A Namibian, Jesaya Hano-Oshike, was one of the winners at the Global Startup Awards in the southern African regional category in Cape Town and will now compete for the top African title.
The Global Startup Awards (GSA) Africa platform continues to establish itself as the premier stage for startups, showcasing innovative solutions, attracting investments and gaining international visibility.
This year, the competition witnessed a record-breaking number of entries and public engagement, highlighting the entrepreneurial landscape across the continent.
Of the 11 949 entries, southern Africa accounted for 28%, the highest among the five regions (northern, eastern, western, central and southern Africa).
This year, southern Africa led for the first time, with a 65% increase in entries compared to last year, proving to be the most competitive region.
The following five countries are represented among the southern regional winners: South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Angola.
Hano-Oshike won the ecosystem hero of the year award.
"I am honoured to announce that I have been selected as the Southern Africa Startups Awards 2024 Ecosystem Hero of the Year. I am very grateful to everyone who took the time to vote for me. Your support means a great deal to me. I am now a nominee for the Africa Startups Awards 2024 Ecosystem Hero and I look forward to your continued support on this journey," Hano-Oshike says on his Linkedin profile.
The top three categories for southern Africa include fintech, greentech and healthtech.
Of the 14 southern Africa winners, South Africa leads with ten finalists, followed by Botswana, Namibia and Angola.
"How exciting it is to witness the vibrancy of Africa's tech scene through the Global Startup Awards. It is a special honour to see that ten of my fellow South Africans, eight of them from my hometown of Cape Town, are among the 14 winners in this year's awards. Congratulations to every single winner and I look forward to seeing the great things you will continue to do for communities across Africa," says Alderman James Vos, the City of Cape Town's mayoral committee member for Economic Growth.
The startups, representing 22 African nations, will compete at the regional level with the African finalists to be crowned in October at the GSA Africa Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - GSA Africa's host nation for 2024.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The diversity in business ambitions is impressive and beyond agritech, education and fintech solutions.
Sectors like pharmacy, eMobility and aerospace are starting to play a stronger role. These startups are making significant impacts in their communities, countries, regions and beyond," says Foundation for Space Development Africa jury member Guido Schwartz.
GSA co-founder Kim Balle says startups from the African Startup Awards have shown tremendous development, solving problems with solutions applicable beyond Africa.
Balle says the startup world is transitioning, with decreasing entry barriers to knowledge, capital and technology mastery.
"African startups are now technically advanced and built to scale, especially in sectors addressing global issues. I am confident we will see unicorns among the GSA Africa alumni winners soon," the co-founder says.
Regional winners will have the opportunity to engage with the GIIG Africa Fund, known for balancing tech innovation's commercial success with social impact. By investing in profitable and socially responsible solutions, GIIG ensures startups contribute to broader societal benefits.
"GIIG's long-term vision is to create sustainable businesses with a positive impact, fostering innovation-driven economies and positioning Africa as a leader in addressing global challenges through innovative solutions," says GIIG and GSA Africa co-founder Jo Griffiths.
"We nurture interconnected communities through trust, expertise and networks, promoting cross-border collaboration and market access to drive systemic transformation and sustainable development across the continent."
