SpeedUp Africa
The Kwanji team recently returned from a powerfully productive trip to Ghana, where we’d been selected to attend one of the continent’s most prodigious growth and investment events for startups: SpeedUp Africa.
Launched by legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper and Toro Orero, Managing Partner of DraperDarkFlow; a US-based VC fund focused on helping African startups scale quickly. SpeedUp Africa brought together the founders of 91 of Africa’s best and brightest startups for four days, beginning July 6th.
With a primary focus on speeding up the growth of technology across the region, the founders were able to collaborate with a who’s who from the world of global tech. Joining Draper and Orero were key figures from Google, 500 Startups, Seedstars and F6S. All were on hand to provide networking, mentoring, one-on-one workshops and growth hacking sessions.
The event was a rousing success for the Kwanji team. Our focus on breaking down the barriers of trade that currently inhibit African businesses from realising their true trade potential really struck a chord with our assembled peers.
What really made SpeedUp Africa stand out for us though, was the ability for our team to share, learn and collaborate with some truly inspiring of founders, entrepreneurs, and tech evangelists. We’re truly honoured to have been given this opportunity to meet and work with some of the most exciting and innovative startups from across Africa.
We were absolutely blown away by the quality on show and feel it’s only right that we take the opportunity to showcase our fellow startups who made SpeedUp Africa such a memorable experience. These include:
The Haller Farmers App – An exciting new web-based smartphone app, Haller’s goal is to provide and promote a model for economic development that is sustainable and environmentally sound by providing basic and sustainable agricultural techniques for smallholder farmers. Follow: @HallerFarmers.
Connect Med – An online medical practice optimised to Africa’s technical,medical, and cultural context, Connect Med is on a mission to enable all Africans to live longer, healthier, happier lives no matter their income level. Follow: @ConnectMedZA.
E Campus – On a mission is to put educational and examinable academic content at the fingertips of everyone everywhere in Africa, E Campus is a truly inspiring online teaching and learning platform. Follow: @My_eCampus.
Trade – A super platform that connects buyers, sellers and transporters across Ghana. Follow: @TradeGhana.
TalentBase – The leading HR and payroll technology in Nigeria. TalentBase is an affordable and easy-to-use HRM solution enabling HR managers and growing businesses simplify and organise their HR processes. Follow: @TalentBaseNG.
NerveFlo – Africa’s 1st unified digital content marketplace, NerveFlo allows digital content creators to rapidly distribute their work to the ever-growing African market. Follow: @nerveflostore.
Hotels.ng – With 7,000 hotels on its platform and an operation that spans across 21 regions in Nigeria, with over a million hotel searches on the platform to date. Follow: @hotelsng.
Of course, this list only just scratches the surface. We recommend you take the time to check out the full cohort of startups by clicking here.
Without a doubt, our time at SpeedUp Africa served to reaffirm that technology, enterprise and entrepreneurship is booming in Africa. We expect events like this to only be the tip of the iceberg, as respected tech investors from around the world flock to the continent, helping a burgeoning ecosystem to rapidly expand.
We’d like to wish the very best to our peers and send a massive ‘thank you’ to SpeedUp Africa for selecting us to join the event.
