Safaricom has launched an incubation and app development challenge. Safaricom AppWiz is designed to help identify and develop successful early stage mobile technology companies and solutions. The challenge will equip entry level developers and students with entrepreneurial and technological skills. The program will have a three month incubation phase where participants will be expected to develop applications in the following categories: Agriculture, Health, Financial Inclusion, Education, Entertainment, Transport and infrastructure and Utilities.
The program is open to university students and post university students with knowledge in IT, mobile application development and business management skills. It is also targeted at small and upcoming businesses that have interest in mobile application development.
The program follows the successful ‘Safaricom Appstar’ challenge held last year in September that also run in several African countries. A JKUAT student won the local and the intercontinental challenge.
“Applications will be assessed on the basis of their significance and impact, originality of their ideas, clarity of the idea, ease of implementation, and commercial appeal. These five standards are critical for any developer who is determined to be part of this potentially lucrative industry,” said Joseph Ogutu, Director of strategy and innovation.
The window for submission of applications is open until June 28th 2013. This will be followed by a Hack-a-thon on 27th and 28th of July 2013. The incubation starts on 12th August 2013 and ends on 25th October 2013. There will be a grand award ceremony on 1st November 2013.
The grand prize winner will walk away with Ksh 1,500,000 with the runner up taking Ksh 1,000,000. Category winners will take Ksh 200,000 each.
