The Global Startup Awards (GSA) Africa, in collaboration with the Global Innovation Initiative Group (GIIG), has named the 15 African winners at the GSA Africa Finale held in Cape Town, South Africa at The Unique Summit. Among the top 15 African winners celebrated at the GSA Africa Finale, Kenya was represented by Octavia Carbon, crowned Best GreenTech startup, highlighting the country’s leadership in sustainable innovation.
The Summit was brought to Cape Town by the Global StartupCities Initiative and UVU Africa as convenor of StartupCity Cape Town and supported by the City of Cape Town, Wesgro, Fetola, UVU Bio and Robertson Winery showcasing a unified commitment to advancing African innovation.
With attendees from 30 nationalities participating in the summit, the event showcased the power of a truly global ecosystem to amplify local impact. This year, GSA Africa achieved a remarkable 57% increase in applications, bringing the total to an impressive 27,814 entries between 2021 and 2024. This growth reflects the growing momentum to find, fund, and grow transformative solutions aligned to Sustainable Development Goals. The awards have mobilised over 300 jury members, ambassadors, and hundreds of innovation hubs across the continent to recognise and amplify tech-driven solutions addressing global challenges.
This year’s winners hailed from eight African nations: South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, and Zambia. They represent a wide array of industries and highlight the incredible diversity of talent and ingenuity driving Africa’s innovation ecosystem forward. Notably this year, 23% of entries represented women and youth in tech, underscoring the critical role of diversity in shaping the future of African entrepreneurship.
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“On behalf of the City of Cape Town, congratulations to all the winners of the Global Startup Awards. I am especially proud of the three Cape Town-based startups, Loop, Ocean Hub and SeaH4, for once again putting our city on the innovation map. Your ideas, inventions and persistence have the potential to build an economy that is sustainable and inclusive and create a better tomorrow for us all.” shares James Vos Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.”
Jo Griffiths, Founder of GIIG and GSA Africa rights holder, said: “Collaboration lies at the heart of transforming Africa’s startup ecosystem. Through partnerships and actionable initiatives, we’re not only celebrating Africa’s innovators but also creating a ripple effect of sustainable impact. By harnessing data-driven insights and fostering cross-border collaboration, we’re building an ecosystem that thrives on shared success.”
Kim Balle, Founder of GSA Global, added: “The expansion of GSA into new regions is a testament to the power of global collaboration. By building bridges between Africa and the world, we’re fostering a robust ecosystem that supports innovators from every corner of the continent. As we look to 2025, our focus will be on mobilizing African ecosystems to ensure we celebrate and grow together. We’ll soon announce the countries hosting GSA Africa activities for the upcoming year, underscoring our commitment to a thriving pan-African ecosystem.”
2024 African Winners
- Women in Tech: Anna Ekeledo (Nigeria) – Executive Director of AfriLabs, a network of over 450 tech hubs in 53 countries.
- Accelerator/Incubator Program: OceanHub Africa (South Africa) – Advancing ocean-impact solutions for sustainable development.
- Best Green Tech: Octavia Carbon (Kenya) – Pioneering geothermal-integrated DAC technology to combat climate change.
- Youth Startup of the Year: Ultrateb (Egypt) – Revolutionizing healthcare e-commerce to improve efficiency and access.
- Founder of the Year: Bethelhem Dejene (Ethiopia) – Championing environmental sustainability through Zafree Papers.
- Best AgriTech: Winich Farms (Nigeria) – Enabling rural smallholder farmers with commerce infrastructure and embedded finance.
- Startup of the Year: SeaH4 PTY Ltd (South Africa) – Creating biofuels and e-fuels from seaweed and green hydrogen.
- Best Coworking Space: Silikin Village (DRC) – Empowering startups through talent development and innovation.
- Best Health Tech: Pharmarun (Nigeria) – Connecting patients to medications through an on-demand platform.
- Best FinTech: Chari (Morocco) – Providing embedded e-commerce and financial services to small stores.
- Best Newcomer: Mytochondria Group (Zambia) – Revolutionizing agriculture with smart soil sensors.
- Best Mobility & Logistics: Loop (South Africa) – Bridging formal and informal markets with innovative transport solutions.
- Ecosystem Hero of the Year: Dr. Eng. Nabil Shalaby (Egypt)– A prolific author and advocate for entrepreneurship.
- Investor of the Year: EdVentures (Egypt) – Driving innovation in education and learning solutions.
- GIIG Future Shaper: Medref Healthbridge Solutions (Uganda) – Ensuring healthcare is accessible and where every child has a chance to thrive.
The African winners will now have the opportunity to advance to the global stage, representing the continent at the Global Startup Awards Grand Finale, where they will gain global recognition, amplified visibility to investors, connect with the extended GSA network of leading industry experts and founders.
These startups will have the opportunity to engage with the GIIG Africa Fund, a unique profit and purpose fund that invests in world changing technologies creating entire new markets and growing disruptive industries.
As GSA Africa sets its sights on 2025, the focus will be on fostering greater collaboration, strengthening ecosystems, and continuing to celebrate the innovators shaping Africa’s future. Stay tuned for announcements on the countries hosting next year’s GSA Africa activities.
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