Ghana Start-up Wins FinTech Prize
A competition for FinTech startups expanding financial inclusion in the Middle East and Africa saw Ghana-based AgroCenta taking the top honors.
The first Fincluders Startup Challenge Amman competition was organized by the Technical Assistance Facility of the MENA impact investor SANAD Fund for MSMEs and Oasis500. The competition attracted around 50 entrants from 18 countries.
AgroCenta provides an online trade hub connecting farmers and buyers, providing real-time payments with mobile money technologies and an on-demand logistics service. The jury awarded it first place and a corresponding cash prize of USD $20,000.
“The Fincluders Startup Challenge has been an eye opener for us, helping startups accelerate by giving them the opportunity to network and meet potential investors and partners,” said AgroCenta CEO and co-founder Francis Obirkorang.
Second place and a cash award of USD $10,000 went to liwwa, the first marketplace lender to small-to-medium enterprises in Jordan.
Third place and a cash award of USD $5,000 went to United Arab Emirates-based Democrance, a micro-insurance provider for low-income populations. Honorable mention went to Ghanaian FinTech company BenBen for its solution to provide access to blockchain-secured land transactions.
The SANAD Technical Assistance Facility provided finalists flights to Jordan and accommodations for the competition.
