--- title: "Here are the 10 startup finalists for the Africa Innovation Prize" url: https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/here-are-10-startup-finalists-africa-innovation-prize/ --- 1. [HOME](/) 2. [RESOURCES](/content-hub/) 3. [NEWSROOM](/content-hub/newsroom/) 4. HERE ARE THE 10 STARTUP FINALISTS FOR THE AFRICA INNOVATION PRIZE ![Here are the 10 startup finalists for the Africa Innovation Prize](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/sTARTUP_fINALIST.max-1500x500.jpg) AFRICA • ENTERPRISE ## Here are the 10 startup finalists for the Africa Innovation Prize Tom Jackson JUNE 21, 2017 **10 entrepreneurs have been named finalists of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA), which will see three winners share total prize money of US$185,000 plus other incentives.** #### WRITTEN BY Tom Jackson [CONTACT US](/contact-us/) [The African Innovation Foundation](http://www.africaninnovation.org/) (AIF) awards the Innovation Prize for Africa every year, with the event this year taking place in Accra Ghana on July 18. Innovators from nine African countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe have been shortlisted for the prize after undergoing a rigorous selection process by a renowned panel of judges. The selected entrepreneurs include **Peris Bosire** of Kenyan agri-tech startup [FarmDrive](https://farmdrive.co.ke/), **Gift Gana** of Zimbabwean malaria diagnosis startup [Dr CADx](http://www.drcadx.com/), **Nokwethu Khojane** of South Africa group-buying platform Lakheni, **Omolabake Adenle** of Nigeria’s Voice Recognition and Speech Synthesis Software for African Languages, **Nzola Swasisa** of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s cheap communication tool Lokole, and **Badr Idriss** of Moroccan drone starup Atlan Space. The list is completed by Egyptian **Aly El-Shafei** for his patented smart bearing, Liberian **Dougbeh-Chris Nyan** , for his rapid diagnostic testing device, Nigerian **Olanisun Olufemi Adewole** for the Sweat TB Test, and Ugandan **Philippa Ngaju Makobore** for her electronically controlled gravity feed infusion set (ECGF). **“We are pleased to share with you the names of our IPA 2017 nominees as we continue on our mission to catalyse the innovation spirit and unlock untapped potential in Africa. For the first time, this year’s nominees include innovators from Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Zimbabwe. Moreover, given the instrumental role African women play in transforming Africa, it is thrilling to see more women among the 10 nominees with game changing innovations,” Walter Fust, AIF chairman of the board.** “By providing platforms to recognise innovation excellence in Africa and mobilizing for African innovators, we continue to live up to our credo of engaging, inspiring and transforming. The inspiring stories of these nominees remind us that innovation and African-led solutions are indeed the answer to Africa’s growth and prosperity.” _This article was originally published in the independent online magazine_ [_disrupt-africa.com_](http://disrupt-africa.com/) ARTICLE AFRICA GHANA ENTERPRISE EVENTS TECH ## More like this [ ![What We Discovered at the 4th Seedstars Summit Asia](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_93.max-320x550.png) ASIA • ENTERPRISE #### From Colombo to Cambodia: What We Discovered at the 4th Seedstars Summit Asia Over 3 eventful days, if you had walked into The Factory at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, you’d have found it to be buzzing with excitement. For it was here that the 4th Seedstars Asia Summit took place. Dec. 10, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/colombo-cambodia-what-we-discovered-4th-seedstars-summit-asia/) [ ![WorldBlu Freedom-Centered Cultures 2019](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/WorldBlu.max-320x550.png) GLOBAL • ENTERPRISE #### Seedspace awarded with WorldBlu Freedom-Centered Cultures 2019 We are really happy to announce that Seedspace, the largest network of entrepreneurship hubs in emerging markets powered by Seedstars, has been selected to receive the 13th annual WorldBlu Freedom-Centered Cultures awards. May. 14, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedspace-awarded-worldblu-freedom-centered-cultures-2019/) [ ![12 Finalists from the Middle East and North Africa](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_94.max-320x550.png) MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA • ENTERPRISE #### Find Out the Names of 12 Finalists from the Middle East and North Africa In 6 years, the company has expanded to 100 cities in 14 countries and has created hundreds of career opportunities in MENA and South Asia. Nov. 19, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/find-out-names-12-finalists-middle-east-and-north-africa/) [ ![Seedstars Tunis event](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_87.max-320x550.png) AFRICA • ENTERPRISE #### Seedstars Tunis event: a dive into the entrepreneurship ecosystem No other time has been as opportune as now for Tunisian entrepreneurs to start a startup. May. 15, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-tunis-event-dive-entrepreneurship-ecosystem/) [ ![Alumni interview #4](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/panama.max-320x550.png) LATIN AMERICA • ENTERPRISE #### Alumni interview #4: how Redoxigen (Panama) raised $1 million in seed round Min Chen: At Redoxigen, we created Interfase, an augmented reality platform to crowdsource data in the real world for a wide range of industries, such as retail, infrastructure, and entertainment Feb. 14, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/life/alumni-interview-4-how-redoxigen-panama-raised-1-million-seed-round/) [ ![Jamaican entrepreneurs and their businesses](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_designaaa.max-320x550.png) LATIN AMERICA • ENTERPRISE #### The role of storytelling in propelling Jamaican entrepreneurs and their businesses With sweaty palms and an uncertain swagger, Dwayne Samuels begins to mix and mingle. He may not be feeling totally at ease in the crowded room, but he’s confident about the business networking app he and his partner have created and he’s convinced Jan. 18, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/life/role-storytelling-propelling-jamaican-entrepreneurs-and-their-businesses/) [ ![Entrepreneurship in Maputo](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_96.max-320x550.png) AFRICA • ENTERPRISE #### Seedstars Africa Summit 2017: a celebration of technology and entrepreneurship in Maputo, Mozambique The Africa Regional Summit lasted for 3 days and brought together over 500 attendees commencing with a bootcamp for the participating startups. Jan. 16, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-africa-summit-2017-celebration-technology-and-entrepreneurship-maputo-mozambique/) [ ![Alumni interview](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/interview3.max-320x550.png) LATIN AMERICA • ENTERPRISE #### Alumni interview #3: how Alquilando closed a seed fundraising after Latam Summit! Alquilando is Argentina’s finalist for Seedstars World 2018 competition. Jan. 05, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/life/alumni-interview-3-how-alquilando-closed-seed-fundraising-after-latam-summit/) [ ![Asia Regional Summit in Bangkok](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_92.max-320x550.png) ASIA • ENTERPRISE #### What happened at the Asia Regional Summit in Bangkok The Summit reunited over 300 attendees from more than 29 countries for a showcase of the most promising early-stage tech startups from 15 Asian markets, and a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship across the region. Dec. 20, 2017 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/what-happened-asia-regional-summit-bangkok/) [ ![Seedstars Africa](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_98.max-320x550.png) AFRICA • ENTERPRISE #### Meet the startups pitching at Seedstars Africa After another year in which the Seedstars World teams traveled to over 80+ countries around the world with the mission to find the best tech startups in emerging markets, we are now just weeks away of hosting our third Africa Summit Nov. 15, 2017 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/meet-startups-pitching-seedstars-africa/) --- ## Sitemap - [Sitemap](https://www.seedstars.com/sitemap.md): every public page on this site - [llms.txt](https://www.seedstars.com/llms.txt): what Seedstars does and where to start