The panel of experts at MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme has selected 11 of the most promising small businesses and invited them to pitch prospective international investors in Dubai.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have proven to be the engines of economic growth and job creation throughout the African continent when unemployment challenges and economic instability are high.
In recognition of the critical role SMMEs play, MultiChoice launched the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme which trained 29 businesses across nine African countries in key entrepreneurial skills.
Speaking on the programme, MultiChoice Africa CEO, Fhulufhelo Badugela, said “There’s no denying the impact African SMMEs have on job creation and economic growth.”
“Through the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme, our vision is to take that impact and multiply it beyond what our start-up founders ever believed possible. I have no doubt these small businesses will be able to take everything they’ve learned so far to unlock transformative business funding.”
“The quality of the submissions this year was high. It confirms our view that Africa has enormous potential. The specific focus on tech industries allows us to showcase the innovation of Africa to the world, but also enables these businesses to develop tech solutions to real societal problems,” Badugela added.
The MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme, the brainchild of the MultiChoice Group and part of the MultiChoice Innovation Fund, in collaboration with Dubai-based business incubator Companies Creating Change (C3), technical partner EOH, and Galelo Africa, has been designed as a platform to help grow start-up businesses from across Africa.
The programme specifically targets start-ups and small businesses in the technology sectors of health tech, agritech, fintech, edutech, the circular economy, and creative industries.
The first phase of the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme saw public and private-sector partners in each country nominating businesses or entrepreneurs for the programme. From there, 29 of the start-ups embarked on an intensive virtual training course during December 2022 and in Johannesburg.
The 11 start-ups shortlisted attended a dedicated boot camp in Lusaka, Zambia to learn more about how to shape their story for international investors, and to get “pitch ready” before their big presentations and they include; Tupuca from Angola, Taskmoby from Ethiopia, StarNews Mobile from Ivory Coast, Tendo from Ghana, Zuri Health from Kenya, and Dojah Inc and Crop2Cash from Nigeria.
Other are; MaTontine from Senegal, Botlhale AI and Gradesmatch South Africa and Mighty Finance Solution from Zambia