Ecommerce startup Mergims named Rwanda’s top startup

A mobile application that connects migrants to merchants, called Mergims, was selected as the best startup in Rwanda by Seedstars World.

Seedstars World is a global pitching competition which invites and celebrates startups from emerging markets. So far in Africa, South Africa’s mobile job-finding platform Giraffe and transport industry app MyQ in Nigeria have been selected to pitch on the international stage.

The Rwanda event, was held in Kigali at the klab incubator.

Mergims was selected out of a pool of 10 startups which were invited to compete in the country’s iteration of the global pitching competition. The startups pitched in front of a jury including Paul Soko:, Investment Manager at Think, who said:

Read more: Meet South Africa’s 12 selected startups for Seedstars World 2015

“The quality of our participants is very high. I think this is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to invest in the next big thing, not just in Rwanda, but in Africa as a whole. Seedstars World is opening up opportunities for Africans to invest in the next technological breakthroughs from the continent. We underestimate the opportunity at our own peril.”

Other jury members included:

• Sara Leedom: Managing Director at Inkomoko
• Anneke Evers: Senior Adviser at BID network foundation
• Patrick Kabagema: Non-Executive Director at Axiom Networks Rwanda
• Clement Uwajeneza: CEO at Rwanda Online
• Gregory Pepper: Regional Manager for Africa at Seedstars World

“Winning this ticket to Geneva for us is the recognition of the six months of hard work from Mergim’s team,” said Mergims founder and CEO Louis-Anthoine Muhire. “We are definitely working on something that will change the world and today we’ve got another confirmation of that fact.”

Read more: Seedstars World crowns mobile employment service Giraffe SA’s top startup

Selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch in Switzerland for investment opportunities including a US$500 000 equity deal with Seedstars Ventures.

Investment Manager at Rwandan incubator Think Paul Soko — who was also one of the event’s judges — said this event is an excellent opportunity for anyone who want’s to invest in Africa’s next big thing.

“Seedstars World is opening up opportunities for Africans to invest in the next technological breakthroughs from the continent. We underestimate the opportunity at our own peril,” Soko added.