20 African startups participate in a three-day online SABII workshop

20.10.2020 15:00, Nicolas Briner

As part of the Swiss Africa Business Innovation Initiative (SABII), Venturelab coached 20 startups from across Africa for three days. Ten Swiss startups joined for one morning of best practices exchange and networking with their African peers. In 2021, eight selected African founders will have the opportunity to travel to Switzerland to develop their company further.

SABII is a joint program to foster startup entrepreneurship for African and Swiss startups. Science-based business founders are selected to participate in an advanced workshop in a key African innovation hub. This year, the program was supposed to take place in Marrakesh, but because of COVID-19, the training was held online.

Nevertheless, participants expressed a great appreciation for the knowledge, skills, and advice that was shared during the three days: “The Swiss Africa Business Innovation Initiative was vital in moving our business from A to B, as for the first time, we can clearly and precisely tell investors why we make the customers’ lives better,” explained Imodoye Abioro, founder of Lend an Arm.



On the last day, each startup presented in front of a jury of experts. The eight best projects were subsequently invited to Switzerland in 2021 for a one-week trip to meet with business peers and acquire insights into the local startup ecosystem.

“The impressive display of startups coming from all around Africa brought an amazing dynamic to this edition of SABII. Even online, the expertise sharing among participants, including sessions with the Swiss and African entrepreneurs, offered a great platform to address business development strategies and opportunities. Now, we look forward to being able to welcome the SABII winners in Switzerland when international travel safely resumes,” summarizes Jordi Monserrat, managing partner at Venturelab.
 

Congratulations to the eight selected startups! 
 
BACE Technologies Limited (Ghana): At BACE, we are committed to satisfying the identity verification requirements of African businesses. 
 
Dawa Clinic Limited (Zambia): Dawa Health is an AI-powered platform reshaping access to maternal health for pregnant and nursing mothers in low-income communities of Africa. 
 
Kwiky (Botswana): Kwiky is a platform that allows micro-lenders to provide credit within 48 hours to street vendors and students. 
 
Lend an Arm (Nigeria): Lend an Arm is a smart blood bank, leveraging AI, digital technology, and drones to ensure blood is supplied to patients in less than 30 minutes. 
 
MAVIMPY Care (Congo): MAVIMPY Care will facilitate African and Congolese emergency medical assistance and will play a priority role in preventive and curative medicine. 
 
Natal Cares (Nigeria): Natal Cares harnesses mobile technology and machine learning to combat maternal and infant mortality, especially in under-served communities and IDP camps in Nigeria. 
 
Salubata (Nigeria): Salubata creates very stylish $44 shoes made from plastic waste. 
 
SnooCODE Limited (Ghana): SnooCODE RED is an offline digital system that enables emergency responders to determine the nearest ambulance or hospital and navigate easily between these points, improving response time and chances of survival in an emergency. 
 
 
Thank you to our partners: the University of Basel, AfriLabs, and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI.