UDOM SHINES IN AN INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEUR COMPETION

TANZANIA has shined in the Africa’s MTN Entrepreneurship Challenge competition which involve youths including those from more than 100 universities in Africa, after a group which represented the country in the competition known as the Vicoba App, was shortlisted as one of the finalists in the continental competition.

The Tanzanian group which comprises of two University of Dodoma graduates, Justice Donatus, (computer engineering) and Sofia Mmbaga, (software engineering), was shortlisted as one of the three finalists in the competition, which attracted more than 700 applications involving more than 1,000 youths, from 26 African countries.

The competition is organized by MTN Group, a marketing operator, the online shopping group Jumia and MTN Solution Space, based at the University Of Cape Town Graduate School Of Business. The challenge aims to boost entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as build a stronger and more sustainable business environment on the continent.

In an exclusive interview with the Business Times recently, one of the Tanzania’s Vicoba App group members, Justice Donatus, the competition which kicked off in February, this year, students were invited to develop a unique digital application or smart solution to address a problem faced in Africa.

“Our group submitted an application termed Vicoba App which was based on the now popular Village Community Bank in Tanzania, (Vicoba), which is an important instrument of development network, which allows people especially small entrepreneurs, who do not have access to conventional bank accounts to access funds which will enable them access funds to boost their businesses”, he said.

According to him, the process started by the groups taking part in their respective countries which were recognized by the organizers as Regions and that in Tanzania there were 18 applicants.

“Eight applications were shortlisted to find Tanzanian finalists and this is where Vicoba App was selected to represent Tanzania in the finals of the regional level of the competition which is scheduled for South Africa, in May, this year”, he said.

He named the other two finalists as a Pass.ng, a web, desktop and mobile-based CBT examination preparatory and testing platform from Nigeria and MedRX App, an interactive health platform for users who have health needs, from Ghana.

According to Donatus, their group’s win to the final wasn’t an easy job because they had to pass different parts including presentations inside and outside the country to rich that height.

“The process involved more than 700 applications from 26 countries including Tanzania; the ideas were narrowed down, with 11 live pitch events taking place from Cameroon to South Africa, to shortlist the top three candidates who will pitch their business ideas at the Entrepreneurship Festival in Cape Town, in May this year”, he said.

Donatus continued to say that the winners would be announced at the Entrepreneurship Festival with the top team being awarded the opportunity for incubation at the premises of either the MTN Solution Space at the University Of Cape Town Graduate School Of Business or at one of the nine Jumia offices across Africa.