SA’s Omnisient joins TechCrunch start-up battle

In a landmark achievement for South African technology innovation, Omnisient, a data analytics fintech company focused on driving financial inclusion, has been chosen as one of the elite 200 early-stage start-ups to participate in the highly acclaimed TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 competition.

This annual competition takes place at the TechCrunch Disrupt event, which is scheduled to be held in San Francisco, USA, from 19 to 21 September 2023.

TechCrunch, a prominent American publication dedicated to technology and start-up enterprises, meticulously reviewed nearly 3 000 nominated start-ups from across the globe. The aim was to shortlist the most promising ventures that exhibit the potential to make a significant positive impact on various sectors. Among the diverse set of start-ups, Omnisient stood out with its innovative approach to data analytics and financial services.

Omnisient’s Privacy-Preserving Data Collaboration platform offers cutting-edge cryptographic solutions, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence capabilities to empower Financial Services Institutions (FSIs) in utilising new sources of consumer data while adhering to stringent security and regulatory standards.

Notably, Omnisient’s platform has already enabled local banks to make informed lending decisions for 3.2 million individuals who previously lacked sufficient credit history, thereby facilitating financial inclusion.

Out of the 200 start-ups selected for the Startup Battlefield 200 competition, 16 hailed from the African continent, demonstrating the region’s growing prominence in the global tech ecosystem. These innovative companies span various sectors, including artificial intelligence, software as a service, fintech, security, sustainability, and space exploration.

Matthew Panzarino, the editor-in-chief of TechCrunch, expressed his excitement about the emerging trends witnessed through the application pipeline, highlighting the privilege of foreseeing future advancements.

Regarding the fintech landscape, Panzarino noted, “Fintech is going deep over the next year building infrastructure in huge but un-addressed world economies rather than over-indexing on the western markets. Whatever holdover grip that foreign banking and social norms have on those systems is getting unravelled by start-ups that are creating new ways for populations in those markets to engage with finances.”

Omnisient’s CEO, Jon Jacobson, reflected on the opportunity, saying, “Being invited to join TechCrunch’s Start-up Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt is not only international recognition of the disruptive nature of our platform and the impact we are having in growing financial inclusion, but also a fantastic opportunity for us to fine-tune our pitch and share our story with an audience of US investors.”

As the global tech community eagerly anticipates the TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco, Omnisient’s selection stands as a testament to the calibre of innovation originating from the African tech landscape.

For more information about TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 and the Startup Battlefield 200, please visit the conference’s website for details.

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