Fifteen African early-stage tech startups, including two from Nigeria, focusing on the African space industry have been selected to progress in the next step of the prestigious Space Tech Challenge.
The two Nigerian Startups that made it to the nest stage of the Challenge are FieldDev and Agro Data.
FieldDev is an agribusiness-focused geographic information system (GIS) mapping provider that manages and maps data of smallholder farmers’ and transforms them into virtual geo-clusters through geospatial analysis.
Agro Data, on the other hand, optimises tropical farming through technologies.
Hosted by multiple partners including the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and ZA Space Ince, the Space-Tech Challenge aims to develop early-stage tech startups that are aimed at empowering Africa through space-tech innovation, according to a report in Ventureburn.
The challenge has defined space tech as a set of applications that use earth observation, gather information about the physical, chemical, and biological systems of the planet all via remote-sensing technologies.
As the African space-tech sector is a rapidly growing industry, the challenge’s objectives are to develop the selected participating startups into sustainable companies and develop the continent’s geospatial readiness.
This will in turn allow African businesses to service the continent’s demand for geospatial intelligence.
The finalists of this challenge will undergo a two-week business development support programme and pitch their innovations to a panel of expert and industry representatives judges.
Each participant will go head-to-head for a spot in the Top 10 winners.
The overall winner will be awarded a SecureWatch Premium 5GB valid for three months and to the value of $12 500.
Second and third place will be awarded SecureWatch Premium 2GB valued for three months and is valued at $5 000.
In addition, the winners will receive a four-month incubation and virtual mentorship along with access to a peer-to-peer network via the TechTribe.
Lastly, the selected winners will have the opportunity to pitch their unique idea to a MAXAR representative.