Six Kenyan startups have been shortlisted for the 2019 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, which offers total prize funding of Ksh7.1 Million to the most promising entrepreneurial engineers.
Energy company Elo-cart self-charging electric hand cart, e-health platform Chanjoplus, artisan platform JuaKaliSmart, water harvesting service Majik Water, sign language smart glove Sign-IO, and agri-tech solution Smart Brooder are among sixteen other firms across Africa shortlisted for the award..
APEI was founded by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering to develop the entrepreneurial skills of engineers by providing support; this includes funding, business training, mentoring and access to the academy’s network of engineers.
After a four-month training and mentor ship, four finalist will be selected to present their businesses to judges in front of a live audience in Kampala, Uganda.
The winner will be awarded Ksh3.2 million, and three runners up will be awarded Ksh3.2 million each.
“The shortlist has come to represent the most talented engineers on the continent. Through the Africa Prize, we’ve seen cutting edge technologies and world-firsts develop into businesses that manufacture locally, and drive research and development on the continent. We can’t wait to meet the new group of engineering pioneers, ”said judge Rebecca Enonchong.
Four of the companies shortlisted hail from Nigeria. They are industrial food dryer 3-D-3-P, currency exchange platform Kaoshi, e-health company WellNewMe, and ed-tech app Zenafri.
South Africa has two representatives, Pelebox Smart Lockers and the Hybrid five-axis machine tool.
Uganda is represented by two companies, Smart Havens Africa and the Vertical Farm, while Zambia and Burkina Faso have Baby Delivery Kits and SolarKoodo respectively.
