African start-ups shine in Migration Entrepreneurship Prize

No less than seven Nigerian tech start-ups walked away with top honours in this year’s Migration Entrepreneurship Prize, a programme designed for socially driven start-ups with a mission to enhance the inclusion of migrants in Africa and the Middle East.

Seedstars, a Swiss-based private company, says it has also honoured the work of a few start-ups from Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Tunisia. The Migration Entrepreneurship Prize is presented in partnership with the Peace and Human Rights Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Winning start-ups are from areas prone to strong migration movements and addresses the root causes of irregular migration and strengthening the socio-economic rights of migrants.

Among the winners count xTID, an automated digital background-checking platform that solves problems for up to a million people in Nigeria who need a police character certificate. Ghana’s H28 Technologies is said to increase the percentage of successful home loan applications, while Ethiopia’s Chapa Financial Technologies empowers MSMEs to access local and international markets.

After the success of its first cohort, where 20 start-ups were selected for solutions that range from financial services, education, health, and more, the Migration Entrepreneurship Prize launched its second cohort to scout for socially-driven businesses on a mission to enhance the socio-economic inclusion of migrants.

“We look forward to see how the winning start-ups will offer migrants with an opportunity to work and earn a living. Entrepreneurship by, with and for migrants has a strong potential to improve lives in countries of origin, transit and destination,” said Jana Röthlisberger, programme manager at the FDFA.

The full list of 20 startup winners of the Migration Entrepreneurship Prize 2022 second cohort can be found here. The global winners are set to take part in the Seedstars Investment Readiness Program and have access to the Seedstars network of partners, mentors, and investors.

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