Investment opportutnies for Botswana startups

Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub (BDIH) recently collaborated with Angel Network Botswana (ANB) to host a Deal Day, scouting talent from BDIH innovators. The Deal Day gave startups and entrepreneurs, who have received technical and business support and advice throughout their incubation journey, the opportunity to pitch to potential investors, as well as providing them with partners, coaches and mentors, and access to new markets.

The BDIH selected a pool of companies based on their solution’s value and societal impact in addressing at least one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The solution’s stage of development with at least a working prototype, the originality of the idea and its potential to scale coupled with knowledge and capability of the team formed part of the selection criteria.

Commenting on the Deal Day, Acting CEO of Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub, Tshepo Tsheko said, “We value the importance of Angel investors in the innovation ecosystem, they provide more than money. They are hands-on investors who contribute their skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts in the businesses they invest in. We are delighted to work with ANB to support the innovators’ growth and wealth creation”.

Angel Network Botswana Chairperson, Mythri Sambasivan-George said: “Our very first entry into the startup ecosystem was under the auspices of BDIH (then BIH) in late 2019. Since then, ANB was formally incorporated and the board and its members, now in excess of 50 private investors, have worked passionately to build mutually impactful partnerships such as with BDIH, which we are proud of. We will continue to deliver measurable change, value and progress through mentorship, networks and quality deal-flow. We see a high potential, growing private sector in Botswana and beyond.”

The Deal Day featured the following 8 companies offering different solutions:

• Corrugated Minds “ShareAride”: a mobile and web application solution that makes it easy to access public transport and book a seat, eliminating long queues at peak travel times.
• Doctors E- Consult: an online doctor consultation mobile application, which is a doctor/patient consulting room on a phone or device.
• Skymartbw: an e-commerce online marketplace that is transforming the local and regional industry.
• IoT Communications: a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) service that will make it affordable for individuals and enterprises to monitor the operational and safety status of their assets from the comfort of their homes.
• Ipachi Mobile Application: uses machine learning to deliver an intelligent financial management system which can seamlessly fit the lifestyle of the user.
• Scoot Logistics: provides transport and delivery solutions through a technology-based platform.
•  Ked Liphi: a fully automated machine with facial recognition capabilities, auto sanitation features, auto thermal temperature detection including a unique in-built mobile application and an ID/passport scanning port for border access control and security profiling.
• Sign Coach: An assistive mobile app technology for bridging the communication barrier between the hearing and the impaired hearing members of our society.

Visit https://www.bih.co.bw/ to find out more about Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub and how they are supporting local entrepreneurs, or download the latest edition of the IASP Africa Division Publication, where this story first appeared, to learn more about innovation support on the African continent.