Nigerian startup Global Air Drone Academy (GADA) emerged as the winner of the grand prize of £20,000 in the first ‘African Drone Business Challenge’, hosted by the African Drone Forum (ADF) in Rwanda.
Founded by Nigerian Eno Umoh and American Austin Brown, Global Air Drone Academy is a non-profit drone education and training organization. The organisation is dedicated to providing STEM-based, hands-on learning experiences that introduce youth and adults to the exciting world of drone technology.
GADA beat 9 other startups who attended the Africa Drone Forum in Kigali and participated in a two-day pitch boot camp facilitated by Seedstars. The 10 finalists were selected from a competitive pool of almost 150 submissions from 31 African countries.
Applicants were asked to provide business concepts that focused on leveraging drone technology to generate new business opportunities. Proposals were evaluated by a panel of local and international judges and scored based on several factors including: potential for growth and sustainability, focus on using drones for social good, and the economic empowerment of African communities.
“The World Bank is proud to support these promising startups as they gain momentum and continue to push their business ideas forward. By participating in the African Drone Forum, entrepreneurs will get exposure to both local and global players within the drone industry,” said Yasser El-Gammal, World Bank Country Manager in Rwanda, the host country for the African Drone Forum.
Jessica Brown, Development and Grants Manager for the Global Air Drone Academy says that the prize money will be used to construct a permanent drone training, education and research center in Lagos, Nigeria.
Since 2016 they have trained over 6,000 students in 400+ schools, and in 8 countries worldwide
