05 Jun 2016

Orange will award technology start-ups through its Orange Social Venture Prize launched across 21 Orange affiliates in May 2016.

A press release from Orange Botswana says four winners from Africa and the Middle East will receive a total of 55 000 Euros in cash.

It says through the competition, Orange aims to reinforce its digital partnership with start-ups to achieve social and economic development through innovation stimulation.  

The release says since inception in 2011, the competition has received over 2 600 projects from 20 countries and 16 winners, including one from Botswana, have been rewarded 265 000 Euros from Orange.

It states that prize is intended to showcase and support starts-up who use information and communication technologies (ICT) to innovate and make a positive impact to communities in Africa and the Middle East.

The release says the star-ups should be offering innovative products or services that meet the needs of Africans in fields such as health, agriculture, education, energy, industry or trade.

According to the release, proposed projects must target an Orange affiliate in Africa and the Middle East, with a specific objective of using technology in an innovative way to enhance living conditions of local populations.

The release further states that to enter the competition participants must be over 21 years old, they can either be students, or entrepreneurs running companies with no more than three of existence.

It says that 11 finalists from the competition will receive mentoring from Grow Movement, an NGO that empowers African entrepreneurship with business skills.

The release also indicates that submissions will be done on the new entrepreneu