Three SA startups among six firms selected to pitch at the Stanford Africa Business Forum

Three South African startups have been selected to pitch at the Stanford Africa Business Forum which kicks off this Saturday (20 April) in Stanford, California in the US.

The annual business conference — which is now in its twelfth year and is organised by the Africa Business Club — will this year bring thought leaders from the continent to discuss new approached to driving growth.

The six companies that will present their solutions at the Stanford Africa Business Forum are: ENVision mobile, Nigeria’s ScholarX, Uganda’s MobiPay AgroSys, and SA startups Pineapple, LÜLA and Vollar.

This year’s conference will be the twelfth edition of the Stanford Africa Business Forum

Vollar founder and CEO Kyle Ueckermann told Ventureburn on Tuesday (16 April) that to be selected, startups had to be based on the continent and have fewer than 40 employees. They also had to have made an impact in their respective communities. In addition, the startups must have raised some funding.

It’s not clear whether the startups will win any prizes or investment.

The six will pitch their startups to a panel of judges that includes HSBC Venture Capital managing director Oreoluwa Adeyemi, LoftyInc Capital Management founding director Marsha Wulff, TLcom founding and managing partner Maurizio Caio, Pact Ventures manager of social investment and alternative finance Katherine Fackler, Boston Consulting Group senior advisor Nyimpini Mabunda and Paga CEO and founder Tayo Oviousu.

Keynote speakers at the conference are McKinsey Africa chairman Acha Leke, Africa50 CEO Alain Ebobissé, Andela and FlutterWave co-founder Iyin Aboyeji, and True Africa chairman Claude Grunitzky.

Rwanda’s information and communications technology and innovation Paula Ingabire, Togo’s minister of digital economy and postal affairs Cina Lawson, along with Loon (Google X) head of government relations Anna Prouse and McKinsey associate partner Ammanuel Zegeye will also participate in a fireside chat on tech and its role in shaping Africa’s future.

Featured image: Stanford Africa Business Forum via Facebook