The Safaricom App Wiz Challenge is a three months long accelerator program that aims to help selected innovators leveraging on mobile technology move from idea/prototype to product or service within an incubation period of 3 months. The program is an initiative of Safaricom LTD in collaboration with @iBizAfrica- Strathmore University.
Safaricom App wiz challenge aims to become the best mobile startup accelerator program in the East African region launching successful start-ups into the Kenyan market. The program entails a training curriculum specifically tailored for technology startups, mentoring and coaching from industry/subject matter experts and successful entrepreneurs. Over the last two years the program has helped launch close to 30 startup companies.
The categories available for this challenge are as follows:
- Customer Engagement Solutions. This includes solutions in that can be used by businesses to better engage with their customers in a fun new, creative and revolutionary way to promote their existing products and services. These solutions do not include social media solutions, call center based applications or feedback tools
- Safaricom Product Excellence Solutions: including mobile solutions that address the gap in Safaricom products and services. An Example of a solution developed this way was Safaricom M-Ledger which has allowed customers to easily access their MPESA statements through an application.
- Mobile convenience: These include mobile solutions that can be able to provide convenience to everyday activities carried out by customers. Examples of such solutions developed include payment of power and utility bills through MPESA on a customer device. These solutions should not include new types of Lipa or Okoa.
- Out of the box solutions: which include solutions deemed crazy, novel, impossible and out of the box. Examples include solutions in Machine to Machine technology or robotics that leverage on mobile communication.
Winners of the Safaricom Appwiz Developer Challenge will receive the following in cash prizes
- Grand Prize Winner – Kshs.1.5 million (Payable in 3 installments based on milestone achievement)
- 1st Runner-up – Kshs.1 million (Payable in 3 installments based on milestone achievement)
- 2nd Runner-up – Kshs.500,000 (Payable in 2 installments based on milestone achievement)
The date for Submission Closure is the 14th of August, 2016.
Click here for more information.
