Staff Reporter, Author at Ventureburn

Competition offers £250 000 in prizes to stimulate off-grid cold chain technology
By Staff Reporter on 29 March, 2018
The Global LEAP Off-Grid Cold Chain Challenge (OGCCC) – a competition to develop innovative and energy-efficient off-grid cold storage technology – launched yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya. In a press releases yesterday the UK Department for International Development’s (DfID) said the challenge -- which forms part of the department's Ideas to Impact programme -- will offer £250 000 in prizes for off-grid cold chain technologies deployed in select Sub-Saharan African countries. The goal of the competition is to stimulate innovation and investment in the sector and help to drive market development, bringing prices down for those who need it most. Innovation prizes of up to £50...
Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [26/03/2018]
By Staff Reporter on 26 March, 2018
Looking to get into the South African startup scene or brush up on some of your skills? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is part of a weekly series that highlights all the top startup competitions, networking sessions, workshops and conferences around South Africa, and the greater region. If you have any event recommendations for us to add to the list, or next week’s, please let us know in the comments below or send us an email. Not all of the events are free and some will require booking in advance. Please click on the event names to find out...
SITA, Wits, Tshimologong Precinct launch $10k travel innovation award
By Staff Reporter on 23 March, 2018
UK-based SITA Air Transport Community Foundation has partnered with Wits University and the Tshimologong Precinct to launch a $10 000 travel innovation award. The challenge? What information, tools or technology will first-time air travellers in Africa need to make their journeys easy, successful and enjoyable? The team that comes up with the best solution will be awarded with the SITA Air Transport Community Foundation Innovation Award and will receive a $10 000 cash prize. Drop-in session The innovation challenge is open to Wits students and active members of the Tshimologong Precinct. Each team -- comprising of between two and five members -- needs to submit...
Here are the finalists of the Next Einstein Forum’s Ci2i Innovation Competition
By Staff Reporter on 22 March, 2018
The Next Einstein Forum's (NEF) in partnership with the Robert Bosch Stiftung has announced the top 16 finalists of the Ci2i Innovation Competition. NEF -- an initiative of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences -- made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday (20 March) noting that the winners will be announced on 28 March at the closing ceremony of NEF's 2018 Global Gathering in Kigali, Rwanda. The second edition of the competition will see the finalists -- a mixture of scientists and entrepreneurs -- compete across three categories, namely data science and deep tech, personalised health and climate smart innovations. Thierry Zomahoun, president...
BitPesa launches in Ghana, extending presence in West Africa
By Staff Reporter on 21 March, 2018
Nairobi-based digital payments startup BitPesa has launched in Ghana, enabling Ghanaians to settle global payments in their local currency, the Cedi. In a press release, the fintech company stated that its services will allow Ghanaians to make Ghanaian cedi payments that will settle in more than 10 currencies including Nigerian nairas, South Africa rands and Ugandan shillings. In the same statement, BitPesa CEO Elizabeth Rossiello (pictured above) said the company is "constantly looking for ways to promote intra-African trade". BitPesa will enable Ghanaians to make global payments using the Ghanaian Cedi "Ghanaians should be allowed to make global payments using their own currency and we are excited to facilitate...
Merck launches Satellite Programme for African startups in pharma, life sciences
By Staff Reporter on 20 March, 2018
German pharmaceutical, life sciences and performance materials company The Merck Group has kicked of its African Satellite Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. In a statement on the company's accelerator (released via Twitter last week Friday), the company announced that applications for its Nairobi pitch events are now open and will close on 5 May. Applications opened on 15 March. The African Satellite Programme is aimed at early-stage startups in East, West and Southern Africa that develop innovative solutions in healthcare, life sciences, performance materials and agritech. The programme will provide selected African startups with an opportunity to collaborate with the German company and offer prizes of $3000 in...
LaunchLab launches seventh edition of The Ideas Programme
By Staff Reporter on 19 March, 2018
Stellenbosch-based business incubator LaunchLab has launched the 2018 edition of The Ideas Programme. LaunchLab announced the latest edition in a tweet today. The initiative -- the incubator's longest running support programme and now in its seventh year -- aims to assist early-stage startups looking to validate their concepts or improve their technology offering to the market. LaunchLab achieves this by providing participating startups with access to its client network of corporates, who in turn, assist with idea validation. The programme is aimed at startups that either do not have a prototype or, for that have not yet seen significant sales. Launchlab's Ideas Programme helps early-stage startups validate their...
Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Africa announces first cohort of 12 startups
By Staff Reporter on 19 March, 2018
Google earlier today announced 12 startups that will participate in the first Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa class at an event in Lagos, Nigeria. The Launchpad Accelerator Africa programme is aimed at early-stage African startups and will operate out of Lagos, Nigeria. In a statement, Google Nigeria country director Juliet Ehimuan said when the initial Launchpad Accelerator Africa announcement was made last year, the company also extended its Digital Skills for Africa initiative to train 10 million Africans over five years. The 12 startups in Google's first Launchpad Accelerator Africa class are from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa "The scholarships announced today form part...
Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [19/03/2018]
By Staff Reporter on 19 March, 2018
Looking to get into the South African startup scene or brush up on some of your skills? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is part of a weekly series that highlights all the top startup competitions, networking sessions, workshops and conferences around South Africa, and the greater region. If you have any event recommendations for us to add to the list, or next week’s, please let us know in the comments below or send us an email. Not all of the events are free and some will require booking in advance. Please click on the event names to find out...
Here’s how you can win a share of $1m at 2018 African Entrepreneurship Awards
By Staff Reporter on 16 March, 2018
Keen on winning a share of US$1-million as well as mentorship that will help you launch or grow your business in Africa? Then you'll want to apply for the 2018 African Entrepreneurship Awards. In addition to a share of US$1-million in prize money, winners of the award will receive free online mentoring from over 400 entrepreneurs, investors and other business owners. Applications for the awards opened two weeks ago (1 March) and will close on 30 April. The awards are generally open to African citizens over 18 who either have ideas for or are running innovative for-profit businesses with a positive social...