GHANA – Pitch AgriHack, a competition organised by CTA to help young agricultural entrepreneurs build viable businesses and boost innovation for a more sustainable agricultural sector have announced its winners.
Seven young agricultural entrepreneurs, including four women, were awarded today a combined prize money of US$66,000 for digital innovations during the closing plenary at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Accra
Twenty-two finalist startups were selected from a field of 326 applicants, and underwent a underwent training through a bootcamp process before pitching their innovations to potential investors and a judging panel at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Accra, Ghana.
The winners of the early stage start-ups are Profish from Ghana (US$8,000)), and Savanna Circuit Tech, Kenya (US$5,500). For the mature stage start-up category, Jaguza Tech from Uganda (US$16,500), Arinifu Technologies, Kenya (US$13,800).
Nigeria’s Trackball Global Technologies won the (US$5,500) public choice award, the (US$11,000) Data Analytics Award went to Nigeria’s Foodlocker, and the GreenTec award went to Ghana’s TechShelta, which took home (US$5,500).
The applications range from software to track the production of milk from farm-to-market; a mobile-based web application to improve productivity; low cost handheld devices to detect animal diseases; an online-based food processing and delivery service; cloud-based livestock management system; using Internet of Things (IoT) devices to connect farmers to agronomists; and an application designed to provide to logistics and market services
Michael Hailu, Director, CTA: “It’s a rewarding legacy for CTA, which has pioneered support for digital entrepreneurship among young people in the agricultural sector. Through Pitch AgriHack we have discovered self-taught youngsters, who are full of ideas and determination, and who are providing answers to some of Africa’s persistent challenges.”
The 22 finalist start-ups, 11 of which are women-led, from seven countries were selected out of 326 young start-ups that applied. Earlier in the week the finalists underwent training through a boot camp process before pitching their innovations to potential investors and a judging panel.
