Meet the 5 Irish Tech Challenge South Africa 2023 winners
Fostering connections between the South African and Irish technology ecosystems is at the heart of Irish Tech Challenge South Africa.
Aiming to fuse Irish technology expertise with South Africa innovation, promote innovation and empower diversity, each year this Challenge awards five South African tech start-ups with financial support and premier access to Ireland’s technological networks to bolster their growth.
Designed by the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa and in partnership with Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the Department of Science & Innovation (DSI) and Dogpatch Labs Ireland, the Challenge provides up to €10,000 in funding to winners and acceleration support to scale, in collaboration with Dogpatch Labs Ireland. A business networking trip to Ireland is also included, to facilitate access to top business leaders and access to the Irish tech ecosystem with potential opportunities for further funding.
Hear from the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa winners on their visit to Dublin
Supporting marginalised communities
Launched in 2022, the Irish Tech Challenge is now an annual programme, which particularly seeks to support black- and youth-owned start-ups, including those from previously disadvantaged communities. A particular emphasis is placed on encouraging applications from women, young entrepreneurs, and startups aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as climate-focused start-ups.
Over 300 start-ups have applied to participate in the 2024 Challenge, showcasing the depth of talent in the technology sector in South Africa.
Discover the winners of the 2023 Tech Challenge and get a sense of the extraordinary talent for innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa. These businesses span from Agri-Tech to BioTech to HealthTech, and have huge potential to transform communities in South Africa and beyond.
Meet the 2023 Irish Tech Challenge South Africa winners
Founder of Afrobodies
Benedicta Durcan
Afrobodies produces superior recombinant alpaca antibodies, known as AFROBODS, offering unparalleled consistency and validation.
Their small antibodies are applicable across a broad spectrum, from life sciences research and diagnostics to food safety and therapeutics.
Afrobodies wants to position itself as a reliable and innovative solution in the global marketplace by addressing the quality issues and the need for new antibodies.
Lead founder of Pelebox Smart Lockers
Neo Hutiri
Pelebox Smart Lockers has a patented technology that allows patients to collect their medication in under 36 seconds, bypassing the need for long queues and significantly reducing wait times.
This not only improves the patient experience but also enhances medication adherence.
Lead founder of Desert Green Africa
Tumelo Chiloane
Desert Green Africa introduces an innovative platform that connects traders and farmers, streamlining the supply chain and creating efficiencies.
This platform offers a credit system for traders, bulk-buying options, shared logistics for farmers, and a multilingual chatbot for easy order placement and inventory matching.
This transforms the current complex and inefficient system into a streamlined, user-friendly process.
Lead founder of Foonda Africa
Vuyo Pakade
Foonda Africa offers an end-to-end platform that transforms the hiring process, making it more efficient and user-friendly.
This platform automates manual hiring tasks, streamlines the hiring process, and consolidates tech tools into a single platform.
This not only reduces idle time for teams, allowing them to focus on growth, but also simplifies the hiring process, getting talent in faster and saving costs.
Lead founder of Zoie Health
Thato Schermer
Thato has built Africa's first digital women's health clinic in Zoie Health, providing affordable, holistic, and high-quality services and products.
This platform covers various healthcare seasons’ women experience, from fertility and pregnancy to motherhood and family planning, all accessible through a user-friendly digital interface.
The current round of applications for the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa is closed. Follow the Irish Embassy in South Africa’s website to follow the 2024 Challenge and future application windows