Two Kenyan students who developed agribusiness mobile App ConviFarm are the winners of the top prize for the @iLabAfrica- Waterloo University Agribusiness mobile Tech challenge. Norman Muga of Strathmore University and Mburu Njunge of Kenyatta University were handed their their air tickets and invitations for stay at the University of Waterloo last week by @iLabAfrica at an event graced by Kenya’s Ministry of Information and Communication Principal Secretary Dr. Victor Kyalo.
The fast growing @iLabAfrica centre is Strathmore University’s technology research and innovations centre. The centre partnered with the University of Waterloo of Canada in theagricultural mobile applications competition looking for application with greatest impact potential to Africa’s agribusiness sector.
“Agriculture is the mainstay of at least 80 pr cent of the Kenyan population. We chose this sector because it has a direct impact on the bottom of the pyramid masses,” said @iLabAfrica Director- Dr. Joseph Sevilla.
The Agribusiness Mobile tech challenge is open to members of the public, students of Strathmore and other universities as well as private applications developers. It has its top Prize being a two week trip to Ontario Canada, where winners join other developers around the world in training and incubation. The second prize is a full scholarship for a 6 months Strathmore Entrepreneurship Development Program.
The challenge is employing a virtual incubation technology developed by University of Waterloo’s Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre, to reach and incubate agribusiness mobile app ideas across Kenya. @iLabAfrica has been running the system on pilot at its @iBizAfrica incubation centre.
Speaking during the award ceremony, Dr Victor Kyalo commended @iLabAfrica for delivering global partnerships that deepen technology innovations. “This centre continues to interest developers to come up with world class innovations and solutions that can impact the bottom of the pyramid in Africa,” he said.
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