by Emma Okonji
Organisers of the GenesysIGNITE technology pitch and conference for startups have said that over 1000 technology startups and technology savvy Nigerians have indicated their interests to participate in this year’s GenesysIGNITE competition holding in Enugu tomorrow. Winners will go home with $30,000 seed fund.
GenesysIGNITE, is being organised by Genesys Tech Hub in collaboration with CFAtech.ng, and this will be the first time in the South-east and South-south region of the country, where technology startups will compete for a seed investment of $30,000 in cash, in addition to the support that will be given to the three start-ups that will be selected by the panel of judges.
The development has been commended by a number of technology experts that have adjudged the tech pitch to be timely in order to ensure that young people in various parts of Nigeria are also given opportunities to grow.
Among the 1000 registration, a total of 147 start-ups entered for the competition and at the end of the day, nine of them were selected to pitch before a panel of judges made up of the Founder of Startup Arewa, Mohammed Ibrahim; CEO of iBez Solutions, Ommo Clark; Manager at Heartland Incubation Hub, Kolapo Ogungbile; Manager at Ventures Platform, Kayode Oyewole; Founder of Startups South, Uche Aniche; Chairman of Dragon Africa, Obi Asika and Presenter, Tech Trends on Channels TV, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr.
Speaking ahead of the selection process, Founder of GenesysTechHub, Kingsley Eze, expressed optimism and confidence in the credibility as well as the wealth of experience of the judges. “We believe that the expertise and integrity of the judges will also boost the credibility of the selection process,” Eze said.
According to him, judges would also inspire the selected and invited startups as well as the South-east tech community in general.
The selected startups that will pitch before the panel of judges are Touchabl pictures; Barter9ja; House of Uwe; Uzaali; Playjoor; Gallantry Sphere; Matta; Tutor Finder and Farm Market. The winners will be announced tomorrow during the event.
The managing Director of Genesys Tech Hub, Nnamdi Anika, who was part of the pre-selection team, said: “the quality of start-ups that entered for the competition is quite encouraging but what many of them need is a structured way of nurturing their ventures which is exactly what we are providing at our incubation centre.â€
In his view, Agbata Jnr. said the main objective is to discuss latest technology trends as it affects the region and to proffer professional insights particularly for the participating startups.
