder farmers respective of their geographical areas. Mama Fua, a famous tech solution in Kenya, was also among the top startups. Mama Fua uses a mobile application that links households to trained and vetted housekeepers, providing safe, convenient and automated access to cleaning services.
Another startup called Lifeline showcased how they provide quick access to critical medical information during emergencies and support individuals with disabilities and those unable to communicate on their own behalf.
M-Rafiki emerged among the top startups. It is a platform for people to connect and interact while also being able to access services and businesses that they may need. Gavo Foods also impressed many at the event. The startup manufactures gluten-free keto organic flour that will help break the cycle of poverty and lifestyle diseases and support smallholder farmers.
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The Mozilla Mashinani Tech-Innovation Challenge in conjunction with Gladys Boss Foundation, sponsored youths in rural areas to identify community challenges in food and medicine for which they can co-create digital solutions.
“Mozilla is expanding efforts to build with and not for African communities while promoting models of innovation that empowering, inclusive and grounded in the unique needs of users in the African continent. Critical to this global majority programme, is working with local partners to better understand the landscape, local needs, expertise, context, and capabilities, to co-create, while building a community with a critical mass of local partners that see Mozilla as a trusted partner and guide to a healthy and joyful internet,” Alice Munyua, the Senior Director at Mozilla Corporation, said.
The Mozilla Mashinani Tech-Innovation Challenge aims at democratising Kenya’s technology and innovation ecosystem and levelling the startup playing field, particularly for youth outside metropolitan cities. This will ensure that youth innovators across Kenya also have access to the information and knowledge needed to establish and run profitable startups.
The Initiative is anchored on the Mozilla Africa Mradi, which seeks to catalyse innovation through developing new and deeper relationships with in-region partners to learn more about the intersection of African product needs, and capacity gaps.
“The Gladys Boss Foundation (GBF) is working with Mozilla’s Africa Mradi to ensure that tech innovators outside Nairobi and metropolitan counties have equal opportunities and platforms to showcase their innovations, are exposed to how venture capital investments work and are trained on startup accelerator opportunities available to them in the continent and globally,” Gladys Boss, who triples up as the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Uasin Gishu County Woman Representative and the foundation’s founder, explained.
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The Mozilla Mashinani Tech-Innovation Challenge will culminate in the first-of-its-kind Mozilla Africa Mradi innovation challenge that will be held in Nairobi in June 2023. The innovation challenge will identify and support tech entrepreneurs/startups and tech students through an acceleration programme that will provide; technical support, access to grants and ultimately, market access for their products.
Kenya is a key hub in ICT developments of East Africa and takes pride as a leader in broadband connectivity, and general ICT infrastructure and is home to more than 300 tech startups. Many entrepreneurs have leveraged investment opportunities from venture capital institutions that have set up shops in Nairobi due to the rise of digital technology and the internet economy.
Article by Lydia Achieng’
Email: lydiaachieng@upeohubdigital.co.ke
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