PIVOT East 2019 Semifinalists Announced.

PIVOT East, a startups competition geared towards nurturing the growing Startups and SMEs in East Africa, has unveiled semifinalist for this year’s competition. The competition opened the call for applications across the East Africa Region.  This year the competition opened for both hardware and software startups; this has influenced greatly the types of startups that we have seen in the competition. A number of startups in the manufacturing, agricultural value added products and health hardware startups just to mention a few.

This year, we received 248 applications into the competition. 128 of them meet the criteria and where submitted to a panel of 30 judges who are work in the SMEs and Startups enablers ecosystem. This was one of the most competitive selection processes we have had to date especially in the Finance, Enterprise and Social Impact categories. This year, sees the first Semi finalist from Burundi and highest number of applicants we have had from Tanzania and Rwanda.

The criteria used by the judges helped to evaluate the startups’ purported customer pain, opportunity and customer segments, the solution and its fit to the problem, the revenue model, and analysis of the competitive landscape. Other selection criteria items helped to evaluate the caliber of the team and the startups’ focus to grow into sustainable enterprises. These included the team composition and commitment, current market traction, and projections for milestones and key metrics.

PIVOT East aims to facilitate discovery and nurturing of the next wave of high potential business innovations into sustainable businesses. It is more than a competition – it’s a holistic platform for startups organizational development and business model refinement

A big thank you to our judges who took time out of their busy schedule to evaluate the startups. Now without further ado,  below are the semifinalists of PIVOT East 2019. Congratulations to all the semifinalist.

Finance Category:

SUMMARY: TozzaPlus (Kenya), SokoHela (Kenya), Denkim Insurance (Kenya), MOBISHULE(Kenya), A-Trader (Tanzania), Engage & Prosper Africa (Kenya), FINLINK KE (Kenya), ABAYB AGENCY (Kenya), DAMIAN AGRITHIK LIMITED (Kenya), Hermondew (Kenya)

TozzaPlus (Kenya)

TozzaPlus is a workforce management and payment system with mobile biometric Time Tracking, Payroll Management and automated salary payouts/payments to banks and mobile wallets. TozzaPlus plus also provides B2B salary financing to help enterprises pay their employees on time always.

SokoHela (Kenya)

SokoHela is an online short term working capital and financial literacy provider for micro and small enterprises in the urban agricultural value chain.

Engage & Prosper Africa (Kenya)

A Fintech startup that provides financial literacy to the bottom of the economic pyramid that is often left out by the conventional financial system.

A-Trader (Tanzania)

A-Trader is an AI-powered platform that enables users to access investment opportunities using any mobile device, and that also provides automated investment recommendations through a proprietary Robo-Advisor algorithm.

MOBISHULE(Kenya)

Mobishule is a Value Added Service proposition to parents of  partners’ schools that enables them to access small amounts of school fee cash advances using mobile application.

Denkim Insurance (Kenya)

Denkim Insurance is a Kenyan insurance aggregator that interconnects all insurance players in the insurance value chain by helping customers select, buy insurance products and experience quick claim settlement processes.

FINLINK KE (Kenya)

A peer to peer online mortgage lender focusing on affordable,undeveloped land suitable for housing and agricultural use, by  partnering with Credit Unions or Larger Saccos with large reserves offering affordable rates.

ABAYB AGENCY (Kenya)

ABAYB AGENCY offers Financial Services on behalf of Kenya Commercial Banks. Recruiting and funding entrepreneurs interested in bank agency. This is possible through Super-Agency Business Model tailored for banks, which is an improvement on Mobile Money agency models.

DAMIAN AGRITHIK LIMITED (Kenya)

A rabbit farming venture that seek to help rabbit farmers to acquire high value breeds and also market them. They provide soft loans for their upkeep and when rabbit matures they buy from the farmers to sell to our already available market and deduct our loan that was lend to the farmer.

Hermondew (Kenya)

Hermondew kenya is a micro lending company set up to offer small credits to individuals and groups of people who want to foster their businesses or to start a business. A very minimal interest is charged which is called service fee for smooth running of the company operations.

Social Impact Category

Summary: Savanna Circuit Technologies Ltd (Kenya), Toolboksi (Tanzania), AfyaKit (Kenya), ECO MAKAA  (Kenya), Community Healthcare Innovation Lab (Uganda), Kilimofresh Foods Africa Limited(Tanzania), FreshBox Rwanda Ltd. (Rwanda), Alonzo Inc Ltd (Rwanda), SkoolDesk (Uganda), Let’s Talk (Kenya)

Savanna Circuit Technologies Ltd (Kenya)

MaziwaPlus Pre-Chiller, pioneering portable Solar powered chilling on transit systems that can be mounted on motorbikes, trucks etc with a Milk collection app for efficiency, accountability and maximize profits to dairy producers and cooperatives by cutting Milk post harvest losses at the farm gate, enhancing product traceability and quality control.

