The achievements of some of the African technology, telecommunications, and media industry’s most illustrious pioneers and tech entrepreneurs, will once again be feted at the prestigious Africa Tech Festival Awards scheduled to be held on November 15th, 2023 at the Bay Hotel in Camp’s Bay, Cape Town, South Africa.
Africa Tech Festival is a standout, not only in its recognition of the achievements of the companies and people who are making a difference in the lives of countless Africans, but for its reputation as an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and conversation in the company of some of the industry’s hottest talent.
Nominations are open in 10 categories. For this year’s awards, the Africa Tech Festival team has taken the event up yet another notch, introducing a new award category — the Creative Visionary Award, to commend the remarkable forerunners in the African media, broadcasting, and entertainment industries.
Overseeing the development of the awards and responsible for the overall festival’s successful delivery each year, James Williams, Director of Events at Connecting Africa and Informa Tech in a press statement said the awards are all about celebrating the optimists in the industry for whom every challenge is a possibility and a solution waiting to be discovered and implemented.
Nominations are open until Sep. 7th, 2023, with short-listed candidates to be announced on September 11th, 2023. Submission of nominations is done on the Africa Tech Festival website (SUBMIT NOMINATIONS HERE). A panel of judges will choose the short-listed candidates, and thereafter, the winners will be selected via a public vote.
Williams remarked that “The wealth of talent in Africa is exceptional, which makes the public voting to select only one nominee per category, a highly competitive process and extremely difficult. ” “That said, it is an honor to be amongst them all and we look forward to this event every year and to share their achievements with our connected community.”
Award Categories:
Creative Visionary Award: The award is dedicated to honoring exceptional media, broadcasting, and entertainment professionals across Africa.
Connecting for All Award: The award is dedicated to recognizing and honoring network providers and services that have demonstrated exceptional commitment and effort in ensuring connectivity for all.
Innovation for Impact: The award recognizes innovations in products or services that have disrupted traditional approaches, introduced novel solutions, and created tangible value for businesses and individuals in Africa.
CXO of the Year: The award honors exceptional leaders in Africa and their outstanding contributions to building teams, setting new standards, and delivering a clear vision in a rapidly changing business landscape.
Changing Lives Award: The award is dedicated to recognizing and honoring organizations and initiatives that are committed to improving lives across the continent.
Female Innovator of the Year Award: The award honors the women who have made significant contributions to the fields of tech, media, and telecoms across Africa.
Sustainability Champion of the Year: Formerly the ‘Green ICT Champion Award’, the award celebrates the remarkable achievements of individuals or organizations leading the way in the development and integration of sustainable energy solutions in Africa.
Fintech Innovation Award: The award acknowledges the transformative power of financial technology (FinTech) in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation.
Startup of the Year Award: The award acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit, technological innovation, and potential impact of startups in driving growth, solving challenges, and contributing to the advancement of Africa’s tech ecosystem.
HealthTech Innovation of the Year Award: The award recognizes innovative solutions that are changing lives, advancing healthcare, and making a significant positive impact on individuals and communities.
As an encouragement to enter the awards, Motunrayo Opayinka whose startup Womenovate won the Startup of the Year Award in 2022 said the impact of winning the Startup of the Year Award brought significant visibility and recognition to Womenovate.
“As a result, we experienced various positive changes, including increased brand visibility and new collaboration opportunities,” said Opayinka. “We were also able to expand our network with like-minded individuals, experts, and mentors, which for us is very valuable in our mission to support Nigerian women in STEAM.”
Opayinka further said that winning the prestigious award added to their credibility, helping them to further gain the trust of their stakeholders, beneficiaries, and the public.
The Africa Tech Festival Awards campaign takes place over three main stages:
Nominations: A one-month period to submit entries, either for yourself or on behalf of someone else, to be considered for an award.
Public Voting: Up to five candidates will make the shortlist. Only three will move on to become finalists. The three candidates with the most votes from the public will then move on to the final stage.
Judges Voting: A panel of judges will look at the entries of each of the finalists and score them against a set of criteria to determine the winners.
