Vambo Technologies, a digital language platform co-founded by Chido Dzinotyiwei and Isheanesu Misi, has been selected as one of 10 African startups to pitch their products at the prestigious Demo Day in New York City. This event, scheduled for September 25, 2024, will take place at the NBA headquarters as part of “Triple-Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator,” an initiative launched to bolster Africa’s tech ecosystem and support the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
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| Chido Dzinotyiwei and Isheanesu Misi |
Vambo Technologies has developed a digital language platform that leverages AI for real-time translation, content creation, and language learning. What sets Vambo AI apart is its commitment to digital inclusion, offering support for widely spoken languages like Amharic, Yoruba, French, and Portuguese and for more niche African languages. This inclusive approach facilitates broader access to digital tools and services across the continent, making Vambo a key player in advancing Africa’s digital landscape.
As one of the 10 selected startups, Vambo Technologies will compete alongside other innovative African companies like Gara from Côte d’Ivoire, which focuses on pan-African gaming and comics, and Nigeria’s Buzza, which provides digital solutions for sports organizations. These startups will present their pitches to a panel of international industry leaders at the Demo Day, where four winning companies will be awarded financial support and mentorship opportunities, including access to workshops and development programs hosted by NBA Africa and its partners.
“We have been inspired by the level of talent and creativity from all of the applicants, and we congratulate the 10 deserving finalists who will showcase their innovative solutions at Demo Day later this month,” said Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa.
Operated by ALX Ventures, the NBA Africa Startup Accelerator focuses on startups developing solutions in fields such as event management, youth development, AI, and digital marketing. Vambo’s inclusion in this cohort highlights the increasing demand for language technologies that promote digital accessibility across Africa, particularly in underrepresented regions and communities.
The four prize-winning startups will be announced following Demo Day, marking a significant milestone in the journey of Vambo Technologies and the broader African tech ecosystem.
Here are the 10 African Startups Selected by the NBA to Pitch Their Products at Demo Day in New York City on Sept. 25.
- Backrest (Rwanda) provides a wearable technology solution called WristWrist for venues and event organizers to facilitate cashless payments at event venues. WristWrist provides a payment system whereby attendees can load money onto wristbands before an event and spend it at the venue through seamless, quick transactions.
- Buzza (Nigeria) helps sports organizations improve their operations through digital solutions, including enabling organizations to transition from paper-based to digital management, setting up websites, collecting payments, and growing revenue. Athletes can also sign up for the platform to track their matches and scores and build their profiles to become more prominent sports figures and influencers across Africa.
- Festival Coins (Nigeria) is an event technology company that offers a customizable, no-code event registration and ticketing platform called Tix Africa for events in Nigeria and Ghana. It enables event organizers to sell tickets online, process payments, and handle on-site registrations.
- Gara (Côte d’Ivoire) is a pan-African video gaming and comics platform that encourages and facilitates the distribution of digital entertainment experiences on the continent. Through culturally relevant products, including games featuring local celebrities and adaptable payment systems for local currencies, Gara aims to facilitate greater reach and monetization of the creative and cultural industries on the continent.
- HustleSasa (Kenya) provides live event services that support payment processing, attendee check-in, merchandise sales, customer data management, influencer tracking, and more.
- Naemo Global (Nigeria) aims to revolutionize sports scouting on the African continent through its proprietary scouting software Afriskaut, which utilizes data analytics and AI. The Afriskaut platform processes football match videos and extracts critical data, which it makes available to clients via a platform and application programming interface (API) to support scouting the next generation of elite talent.
- Power to Girls Foundation (Ghana) provides a social connection and mentorship platform called My Power App dedicated to empowering and supporting girls and women ages 13-20. The platform provides educational resources, connects users with mentors, offers a confidential helpline, and fosters a supportive community of like-minded girls, addressing critical growth areas such as education, mental health, and personal development.
- Salubata (Nigeria) creates modular shoes repurposed from plastic waste. With a global patent and two design rights for its innovation, the company aims to reduce the global carbon footprint through its environmentally friendly products.
- UBR VR (Egypt) delivers state-of-the-art, fully immersive, in-person virtual reality (VR) experiences across Egypt. Its rich historical and fantasy VR worlds are culturally relevant and localized, allowing players to roam freely in enclosed spaces and interact with each other in a designated play area. These VR experiences are unparalleled in the country and foster a sense of connection to both the local community and fellow players.
- Vambo Technologies (South Africa) provides a digital language technology platform that leverages AI to provide real-time translation, content creation, and language learning technology. Vambo AI offers widely spoken languages such as Amharic, Yoruba, French and Portuguese, and offers more niche languages spoken across Africa to facilitate true digital inclusion on the continent.