Airbus hosts #Africa4Future startups at innovators summit in Cape Town

Press Release from Airbus Bizlab

Airbus Africa4Future Bizlab
Africa4Future launch in Toulouse, France. Photo Credit: MEST Africa

Participants in the latest #Africa4Future programme for innovative African tech startups will present their business ventures and solutions to experts, investors and other stakeholders at an innovators summit in Cape Town today, 10 May 2019.

#Africa4Future is a joint business accelerator of Airbus and GIZ’s Make-IT in Africa initiative, together with the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa, an entrepreneurial training programme, seed fund and Pan-African incubator and Innocircle, the South Africa-based innovation consultancy. It is dedicated to African tech startups that are actively working on aerospace-based solutions to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges.

It aims to increase the application of new technologies and processes such as:

  • Automation and drones
  • Electrification and connectivity
  • Blockchain and cybersecurity
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Data analytics and new materials or manufacturing techniques
  • Virtual Reality and Artificial Reality
  • New Space solutions and Smart Cities

Today’s programme is taking place at the CITI Incubator,  3rd floor, Woodstock Exchange, 401a, Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town.

In addition to the startup presentations, experts will also lead a series of workshops on smart
cities and villages, image analytics and drone testing.

At the Saturday morning’s showcase event, the startups will demonstrate their concepts at the Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science & Technology, Firgrove Way in Constantia.

The 10 startups were selected from 314 entries in 19 African countries in the second season of the #Africa4Future Challenge when it opened last October. They focus on the application of aerospace-related solutions, including automation, drones, artificial intelligence and data analytics in addressing serious challenges in various parts of the continent, such as healthcare, water management, food security, agriculture, environmental monitoring, land use and the development of smart cities and villages.

Since January, the startups have participated in an intensive mentorship and business acceleration programme, including bootcamps held in Kenya, France, Germany and South Africa. The programme will end next month when the startups present their solutions at closing Demo Days in Berlin and at the biennial Paris Air Show.

Read the profile of the ten selected startups.

About Airbus BizLab

Airbus BizLab is a global aerospace accelerator, where startups and Airbus intrapreneurs speed up the transformation of innovative ideas into valuable businesses. For more information about #Africa4Future, please find us at www.airbus-bizlab.com/africa4future

About Make-IT Africa

The “Tech Entrepreneurship initiative, Make-IT in Africa” promotes digital innovation for sustainable and inclusive development in Africa. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH implements this project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), as part of BMZ’s Digital Africa Initiative. In close collaboration with more than 30 corporate and financing partners, social enterprises, hubs and networks, “Make-IT in Africa” supports the growth of an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs in the digital economy – to facilitate better access to finance.

About Airbus

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.