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Digital Excellence Rewarded at 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa

The 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa celebrated pioneering achievements and innovations in the digital sphere, honouring exceptional organizations and individuals who have showcased significant strides in advancing financial inclusion in Africa.

MTN Uganda & MTN MoMo took home the biggest award after being crowned as the Digital Brand of the Decade for their remarkable impact from 2014 to 2023 – the 10 years that this project has been running.

Standard Chartered Bank and Centenary Group received accolades in the Digital Brand of the Year category, with Diamond and Gold awards, respectively.

The Digital Impact Awards Africa is a platform that promotes Digital Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, and Cyber Security. The Awards recognize companies and stakeholders that are spearheading the use of digital mediums to serve communities and promote financial inclusion.

“The criteria of the nominees are always tight. Some innovators and companies have won every single year for their innovations and dedication to Digital Financial Inclusion,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo CEO said.

The Digital Impact Awards Africa is part of the broader Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit organized by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Winners celebrated.

Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State for ICT applauded the winners for their contribution to developing Uganda and Africa. She challenged them to continue innovating as this is the only sure way of transforming their communities.

The accolade for CEO of the Year was bestowed upon Fabian Kasi of Centenary Bank, who claimed the Diamond award, while Richard Yego of MTN MoMo was honoured with the Gold award.

Under the category of Community Digital Empowerment Excellence, Cente Tech’s Digital Messaging Platform for Catholic Dioceses clinched the prestigious Diamond award, with Oracle Academy securing the Gold recognition.

FutureLink Technologies’ MSacco stood out in the Financial Inclusion Excellence category, while Standard Chartered Bank excelled in Digital Banking Excellence.

In the Banking Innovation Excellence arena, Post Bank’s latest Wendi Digital Wallet emerged as a frontrunner. Centenary Bank and Pride Microfinance Limited claimed top honours in Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence, securing the Diamond and Gold awards, respectively.

Airtel Money’s Micro Merchant earned acclaim in FinTech Innovation Excellence, while MTN MoMo triumphed in Financial Services Digital Excellence.

For Consumer Goods Digital Excellence, Movit took home the Diamond award, closely followed by Jude Color Solutions with the Gold distinction.

Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence recognized Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) with the Diamond accolade and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) with the Gold recognition.

In the domain of Technology Services Digital Excellence, Comviva emerged as the standout performer.

Below is the full list of all winners.

Community Digital Empowerment Excellence.

  1. Digital Messaging Platform for Catholic Dioceses by Cente Tech – Diamond
  2. Oracle Academy – Gold

Financial Inclusion Excellence.

  1. MSacco by FutureLink Technologies

Digital Banking Excellence.

  1. Standard Chartered Bank

Banking Innovation Excellence.

  1. WENDI Digital Wallet by Post Bank

Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence.

  1. Centenary Bank – Diamond
  2. Pride Microfinance Limited – Gold

FinTech Innovation Excellence.

  1. Micro Merchant by Airtel Money.

Financial Services Digital Excellence.

  1. MTN MoMo

Consumer Goods Digital Excellence.

  1. Movit – Diamond
  2. Jude Color Solutions – Gold

Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence.

  1. URSB – Diamond
  2. NWSC – Gold

Technology Services Digital Excellence.

  1. Comviva

Digital Campaign Excellence.

  1. #NoTuteeseOffline by SafeBoda – Diamond
  2. #KikoleForLess with FlexiPay – Gold

CEO of the Year.

  1. Fabian Kasi – Centenary Bank – Diamond
  2. Richard Yego – MTN MoMo – Gold

Digital Brand of the Year.

  1. Standard Chartered Bank – Diamond
  2. Centenary Group – Gold

Digital Brand of the Decade – 2013 to 2023.

  1. MTN Uganda & MTN MoMo
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2023 Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit: Ecosystem Players Advocate for Infrastructure Enhancement for Financial Inclusion

During the 2023 Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit, industry stakeholders noted the need for improved infrastructure to improve business operations and counter the surging instances of fraud.

