Get voting on your choice of finalists for the Southern Africa Startup Awards

After receiving 3211 nominations the organisers of the inaugural Southern Africa Startup Awards have revealed the names of the startups and entrepreneurs that have made it into the national finals. The names will now be put to a public vote.

The awards aim to celebrate and recognise the spirit of innovation and achievement in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In a post on Facebook last Friday (24 August), the Southern African circuit of the Global Startup Awards said the standard of entries was very high, making the judges’ task “extremely difficult”.

“The shortlist was decided by a series of national judging panels. This national shortlist will be judged again, to produce the regional shortlist for the Regional Grand Finale which will be announced on 22 November in Johannesburg,” the post further stated.

The public can vote online to select the winners in the Southern Africa Startup Awards

Members of the public can vote online for the startups that they want to represent their respective countries here.

Angola

Startup of the year: Bantu Makers, Tupuca
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Deya
Best foodtech or agritech Startup: Tupuca
Best newcomer: Bantu Makers, Deya, Salo
Best social impact startup: Bantu Makers
Female role model of the year: Vanda de Oliveira
Founder of the year: Erikson Mvezi

Botswana

Startup of the year: Keakopa Explore, TswanaHome, Yapili
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Modisar
Best newcomer: Keakopa Explore, MyFoodness, Tempest Gold Property App
Best social impact startup: Keakopa Explore, Yapili
Female role model of the year: Enya Seguin, Eunice Ntobedzi, Neltah Tshepiso Mosimanegape, Refilwe Matlapeng
Founder of the year: Eunice Ntobedzi, Letsogile Kennedy, Refilwe Matlapeng

Democratic Republic of Congo

Startup of the year: Kibidon, KivuHub
Best accelerator or incubator programme: KivuHub
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Modisar
Best newcomer: KivuHub
Founder of the year: Pacifique Cassinga

Lesotho 

Startup of the year: Dytz Wear, LinFord Vodka
Best accelerator or incubator programme: PDollar and Associates
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Healthily Baked
Best foodtech or agritech startup: Limomonane Products
Best newcomer: Botanical Wares, Expressway Holdings, Je Ne Sais Quoi LS, Osmium Lesotho
Best social impact startup: Dust Busters
Best water crisis management solution: Iceberg Premium Health Water
Female role model of the year: Hape Marite, Mpona Semoli, Relebohile Hlabana-Ketsi
Founder of the year: Mpho Sesiu Machobane, Paballo Mokoqo, Pitso Mosala

Madagascar

Startup of the year: Hasnreziga Informatique, Smartelia, The Code
Best co-working space: Workshop Idea Centre
Best startup ecosystem initiative: 100startups.co
Best social impact startup: Lova Soa
Best student startup: Geek Inside
Founder of the year: 100startups.co, Zosahaza Marline Ramarosandy, Muriel Randriamasimanana

Malawi

Startup of the year: HD Plus Creations
Best co-working Space: Polytrechnic Design Studio
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Polytechnic Design Studio, Sky Energy, Status
Best foodtech or agritech startup: TempCras
Best newcomer: TempCras, GiantPlus
Founder of the year: Gift Sukez Sukali, Tiwale Designs

Mauritius

Startup of the year: Expat.com. Generation Plus, StoragePlus.io, Mycart.mu, Noudeal
Best edtech startup: AfriEDX, Orama
Best fintech startup: Exportunity GBC2, StoragePlus.io
Best foodtech or agritech startup: Jeet Awotur
Best newcomer: Barolo, BeVirtual Services, Orama, Discover Mauritius
Best social impact startup: Expat.com, Jeet Awotur, Sakili Mauritius
Best student startup: EcOrganics
Female role model of the year: Romina Tello Soberanes
Founder of the year: Francois Mark, Julien Faliu, Marc Rey, Shameer cassam Muhammad Ramdin, Vital Sounouvou

Mozambique

Startup of the year: Kamaleon, Mozambikes, Riha, Bilhetes Online Mocambique, Nextpay
Best accelerator or incubator programme: Standard Bank Mozambique Incubator, Orange Corners, ideiaLab, Moz Innovation Lab, Super Mentores
Best edtech startup: Funzani Quiz, kamaleon, Tech4Kids Academy
Investor of the year: MB Consulting, Super Mentores, Tatos Botão Empreendimentos e Investimentos
Best fintech startup: Nextpay, PagaLu, Tabech Servicos Ei
Best newcomer: Karingana wa Karingana, kamaleon, Riha, Champier Lda, Bilhetes Online Mozambique
Best co-working space: CoWork Lab, Moz Innovation Lab
Best startup ecosystem initiative: National Association of Young Entrepreneurs, Future Agro Challenge Mozambique, ideiaLab, Muva, Orange Corners
Best student startup: Lenha Doce
Female role model of the year: Filipa Carreira, Mariam Umarji, Anchaas Gluten Free, Marlene de Sousa, Nadia Machiana
Best social impact startup: Mozambikes, kamaleom, Plataforma Makobo, Ouro Negro, ideiaLab
Best foodtech or agritech startup: Agrolink, Black Cat Pizza Cone, D-Fruit, Kuwoma
Best water crisis management solution: Hemate, LavaMe
Founder of the year: High Mastery Academy, Mauro Eduardo Ezequiel Machado, Sazia Sousa

