Tech start-ups vie for IBM award
2012-10-26 10:02
Chantelle Nicholas, News24
Cape Town - Four tech start-up companies from across the country on Thursday presented their business ideas during the first IBM SmartCamp to be held on South African soil.
These companies have created new solutions using innovative technologies that have the ability to help cities, businesses and citizens around the world improve the way they live and work.
IBM SmartCamp is an exclusive global event, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and experienced mentors who want to build a Smarter Planet.
Finals
Only one South African finalist will be chosen by a judging panel to compete in the global SmartCamp finals, and the chance to be crowned IBM Global Entrepreneur of the Year.
IBM South Africa announced earlier this year that its Global Entrepreneur Programme will be extended to entrepreneurs in South Africa.
The requirements for entrepreneurs to participate in the programme was that their companies must be privately owned, they must have been in the business for five years or less, and they are actively engaged in developing a software based product or service.
SmartCamp winners will receive mentoring, access to industry experts and technology, and deeper partnership opportunities from IBM, VCs and industry partners.
The four South African SmartCamp finalists competing against each other are:
- Clevva, which has a shared vision to develop a technology platform that could enable any company to effectively capture and apply their sales, product and technical expertise.
- Entersekt, a leading innovator in the field of online transaction authentication and founded by a team of electronic engineers focused on internet security solutions.
- Go Metro, which offers rail commuters an improved urban lifestyle by creating a mobile community around the public transport trip experience. Go Metro partners with transport operators to build a customised mobile traveller information system that delivers real-time trip information, delay notifications and system announcements.
The fourth company is Mobile Decisioning, a company that focuses on delivering micro and nano credit products to consumers across the globe.
The South African finalist to compete in the SmartCamp regional final in San Paulo, Brazil will be announced on Thursday 1 November 2012.
Clayton Booysen, ISV and Developer Relations Lead for IBM South Africa, said SmartCamp is an exciting event which brings top class start-ups together.
"Although only one finalist will be chosen to take part potentially in the regional and global SmartCamp finals, we will continue to build partnerships where all the participants and other start-ups can continue to enjoy all the free resources available on the IBM Global Entrepreneur Programme."
Booysen said they received entries from start-up companies in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
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