The AfricArena Tunis Summit wrapped up on Thursday afternoon with a dazzling awards ceremony, capping off two days of insightful discussions and fierce start-up pitch battles. The event spotlighted Tunisia’s burgeoning tech and start-up scene, underlining the nation’s pivotal role in propelling Africa’s digital transformation forward.
The summit featured start-ups from across the African continent, each presenting unique and innovative solutions.
AfricArena, known for its 2021 and 2022 summits held under the AfricArena North Africa Summit banner, revamped this year’s event to align with Tunisia’s growing reputation as an African and global AI and deep tech hub.
Spearheaded by AfricArena founder and CEO Christophe Viarnaud, the summit celebrated the country’s outstanding progress in the technology sector, with Viarnaud noting a significant uptick in investments over recent years.
At the awards ceremony, winners from each pitch track were unveiled, earning accolades and support for their groundbreaking ideas. Esteemed personalities, including Nejia Gharbi, director-general at Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations; Yasmine Laribi, head of unit ecosystem promotion and culture of entrepreneurship and innovation at Expertise France; and Magda Mahjoub, digital transformation specialist at GIZ Tunisia, presented the awards.
These winners not only received recognition but also secured a spot in the final rounds at the AfricArena Cape Town Grand Summit, scheduled for 5 and 6 December The ultimate champion of this year’s AfricArena tour will be revealed at the event in South Africa and will walk away with a $25 000 cash prize.
Best AI start-up: NextAV, Tunisia
NextAV CTO Bilel Khlaifia proudly received the award. This Tunisian geospatial start-up excels in AI-powered remote sensing, using satellite imagery and upcoming airborne data. They offer vital insights into vast assets, from power networks to urban landscapes, spanning thousands of kilometers.
NextAV’s advanced AI models spot areas of interest on interactive maps, boosting operational efficiency and decision-making while reducing environmental impact.
Best deeptech start-up: Kumulus Water, Tunisia
Water from thin air? Yes! Kumulus Water co-founder and CEO Iheb Triki accepted this award. This Tunisian start-up tackles the global water crisis head-on with an ingenious invention. Their innovative machine extracts drinkable water from the sun and air, producing 20 to 30 liters daily without electricity or external water sources.
Addressing the urgent need for clean water, Kumulus provides stable access, especially in arid regions, schools, and villages. Beyond humanitarian efforts, they target businesses, advocating eco-friendly alternatives and reducing plastic bottle usage.
Best edtech start-up: Gamer’s Territory, South Africa
Tshepiso Malema, CEO of Gamer’s Territory and Sgela, captivated the jury. Gamer’s Territory harnesses gaming and virtual reality to bridge societal gaps, while Sgela introduces an interactive educational game aligned with the national curriculum.
By promoting critical skills and inclusivity, it is poised to revolutionize education. These initiatives are guiding lights, shaping a future where every learner’s potential knows no bounds.
Best health-tech start-up: Viventis, Tunisia
Mehdi Bouzouita, COO of Viventis, received the award for the start-up’s innovative approach to improving healthcare access in Africa.
Specializing in designing and manufacturing homecare products for chronic illnesses, Viventis tackles high costs associated with medical devices through smart solutions, including device maintenance, tracking, and ergonomic designs tailored to patients’ unique needs. Their dedication aims to enhance healthcare affordability and quality across the continent.
Best women in tech AI start-up: Blassa
Amel Abid, Blassa’s founder, and COO, received the award for their revolutionary checkout solution. Blassa simplifies the process by offering a one-click address collection feature that automatically fills in shipping and billing details, saving users valuable time. This efficient approach benefits both businesses and customers, ensuring a swift and hassle-free address-sharing experience.
Once users join Blassa’s network, their address information seamlessly integrates with participating retailers, enhancing conversion rates at checkout. Its secure and customizable pre-built address collection adjusts effortlessly to customers’ location requirements, making it an ideal choice for businesses operating across diverse locations.
Best seed start-up: Konnect, Tunisia
Bechir Neifer, head of business development at Konnect, secured this award for the Tunisian start-up. Konnect, a trailblazer in online payment solutions, utilizes existing banking systems to provide businesses with seamless and secure transactions. Through innovative tokenization technology, they guarantee lightning-fast, real-time payments.
Konnect’s streamlined mobile payment platform not only reduces launch delays and global costs but also empowers African MSMEs with accessible and highly secure digital payment solutions, elevating their growth and operational efficiency to new heights.
Most innovative business model: Hyo-Tech, Tunisia.
The award was presented to Bilel Gassara, founder and CEO of Hyo-Tech. The cutting-edge Tunisian start-up was born from extensive research conducted by the Digital Research Centre of Sfax and nurtured through the TECHNORIAT programme. HyO-Tec is revolutionizing the energy landscape.
Specializing in the generation, conversion, and storage of renewable energies, they manufacture scalable energy storage systems centered around the production and storage of green hydrogen and oxygen. The innovative technology not only drives sustainability but also offers efficient and eco-friendly solutions to meet the world’s energy needs.
Most promising entrepreneur: Deaf Square
Sonia Nasfi, CEO, and founder, along with Nourelimen Nasfi, co-founder and CMO, accepted the award on behalf of Deaf Square. This global career accelerator is committed to empowering the deaf community, offering tailored learning experiences with sign language-interpreted courses and certifications.
Their career centre supports personal development through interview mock-ups and job opportunities, while their vibrant online events and community space connect deaf individuals worldwide.
Most attractive investor: Hamed Masri from Silicon Badia
Silicon Badia is a venture capital firm known for collaborating with passionate and daring entrepreneurs to address global challenges. Established in 2012, the firm has invested in more than 100 tech start-ups worldwide, totaling over $30 billion in cumulative value. Their investments span across 15 diverse tech sectors.
