Tech startups to reap from new strategy

By  Winsley Masese

Kenya’s tech startups are likely to benefit from the launch of a competition dubbed Pivot East that promises to nurture innovative ideas.

The new strategy seeks to identify, mentors and assist upcoming tech firms become better businesses that are able to create wealth and jobs for the economy.

Organised by m:lab East Africa, the event specifically targets the mobile application space to ensure development of cutting edge technologies. m:lab is a consortium comprising iHub, eMobilis, University of Nairobi and the World Wide Web Foundation. Prospective entries have till April 11, to submit their entries in the various categories — Mobile Enterprise, Mobile Finance, Mobile Entertainment, Mobile Society and Mobile Utilities that are up for grabs.

About 25 finalists will be picked for support and will be assisted to improve their business models so as to position the startups for potential investors, industry players, government players and development partners.

The finalists’ conference will be held on June 24 and 25, 2014 in Nairobi, after a successful event in Kampala Uganda last year.

In the past three editions, PIVOT East has drawn applicants from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and The DRC. This year the competition has expanded the scope of applicants to include Ethiopia.

The competition will also boost the visibility of the startups and present them with exposure in their efforts to grow faster.

Since 2011, the competition has identified and supported 75 mobile startups in the country as finalists in the competition.