7 startups unveiled for 2024 Irish Tech Challenge

Source: Pexels

This year’s challenge saw more than 350 entries from South African-owned, growth-stage tech startups focused on fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The seven selected startups will undergo an intensive pre-acceleration programme with workshops, masterclasses, and mentorship sessions in South Africa.

These will conclude with a showcase at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct at the end of August. Thereafter, they will head to Ireland in September 2024 for an acceleration programme with Dogpatch Labs, a 500-member strong start-up and innovation hub located in Dublin.

The selected innovators are:

Charnté Marthinus - Smartview Technology

SmartView Technology provides enterprise-grade utility management solutions.

Ahren Posthumus - Momint

Momint uses blockchain technology to ensure that capital is invested in renewable energy projects in a fast and safe way.

Priaash Ramadeen - The Awareness Company

The Awareness Company is a situational awareness company that uses data to help organisations achieve operational efficiency and sustainability through their software product called Hydra.

Jabulani Nyembe - Athena

Athena enables affordable access to healthcare services through a platform that allows patients to pay their medical treatment costs in monthly instalments.

Michelle Geere - AdBot

Adbot provides online advertising solutions for small business owners by handling all their digital marketing needs through its AdBot.

Prudence Simelane - Samanjalo

Samanjalo is a fly ash beneficiation business that uses geo-polymer technology to turn coal waste (fly ash) into green products used in construction and infrastructure environments such as green cement, bricks, pavers and barricades.

Kgololo Lekoma - Credipple

Credipple is a talent marketplace for trusted creative and digital professionals.

The Irish Tech Challenge will award the seven selected entrepreneurs:

• Up to €10,000 (R202k) each in funding.
• A funded trip to Ireland where they will be part of a curated business networking programme with access to the country’s top business leaders.
• Access to the Irish tech ecosystem with potential opportunities for further funding.
• Acceleration Support to position their global scaling strategy in collaboration with Dogpatch Labs.