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The fifth AppsAfrica Innovation Awards, celebrate the best in mobile and tech from across Africa, showcasing the continents best innovations in 14 categories. The awards are open to corporates, established ventures or start-ups who have launched services in at least one African market. 

The Awards continue to be a leading barometer of innovation from across the continent and provide winners with industry recognition, global publicity, and networking with 300+ industry peers at the Awards party in Cape Town on November 11th on the eve of AfricaCom. Winners are also invited to the 3rd Africa Tech Summit Kigali 2020 to join tech leaders, corporates, startups, and investors.

Key dates:
Applications – Open April – September 11th 2019
Shortlist announced – October 8th
Winners announced – November 11th in Cape Town

You can view eligibility and FAQs before entering.

Sponsorship opportunities
Confirming one of the sponsorship opportunities for the AppsAfrica.com Innovation Awards 2019 will position your brand as a leader in innovation and technology in Africa among leading industry peers and other sponsors and partners from Africa and beyond. There are various sponsorship packages available, please contact us for more details.

Applications are welcome from mobile or technology ventures with services launched in at least one African market for the following award categories; 

Disruptive Innovation Award
Business models are being disrupted across the continent using technology and innovation. This award seeks to recognise the disruptive innovations and new business models that are changing Africa. Entries open across all sectors.
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Health Tech Award
This award celebrates the use of technology to improve health services in Africa. Entries may include a new service, device, software, hardware or use of apps, SMS, IVR or social media. Enter Now

Best African App Award
This award recognises the best applications successfully launched on any platform to target African consumers or businesses. Entries are welcome across all sectors and platforms. Enter Now

Enterprise Solution Award
This award celebrates enterprise services across Africa. Entries welcome from innovative ventures and mobile services streamlining, improving and helping business across Africa. Enter Now

Blockchain Award
Few technologies have received as much attention in Africa as blockchain over the past year. This award will recognise initiatives that are utilising blockchain technology to increase the speed, efficiency, accuracy, transparency or cost-effectiveness of any sector in Africa. Enter Now

Media & Entertainment Award
Mobile media, news and entertainment is now a burgeoning industry across Africa. This award seeks to recognise the best news and entertainment innovations. Examples include music, literary, gaming, children’s entertainment, lifestyle and video. Enter Now.

Educational Award
Delivering education has many challenges in Africa. This award recognises services which are striving to improve education by utilising mobile or other technologies. Enter Now

Fintech Award
This award recognises the best fintech innovation including digital currency, bitcoin, mobile money, wallets, P2P, money remittances & transfers, point of sale or funding platforms. Enter Now

Agritech Award
This award recognises the best tech innovations driving agriculture across the continent. This includes but is not limited to hardware, software, drones, big data, IoT services, mobile services or any technology supporting farmers, improving yields or supply chains in Africa. Enter Now

Social Impact Award
This award recognises an inspiring use of technology that has a positive social impact for an African community while contributing to economic and social development. Enter Now

IoT  Award
This award recognises the most innovative internet of things (IoT) applications, devices, products or services from brands, companies, agencies or platforms that have excelled in utilising IoT across Africa in any sector. Enter Now

mCommerce Award 
This award is dedicated to celebrating the new wave of mobile commerce initiatives across Africa. Entrants might include online platforms, retail brands, portals, apps, classifieds, comparison sites and many more driving mCommerce across Africa. Enter Now

Changing Africa Award  
This award seeks to recognise the leading companies driving game changing initiatives across Africa for the masses. Entrants might include MNO’s, leading tech platforms, hardware providers, banks, connectivity providers, OEM’s or any tech company driving progress across multiple African countries in any sector. Enter Now

Mobility Award
This award seeks to recognise the leading ventures using technology such as hardware, software, robotics, drones or innovative mobile services that improve mobility, logistics or supply chains in an African market. Enter Now

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has selected 10 startups from Africa and UAE to participate in its Global Business Forum (GBF) Mentorship Programme which was launched as part of Africa Tech Summit Kigali, earlier this year.

Five startups from Africa will join the Dubai mentorship program, namely: FarmGate Africa, a startup using advanced technologies to connect international buyers and farming clusters; quip.link, an online marketplace for renting and selling construction equipment; Complete Farmer, a crowd-farming platform focused on building sustainable farms; Engineering Hub Ltd, a provider of IT services and solutions for mobile and banking integration platforms; and RideSafe, an mobile application offering real-time health solutions.

Prior to their selection, the 10 shortlisted startups participated in the first-ever Chamberthon which took place at Africa Tech Summit Kigali. During the Chamberthon, 20 UAE and African startups worked together to develop the structure and criteria of the GBF Mentorship Programme, highlights from the Summit in Rwanda are below.

These will join Five UAE startups, members of Dubai Startup Hub, were selected to take part in the three-month programme, namely: Evolvin Women, a startup helping unemployed women from developing countries; ORENDA+Bloom, a gender balance consultancy; Tuitify, a startup using AI and virtual reality to improve employee training and productivity; Designhubz, a SaaS platform that enables retailers and brands to sell their products in 3D; and Pixel House, a production agency offering video production, photography and branding solutions.

The selection marks the start of the second phase of the programme which involves intensive training and mentorship sessions. Following the three-month period, selected startups will be given an opportunity to participate in a session at the 5th Global Business Forum on Africa in November 2019 and exhibit during the high-level business forum in Dubai.

H.E. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the selection of participating startups is an important step forward in establishing bridges of communication and cross-border cooperation between UAE and African startups.  He pointed out that many of the selected startups specialise in advanced technologies, smart solutions, artificial intelligence and fintech, adding collaboration these key areas would pave the way for mutual benefits and growth for both business communities.

“Startups are playing an active role in fostering innovation as they leverage and test out cutting-edge technologies that improve the way we live and work. The GBF Mentorship Programme provides an ideal platform for high-potential startups to develop their business concepts, benefit from collaboration, access new growth opportunities through the Global Business Forum on Africa platform, and build valuable partnerships,” he said, adding that such efforts fall complement Dubai Chamber’s programmes and initiatives offered to entrepreneurs through Dubai Startup Hub.