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Africa Digital Innovation Competition for African Startups

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center is convening its first annual Africa Digital Innovation Competition for African Startups.

Gathering a network of resources — technology industry experts, mentors, funds, and more — this competition is set to boost early startups on the continent.

Partnering with the Africa Business Center, Voice of America is profiling 10 finalists chosen out of 1,700 candidates from 50 countries in Africa. These are their stories:

Africa Digital Competition Top Three Awarded

The inaugural U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center startup competition wrapped up this week in Washington with the announcement of prizes for the top three finalists.

Africa Digital Competition Winners Announced

Early this week, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken hosted a reception in Washington as part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit where the three winners of the 2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition were announced. On Africa 54, VOA’s Jackson Mvunganyi spoke to two winners: Tunde Oyebamiji of Healthbotics and Ore Alemede of GrowAgric. Frank Nana Addae of Shopa was also in the top three.

Ghana-based Shopa Awarded Third in Innovation Competition

Frank Nana Addae, co-founder and COO of Ghana-based Shopa, was named third in the 2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition. The inaugural competition by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center awarded Addae and two other winners representing innovate startups from Africa. VOA’s Jackson Mvunganyi spoke to Addae on Shopa and its work with informal retailers in Ghana.

Africa Digital Innovation Competition Picks Top Three Finalists

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center on Monday announced the three finalists of its inaugural Africa Digital Innovation Competition, with the top competitors hailing from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

US Announces Funding for African Youth, Women

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday announced a new $100 million investment into the Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI) program and the launching of an Africa women trade investment initiative.

Meet the Judges:

Africa Digital Innovation Competition: The Judges

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Africa Digital Innovation Competition: The Judges

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Africa Digital Innovation Competition: The Judges

Meet the Finalists:

Finalists:

SkyVue Solutions (Cameroon)

GrowAgric Limited (Kenya)

VAIS (Egypt)

Farmhut Africa (Zimbabwe)

Healthbotics Limited (Nigeria)

Traderex Ghana Limited (Ghana)

Shopa (Ghana)

Grant Master (Nigeria)

Valley Bee (Nigeria)

Kotani Pay (Kenya)

What is the Africa Digital Innovation Competition:

US-Africa Business Center Launches African Digital Competition

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US-Africa Business Center Launches African Digital Competition

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04 October 2022

US-Africa Business Center Launches African Digital Competition

The U.S.-Africa Business Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is convening its first annual Africa Digital Innovation Competition for African startups. Guevara Yao, executive director of the center, spoke to VOA’s Esther Githui-Ewart about the significance of the initiative.

About

2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition

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2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition

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2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition

Partners & Sponsors:

United States Africa Development Foundation (USADF)

Prosper Africa

Cybastion

Microsoft

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Trimble

American Tower Corporation (ATC)

Kosmos Innovation Center

Standard Bank

Vista Bank

XS

SM

MD

LG