VODACOM Tanzania Plc and Smart Codes have announced three top winners of 2020 digital accelerator programme after 11 months of vetting process.

The programme received over 600 start-up applications in areas of agriculture, fintech, media, health, education, and e-commerce. Over the past year, they have gone through training, mentorship and support.

Vodacom's Digital and Value Added Services Director, Nguvu Kamando said the programme was launched last year with the aim of helping early stage and growth-stage technology start-ups become profitable and revenue generating businesses.

Vodacom's vision is to take Tanzania into a digital world that can only be achieved by encouraging technology driven ideas that bring sustainable change.

"We have been impressed and awed by all the start-ups that were selected for this maiden accelerator programme, they all had great ideas in using digital technology to change the way we do business, but also solve issues of development," Kamando said.

The three startup winners are namely Smart Class, Hashtag pools and Myhi and E-dispensary.

The Vodacom digital accelerator programme mentors one of the most successful digital entrepreneurs, Edwin Bruno, who is also the CEO and founder of Smart Codes for scaling up support for innovation that can bring about rapid development through technological advancement.

"We cannot thank Vodacom Tanzania enough for playing a big part in pioneering technological advances in Tanzania, but mostly for partnering with us in ensuring that we support startups in Tanzania who are coming up with brilliant tech solutions that will transform our nation," he said.

He said Smart Lab hopes to keep bridging the gap between startups and large corporations, but mostly by nurturing startups in Tanzania and Africa in general.

Overall winner CEO of Smart Class, a company dealing with connecting students with tutors and learning online, Adam Juma, called for more companies to support start- ups so that innovative business ideas can develop into major successful enterprises.

"I am grateful for the support I have received from Vodacom and Smart Codes that has given me more knowledge and insights on transforming an idea into a working business.

I call on other big companies to emulate this initiative so that more local businesses can develop to the next level."

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