Toolboksi (Tanzania)

Toolboksi is a platform that solves & unemployment and poverty by increasing the access to job opportunities to the skilled workers (Blue-collar workers, handymen, repairmen) operating in the informal sector by connecting them with customers using inclusive technologies (Web/SMS/Apps/Call/Short-code)

Community Healthcare Innovation Lab (Uganda)

Chil- Artificial intelligence Lab has come up with a more reliable, private and easy to access self-service technology to solve all these barriers. Cervical cancer Kit and App; an artificial intelligence Technology that test the availability of HPV 16 and 18 .The results are sent to our E-Oncology Mobile Application which using Bluetooth for interpretation. The Mobile Application offers customers the same experience as interaction  with a physical Oncologist. It also gives follow up to all customers bi-weekly by calling.

ECO MAKAA  (Kenya)

‘Eco Makaa’ is an e-commerce company that connects local fuel briquette producers to a client base. These fuel briquettes are smokeless eco-friendly alternatives to wood charcoal

Kilimofresh Foods Africa Limited(Tanzania)

Kilimo Fresh runs a B2B E-commerce produce distribution platform focused connecting farmers with customers on a B2B model. Kilimo aggregates, trades and market all types of foods, grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables significantly reducing post-harvest losses by cold storage.

AfyaKit (Kenya)

We are a social venture start-up, focused on improving health outcomes by providing actionable in-facility data to health sector players across Sub Saharan Africa. They have  analytics tool that enables decision making for health managers.

FreshBox Rwanda Ltd. (Rwanda)

FreshBox Rwanda is building modular, off-grid, solar powered, IoT equipped cold chain solutions to reduce post-harvest food loss in Rwanda and other developing nations. Our first product is an affordable cold room with a capacity of unto 5 Metric Ton. The cold room can extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables from 2 days to 21 days. It is designed and assembled in Rwanda.

Alonzo Inc Ltd (Rwanda)

HelloMed is a digital home-based medical service that provides health services to patients from their homes. It also delivers medicine to chronically ill patients.

SkoolDesk (Uganda)

Skooldesk is an e-learning platform for young learners that provides quality test questions in the four main subjects taught at primary level i.e. English, Math, Science and Social Studies (SST). It also provides an analytics engine that helps Parents and Teachers monitor the performance of the learners. Using interactive learning objects such as Drag and Drop, Matching, audio and video we make learning fun and interactive.

Let’s Talk (Kenya)

Let’s Talk works with people with stress and depression to help them manage their condition better. Creating safe spaces for people to share their stories and start the healing process. They seek to improve mental health services to ensure we have a stable workforce and raise a mentally stable generation.

Enterprise Category

Summary: FarmIT (Kenya), MedDuka (Uganda), Tetch Astro Systems (Kenya), Kodisher Solutions (Kenya), Mazimba Company Limited(Tanzania), Enfinite Solutions Limited (Kenya), eKulima Agricultural Services (Kenya),  Vipimo (Kenya), Efarmu dairy management software (Uganda/Kenya), KONCEPT (Tanzania)

FarmIT (Kenya)

FarmIT is an agricultural mobile based startup that uses crop mapping mobile technology to send real time and reliable agronomic, crop protection and husbandry practices to small scale horticultural farmers with an aim of improving

MedDuka (Uganda)

MedDuka enhances collaboration between pharma distributors and retail pharmacies through its Scan Based Trading(SBT) ERP platform and mobile Point-of-Sale solution. This enables distributors maintain ownership of physical inventory within retail stores until items are scanned and sold at the point of sale.

Tetch Astro Systems (Kenya)

AVAS-360 is a cloud based fuel management system of hardware and software products that together enable access and remote control of fuel stores,whilst monitoring inventory, deliveries, staff performance and sales volumes.

Kodisher Solutions (Kenya)

One stop solution for landlords and property managers for managing processes, transactions and data that improves efficiency and saves them money. Kodisher, manages billing, invoicing, payment processing and provides actionable reports.

Enfinite Solutions Limited (Kenya)

Through our portfolio of premium products – WakiliCMS and EliteSuite, we strive to make sure that law firms and legal departments are ran efficiently to minimize costs, increase profits and improve decision making criteria.

Mazimba Company Limited(Tanzania)

Using bananas to produce  wine as main product.

eKulima Agricultural Services (Kenya)

eKulima Agricultural Services specializes in growing and production of  value addition of the Orange Fresh Sweet potato (OFSP) such as bread, donuts and cakes from orange fresh sweet potatoes flour.

Vipimo (Kenya)

Vipimo is a ‘sensor as a service’ subscription service currently serving several large customers in the B2B space (large farms, freight forwarders).

KONCEPT (Tanzania)

Koncept is a Leading Digital Integrated Advertising, Marketing & PR/Communications Agency Headquartered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania that specializes in devising creative and innovative communication marketing strategies for corporate clients, institutions, individuals and the like.

Efarmu dairy management software (Uganda/Kenya)

Efarmu dairy management software enables farmers to accurately record their farm records; the system visualizes them into reports that help farmers evaluate their financial status

Entertainment Category

Summary: Cloud9xp (Kenya), Klurdy Solutions (Kenya), UG Tickets (Uganda), Pingle (Kenya), Be Afrika Media Ltd (Kenya), EXPECT EXTRA (Tanzania), Smoke Advertising (Kenya), Swilin inc (Kenya), WekaVenue (Kenya), Inkilani events(Kenya)

Cloud9xp (Kenya)

Cloud9xp is an online marketplace, booking service and distributor for leisure experiences. We offer a simple way to discover and book leisure experiences to do across Africa.

