12 Nigerian start-ups win big in Google Impact Challenge in Africa

At an event held in Lagos, Johannesburg and Nairobi, Google announced the winners of the first Google impact Challenge in Africa.

This comes as partial completion of Google’s commitment to grant a total of $20 million that will be spread over the next five years to non-profits that are working to improve lives across Africa.

Each entrant pitched its enterprise to an independent judging panel, which voted on the winners. The results of the public vote determined the people’s choice winner.

In each of the three participating countries, the top four winners will receive $250,000 each. Three of these winners were selected by the panel of independent judges; one winner was selected through a public vote (people’s choice). The remaining eight runner-ups will receive $125,000.

At the Lagos event, Nigeria had a total of 12 winners and runners-up, which consists of the judges and people’s choice.

The Cece Yara Foundation won in the judge’s category. This enterprise provides a safe platform for free access to healing and justice, for children experiencing sexual abuse in Nigeria.

HelpMum was also on the judge’s category. It uses low-cost innovations and the power of mobile technology to tackle maternal and infant mortality in underserved and remote areas in Nigeria

Project Enable Africa was likewise on the category. It promotes access of persons with disabilities and their caregivers to ICT skills and opportunities.

In the people’s choice category, there was Vetsark, a data science technology that protects crops and livestock from pests and diseases.

For the runner-ups ($125k each), there was BudgIT Foundation, which raises a community of active citizens that track and monitor government projects in their communities to ensure quality service delivery.

There was also LearnFactory Nigeria, which makes Education Accessible, Affordable, Engaging and Delightful for all kids through technology and borderless classrooms.

The Junior Achievement Nigeria was also part of it. It offers entrepreneurship and digital skills training for secondary school students to create 10,000 young digital entrepreneurs by 2025.

Also on the list was Bunmi Adedayo Foundation, which offers continuous in-service training for public primary school teachers.

Solar Sister Nigeria was equally there. It empowers women entrepreneurs from underserved communities to build clean energy businesses.

Rural Development and Reformation Foundation (RUDERF) was among the winners. It economically empowers females to become skilled artisans, utilising creative recycling technology as a major tool.

Also in it was the Roothub Tech 101, which has a training programme to equip disadvantaged youths in rural areas of Nigeria with digital skills.

Seed Tracker – IITA, which is a digital app to enhance quality seed production and access to seed markets was also part of the wining team.

The Nigerian event was graced by the wife of the Vice-President of Nigeria, Dolapo Osinbajo, who is a patron of Google Impact Challenge in Nigeria.

Jonathan Aderoju