Namibia

Startup of the year: SunCycles Namibia, Black Gold Engineering NamLux, Dololo, Excel Dynamic Solutions, Solve Namibia
Best accelerator or incubator programme: Dololo
Best startup ecosytem initiative: Dololo, Green Earth Creations CC, Black Gold Engineering, Solve Namibia, Hafeni Tourism
Best water crisis management solution: Dawn Water Solutions, Excel Dynamic Solutions, Solve Namibia
Best student startup: Dololo, Taxi-application
Best edutech startup: Digitec (Edu Box), Dololo, Repnam
Best newcomer: InterCity, Elephonic Katoshe d30, Excel Dynamic Solutions, Solve Namibia, Repnam
Best social impact startup: Dololo, Green Earth Creations CC, SunCycles Namibia, Solve Namibia, Taxi-application
Female role model of the year: Aina Johannes, Chantal Claassen, Liina Ndahepuluka Mutilifa, Marita Walther (van Rooyen), Tanya Turipamwe Stroh
Founder of the year: Kennedy Liswani, Demetrio Mowes, Robbins Jefferson Karisen, Ujama Mushimba, Sandra Mwiihangele

South Africa

Startup of the year: EasyEquities, I-Pay, Intergreatme, Hear X Group, Uprise Africa
Best social impact startup: WomEng, I-Drop Water, Bridgiot, CareChamp, J&B Hive
Female role model of the year: Sandiso Sibisi, Antoinette Prophy, Benji Coetzee, Lynette Hundermark, Sylvia Klopper
Best co-working space: AlphaCode, J&B Hive, Workshop 17
Best fintech startup: EasyEquities, Uprise Africa, Pineapple, Intergreatme, StokFella
Best water crisis management solution: Bridgiot, I-Drop Water, TnM Innovations
Best accelerator or incubator programme: Injini, Digital Health Cape Town, Startupbootcamp AfriTech
Investor of the year: Lieras Holdings, Palesa Lengolo
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Simodisa Startup, Silicon Cape, The Hookup Dinner, Switch Social Entrepreneurship Programme, SME Movement
Best student startup: Lunar Web Development, Quintessential ZA, Sxuirrel
Best newcomer: Uprise Africa, Intergreatme, Sxuirrel, Linum Labs, Fomo Travel, Pineapple
Best edutech startup: Palengo Holdings, Skillup Tutors, Futurent Technologies, Marvel Technologies, Levelsapp
Best foodtech or agritech startup: Ghetto Griller, Green Terrace, Swiftvee, Umgibe Farming Organics and Training Institute
Founder of the year: Charles Savage, Andrew Katzwinkel, Luke Dominique Warner, Ndabenhle Junior Ngulube, Mathieu Coquillon 

Swaziland

Startup of the year: Boolean Corporatin
Best social impact startup: Eswatini Kitchen

Tanzania

Startup of the year: Agrimark, Maisha Package, Seebait, SomaApp, Zudua
Best accelerator or incubator programme: STICLab 
Best co-working space: STICLab 
Best startup ecosystem initiative: STICLab 
Best food or agritech startup: Agrimark, Princetz Enterprise
Best student startup: Juliana Products
Best edtech startup: ScholarDream, SomaApp
Best fintech startup: Jamii Africa
Female role model of the year: Lilian Makoi
Best social impact startup: Jamii Africa
Best newcomer: SomaApp, Zudua, Agrimark, Maisha Package
Founder of the year: Husseiin Dewji, Isaya Yunge

Zambia

Startup of the year: Cognifly, Zazu Africa
Best accelerator or incubator programme: Asikana Network, BongoHive 
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Asikana Network, BongoHive
Best social impact startup: Chipapa Empowerment Scheme, Cognifly, Ending Requiem, Lima Links, Live Clean Initiatives
Best food or agritech startup: Farmers Market Zambia, Lima Links
Investor of the year: BongoHive
Best fintech startup: KwikFin, Tivwane Money Solution, Zazu Africa, ZedCredit
Best newcomer: Lima Links, Zazu Africa, ZedCredit, Cognifly, My Perfect Stitch
Female role model of the year: Abigail Mbuzi, Musenge Musomali
Best co-working space: BongoHive
Founder of the year: Joel Siwale, Joseph Lungu and Amon Lungu, Perseus Mlambo

Zimbabwe

Startup of the year: Vote Africa
Best startup ecosystem initiative: Impact Hub Harare
Best edtech startup: Vote Africa
Best food or agritech startup: Shiri
Best social impact startup: myRunner, Vote Africa
Female role model of the year: Tatenda Ndambakuwa