Klurdy Solutions (Kenya)

Klurdy is a design studio with an interactive online service for buying personalized african fashion.

UG Tickets (Uganda)

UG Tickets is a secure, online platform designed to facilitate the selling, marketing, and distribution of tickets for the convenience of event organizers/vendors and the consumers making it  possible for people to browse through a variety of events in music, football, festivals, conferences and talk-shows online; from any place, make the payments using mobile money and receive the tickets directly on their mobiles via Email and SMS.

Pingle (Kenya)

Pingle is a platform that is connecting users to activities that interest them within Nairobi’s malls. Users on the Pingle platform can discover, book, and pay for these activities on the app.

Be Afrika Media Ltd (Kenya)

A personalised African content and social network aggregated and curated platform. A platform that aims to be a  lead in the sustainability of and reinvention of African content.

Smoke Advertising (Kenya)

Specializes in both above and below the line advertising.

EXPECT EXTRA (Tanzania)

A mobile game that inculcates the spirit of Animal and Natural environment conservation to its players while entertaining them at the same.

Swilin inc (Kenya)

Swilin is an online social networking platform for updating people about the work they do, business and their personal lives.

WekaVenue (Kenya)

An online platform bridging the gap between venue hosts and its customers

Inkilani events (Kenya)

Inkilani events is an online based one stop shop for all goods and services required in event planning .We provide a platform for service providers in the event industry to consumers, for example, photographers, DJs, caterers, bakers e.t.c. The vendors post their work on our website and quote their prices and the customers search and pick what they require from their vendor of choice.

Utilities Category

Summary: SHERIA KIGANJANI(Tanzania), AT HAUSE Limited(Uganda), iCare (Tanzania), WeDeliver (Ethiopia),  Nectar (Kenya), Haraka Home (Kenya) , Fundi App (Tanzania), COINBOX KENYA (Kenya), INEZA Smart Farming (Burundi), Calm Wildness (Kenya/ Rwanda)

SHERIA KIGANJANI(Tanzania)

Sheria Kiganjani is the first online legal digital platform in Tanzania which enable users to access various legal services remotely from  their devices i.e. Mobile Phones, Tablets, Computers etc.

AT HAUSE Limited(Uganda)

The startup thus provides a solution that uses insect and rot resistant 3ply bags to store produce for longer periods and enable the produce earn better. The producers are pulled together disaggregated farms to a smart value chain linked to wholesalers financed to purchase farmer’s stock. The wholesalers are connected to marketplaces available with large-scale agro buyers in Africa, Dubai and the Gulf Cooperation Council region.

iCare (Tanzania)

iCare is a first Tanzanian online retail shop that allow individuals, organizations and corporations to buy basic requirements like food, school equipments and hygiene essentials for charity donations. Also iCare enable individuals to celebrate special moments in their lives such as birthdays, graduations, promotions, anniversaries etc.. by giving back as charity donation.

WeDeliver (Ethiopia)

WeDeliver is an on-demand delivery company with the objective of creating a centralized on-demand delivery platform through a mobile application. The platform will empower local businesses; empower low income earning communities and provide time saving services to end users by putting local business at the tip of their fingertips.

Haraka Home (Kenya)

Haraka Home is Africa’s “Costco on wheels,” saving low income East African consumers money by delivering bulk commodities using a distributed fleet of delivery vehicles preloaded with fast moving consumer goods.

Nectar (Kenya)

Our cloud-based platform Nectar, makes it easy for utilities/landlords/microgrids/borehole managers to receive payment for Electricity, Water or Gas services *BEFORE* consumption from their customers, with zero setup cost. This leads to reduced debt, fewer disconnections and happier customers.

Fundi App (Tanzania)

FUNDI APP. Fundi app is a mobile application where vetted vocational skilled individuals such as auto mechanics, electricians, plumbers and various technicians get connected with customers in real time. The platform will help users locate and request for the nearest Fundi to have their problem fixed in time, with quality and at an affordable cost.

INEZA Smart Farming (Burundi)

3 in 1 package for farmers that includes 1. smart farming app and  SMS notification platform that provides information on rain forecast, market prices and other relevant information,  2. access to a solar powered water pump service and 3. a simple and easy to use soil tester that comes with graphic instructive and educational information on the best farming practices in the local language.

COINBOX KENYA (Kenya)

Coinbox allows its users to own Coinboxes in different and diverse listed brands and save for their due holidays by sending whatever amount they are comfortably able to their Coinbox until they reach the required amount.

Calm Wildness (Kenya/ Rwanda)

Calm Wildness is a jewellery business that designs, makes and sells beaded jewellery for conservation. It designs and makes unique jewellery that tells conservation stories through its make like elephants earrings for elephant conservation. It also aims to include women near environmentally protected areas in its production and also expand to other aspects of fashion.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SEMIFINALISTS.