Seven African tech companies have been awarded as Technology Pioneers by World Economic. The companies: 54gene (Nigeria), Kuda (Nigeria), Sokowatch (Kenya), Moringa School (Kenya), FlexFin Tx (Zimbabwe), Cambridge Industries (Eithopia) and mPharma (Ghana) were selected among hundreds of candidates as part of the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers.’
The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the use of new technologies and innovation that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.
With their selection as a Technology Pioneers, the CEOs and Founders of these companies will be invited to participate at the World Economic Forum activities, events and discussions throughout the year. The companies will also contribute to Forum initiatives over the next two years, working with global leaders to help address key industry and societal issues.
Speaking on the development, 54gene’s Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong said, “It is truly an honour to be recognised as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum. This is testament to the outstanding collective output of the 54gene team to address global health disparities, and to imagine a world where precision medicine applies equally to all irrespective of one’s geographical location or economic status. There’s a long journey ahead and we look forward to continuing to collaborate and innovate with other mission-driven organizations all over the world.”
Sokowatch’s Daniel Yu said, “It’s a great privilege to be acknowledged as a pioneer by the World Economic Forum. “We are continuously looking at how technology can transform the supply chain for informal retailers and improve access to goods for the mass market. The informal retail sector makes up 80% of total retail but is extremely fragmented; introducing technology has enabled a simplified and seamless process that is slowly turning a traditionally unprofitable market into a profitable one.”
For the first time in the community’s history, over 30% of the cohorts are led by women. The firms also come from regions all around the world, extending their community far beyond Silicon Valley. This year’s cohort includes start-ups from 26 economies, with UAE, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe represented for the first time.
The diversity of these companies extends to their innovations as well. 2021 Tech Pioneer firms are shaping the future by advancing technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and many more. The full list of Technology Pioneers can be found here.
Technology Pioneers have been selected based on the community’s selection criteria, which includes innovation, impact and leadership as well as the company’s relevance with the World Economic Forum’s Platforms.
All info on this year’s Technology Pioneers can be found here: http://wef.ch/techpioneers21
More information on past winners, information on the community and the application link can be found here.
