Ten Rwandan
ICT innovators have been shortlisted to compete in the Start-up World
competition (Kigali chapter) that will see one victor pitch at the grand finale
to take place in Silicon Valley, USA in 2013.
Like
'America's next top model' Start-up World is a global competition that aims at
finding talent in the ICT world with the potential to come up with the next big
thing after the likes of Google, Facebook or twitter.
Start-Up
world is an international initiative run by the 'The
next web.com' based in
California, whose aim is to promote early stage businesses, entrepreneurship
and technology through global competitions to give a platform for the world's
most innovative ideas.
Rwanda's
hard efforts in ICT promotion were recognized by visitors on 'The Next Web' who
suggested Kigali to be part of 35 other cities that are taking part in Start-Up
World. Nairobi is the other city in East Africa
taking part in the competition which will see winners get prizes worth up to
$37,000 with opportunities of free Rackspace hosting and Echo real-time streams.
Hermione
Way, an ICT reporter turned promoter in Silicon Valley is the brains behind
Start-Up World, an idea she says was inspired by the challenges she saw start-ups
in the ICT world go through during her six years as a journalist.
"Africa
is the new hotbed for innovation and Rwanda is a leader in recognizing the need
to support new ideas and young innovators to advance...," Way explained. She
added that Start-Up World provides an opportunity where various innovations
across any field will pitch their way to becoming the next big thing in
technology.
Digital
Opportunity Trust (DOT), which operates under the ministry of youth and ICT, are the
official partners of Start-up world in Rwanda. The ten finalists shortlisted to
compete in the Start-up world Kigali include Heheltd.com,
campusolve.appspot.com, zilenciocreativo.com, twihute.com, mahwiii.com,
plusgreen.co.rw, guhaha.com and others.
"These
will present their projects before an independent panel of judges where the
winner will represent Rwanda in the grand finale to take place in Silicon
Valley, in 2013," explained Violette
Uwamutara, the country director of DOT Rwanda.
Hermione Way
emphasized that the competition is not about scouting and robbing Africa of its
talent but rather to empower them to transform their communities. "While they could be the stars in Africa, they
will be learners in a place like Silicon valley where the likes of Mark
Zuckerberg (Facebook founder), Steve Jobs (Apple founder) and Bill Gates
(Microsoft founder) pitched and began their fortunes from scratch," Way
remarked.
Rwanda Focus
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