Last Wednesday (November 6, 2024), Orange Botswana rewarded the country’s brightest tech minds whose innovations have impacted society for the better in areas of health, education and community welfare.
Held at Cresta Lodge, the 2024 Orange Innovation Day celebrated transformative projects with awards totaling over P200, 000 in the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) and Orange Summer Challenge (OSC) initiatives.
Held under the theme ‘Tech4Impact’, OSC, which is now in its second year, brings together young minds with diverse talents and expertise, guided by mentors from industry leaders like Amazon Web Services, Ernst and Young and Nokia.
The top prize of P50, 000 went to Project ReVision, an augmented reality tool enriching students’ learning experiences. Push Assist Pro won P30, 000 as the first runner-up, while Road Ready received P20, 000.
The top honour in the OSVP went to Ikatise Mobile App, which received P50, 000 for providing vital resources to underserved communities.
Benchwarmers took home P30, 000 as the first runner-up, and Duela Tech, specializing in digital financial solutions, earned P20, 000 as the second runner-up.
Highlighting the impact all six have had, Orange Botswana CEO, Nene Maiga, said, “These entrepreneurs are setting a powerful example for Botswana and beyond.
“Their commitment is about creating real, scalable solutions for challenges in education, economic empowerment, and social welfare. Orange is proud to support these visionaries as they transform our communities. This year’s expanded program is not only about fostering skills; it’s about embedding a mindset of resilience, adaptability, and purpose among Botswana’s emerging leaders. By equipping them with the tools and support to drive change, we’re creating an enduring legacy of innovation for Botswana.”
Maiga noted that through initiatives like OSVP and the OSC, Orange Botswana fosters an ecosystem where bright ideas meet resources to thrive.
“Orange Botswana believes in the power of connectivity, not just in telecommunications, but in connecting people, ideas, and opportunities to create lasting impact on society. Our collective impact, however, depends on the strength of our partnerships. To all our partners, including those in the ICT ecosystem and beyond, together, we are establishing Botswana as a leader in digital innovation, creating pathways for a future where tech-enabled solutions are accessible to all,” declared Maiga.
Winning teams left with funding and new opportunities for growth, ready to advance their projects and bring meaningful change across Botswana and beyond.
The Orange Social Venture Prize has been in existence since 2011, and was conceived with a singular vision to champion entrepreneurs who turn problems into possibilities and ideas into impactful realities.
Through the initiative, Orange has mentored local innovators with success stories such as Brastone of Mpotsa and Magric and Connexus of Atlega Mobile Education, and Angular Creatives of Mohiri Job Alerts which are national champions operating in Botswana other African countries.
