The grand finale of the Hanga Pitchfest 2023 was an exceptional event, where visionaries and prospective entrepreneurs congregated in Kigali, Rwanda, for an evening of celebration and anticipation. The occasion commemorated the most promising startups with scalable concepts, granting them the resources to expand their enterprises.
A notable moment of the event occurred when President Paul Kagame engaged in a fireside discussion with Yousouff Ntwali, the founder and CEO of BAG Innovation and Startups in Rwanda. The conversation centred on the nation’s commitment to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the Head of State’s personal viewpoints on a variety of topics.
President Kagame, alongside Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), bestowed the grand prize upon this year’s champion, Loopa. The local startup impressed the judges with its use of IoT technology to transform food waste and agricultural byproducts into organic fertilizer, with the aim of aiding farmers in transitioning to organic fertilizers and reducing Rwanda’s dependence on imports. Loopa received a cash prize of Rwf50m, while the runner-up, HOVA AI, a Rwandan startup dedicated to revolutionising African SMEs with innovative Retail Analytics solutions, was awarded a cash prize of Rwf20m.
In the fireside chat, President Kagame underscored the Rwandan government’s dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. He shared how initiatives like Hanga Pitchfest serve as a platform for collaboration with partners, working together to elevate entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to President Kagame, nurturing entrepreneurship and empowering young people to express themselves and harness their talents is a primary responsibility of the government and its leaders. He highlighted the need to provide opportunities and resources for young people to discover and further develop their skills, believing that initiatives like Hanga are crucial for driving innovation and entrepreneurship not only in Rwanda but across the African continent.
During a candid moment, President Kagame disclosed that if he had pursued a career in entrepreneurship instead of politics, he would have explored his passion for aviation and aerospace science. Encouraging the young entrepreneurs in attendance, he urged them to seize the moment and effect change.
Dope Initiatives, the third-place winner, received a Rwf15m cash prize for developing a solution that offers sexual and reproductive health content through a game. Additionally, Umurava and MEDIXR_Global, securing spots in the top 5, each received a cash prize of Rwf12.5m for their innovative projects in talent management and healthcare education, respectively.
Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University Africa committed to providing $3,600 in technology development support to each of the top five companies, as well as business incubation support to the first and second place winners of the Hanga Pitchfest Finale. Irembo also extended its support to the top 5 startups through their exclusive “Startup Governance Fellowship” program, equipping them with essential skills for sustainable growth and success.
In addition to the cash prizes and support from various institutions, the top 45 Hanga Pitchfest 2023 participants will join the Aguka Program, which offers business mentorship to further their entrepreneurial journey.
+ There are no comments
Add yours