The Total Group has announced the South African winners of the Total Startupper of the Year competition, recognising Africa’s most innovative startups.
These projects share the characteristics common to creative start-ups: innovation, competitiveness, growth boosting and job creation.
Bathabile Mpofu’s Project Nkazimulo Applied Sciences was announced as the overall winner, chosen from 24,000 entries and winning the main R600,000 grand prize.
The first runner up was Themba Sehawu’s Project Senovate, winning R350,000, and the second runner up was Oyena Gwebityala’s Project ConnectMed, winning R250,000.
To get their business project off the ground, each winner will also receive individual coaching, and on completion of the coaching, Total will also provide financial support for their project.
“In Africa as elsewhere, many young people aspire to start their own business and build a brighter future, which is why we’ve created the Startupper of the Year challenge,” Total said.
“Google, Facebook, Daily Motion, Twitter, Deezer, Airbnb and other leading names in the 2.0 economy all started as the brainchild of inspired young people.
“There’s no shortage of startuppers in Africa — iCow1, Afate 3D Printer2, CardioPad3, Obami4, Sense Ebola Follow up5 and M-Iouma6 are already shaking up the continent.”
The competition was open to citizens of various African countries, who are under 35 years old and have created a business or developed one that is less than two years old.
The 34 African countries included:
Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Reunion, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia or Zimbabwe.
