Kenya’s mobile telecom operator Safaricom has launched the 2nd edition of its AppWizz Challenge, a developer competition designed to help identify and develop successful early-stage mobile technology companies.
AppWizz challenge, which is worth KSh7 million, will run for four months and is targeting new app developers working in the mobile technology space with a view of developing solutions to common problems within the Kenyan market.
“At Safaricom, we are committed to ensuring that local ICT start-ups have the opportunity to grow into profitable enterprises. We want to grow the use of mobile technology in transforming lives in line with our agenda.
“Through this, we hope to complement government’s’ efforts in attaining our economic blueprints to become a middle income country by 2030,” said Joseph Ogutu, Safaricom’s director of strategy and innovation.
Ogutu noted that the contestants with the most successful Mobile technology based solutions will have the opportunity to scale their start-ups through financial support from the prize money and partnerships with both government and private sector thereby making their business more successful.
ICT Board CEO Victor Kyalo noted that with the growing income bracket, mobile applications are fast becoming a key pillar of Kenya’s economy.
Participants must enter the challenge in teams and should have prototypes of their solutions with each group ideally having a maximum of three members. The competition will operate on the
Applicants are expected to develop solutions under five categories, they include:
• Mobile for good and community development
• Smart business and cloud innovation
• Financial inclusion
• Youth
• Entertainment
• Games and media
• Infrastructure and utilities
As for the prizes the winner of the challenge will walk away with KSh1.5 million, the second best will go home with KSh1 million, category winners will win KSh 200,000. The money will be paid in three installments.
Registrations and submissions are at portal the company’s portal: http://developer.safaricom.co.ke