Held at Kampala Serena Hotel, the 2023 Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit was organized by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Sanyu Gila, who graduated from university in 2015, found herself unable to secure formal employment. This led her to explore the potential of the mobile money agent business as an alternative means of livelihood.

“Over the years, I have grown and scaled this business, but it hasn’t been without challenges. Fraud prompted the closure of some outlets I had opened. Inexperienced employees posed vulnerabilities to my business resulting in big losses. The declining telecom commissions, taxes, and network issues have also eroded customer trust in some of the products,” Gila shared.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Aturinda Tryphine and Gloria Mirembe; also, Mobile Money Agents during the summit, which focused on ensuring the safety of customers’ funds and platform security.

The summit fostered discussions essential for advancing digital and financial inclusion across Africa.

“We face capital limitations. Sometimes you forego bigger transactions because you do not have enough float. As a result, you miss out on commission as well as customers who may not come back to you,” Gloria said.

Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State for ICT, stressed the necessity of enhancing Fintech infrastructure to safeguard customers and agents.

“HiPipo has championed digital financial inclusion excellence. As we navigate this era, our efforts should extend beyond to empower underserved communities. FinTech has reshaped business, but the escalating cyber threats highlight the need for cybersecurity,” she remarked.

National Payment Switch taking shape.

The anticipated launch of a national switch in payment processing in the near future aims to revolutionize financial transactions, enhance liquidity management, and streamline Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism capabilities. This initiative is forecasted to strengthen cyber surveillance while significantly reducing transaction costs for retail digital payments such as mobile money users.

Andrew Kawere, the Deputy Director of the National Payments Systems at the Bank of Uganda, said the primary objective of the national switch is to act as a catalyst for efficiency and interoperability, promoting standardized practices in financial transactions.

“We envisage the national switch being delivered as a safe and affordable public good that supports innovation. Digital transformation has been proven to have a positive impact on financial inclusion by providing an avenue for the disadvantaged to access financial services and to participate in the money economy,” he said.

The summit gathered key stakeholders driving digital and financial service adoption across Africa, including policymakers, young entrepreneurs, and innovators.

Dr. Warren Carew, Managing Director at INFTX, noted the challenges in developing an interoperability system.

“Addressing fraud in mobile money platforms requires identity infrastructure. Focusing on interoperability can reduce barriers to financial services,” Carew noted.

Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo CEO, applauded the project’s partners for their thoughtful commitment to enhancing digital and financial inclusion across Africa.

He noted that through partnerships and deliberate support, a lot of ground has been covered with millions of end-users onboarded on to the digital and financial inclusion train in the last decade. Nonetheless, he said that much more effort is needed for complete inclusion to be achieved.

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Celebrating a Decade of Digital Excellence: Here are the 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa nominees

HiPipo takes this apt opportunity to unveil the 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa nominees. The release of the nominations follows the completion of both the entries’ submission and verification processes that have been ongoing since mid-July.

The shortlisted nominees come from hundreds of entries done through the nomination portal and direct digital submissions by potential contenders and their supporters.

The unveiling of the nominees effectively kicks off the voting process that will go on until Friday 17th November. While all nominees are winners, the overall winner per category will be determined by a combined public-jury vote.

Celebrating a decade of digital transformation, the 10th edition of the Digital Impact Awards Africa is slated for 17th November 2023 at Kampala Serena Hotel as part of the annual Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit.

Digital Impact Awards Africa is a platform that promotes Digital Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, and Cyber Security. The Awards recognize and celebrate stakeholders who are spearheading the use of digital mediums to serve communities. They further celebrate digital excellence across the continent; big or small, local or international.

On the other hand, the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit explores strategic trends and technologies that are shaping the future of Digital, ICTs, and Business. Special attention is paid to the safety of customers’ funds and the security of platforms in the Digital Financial Services ecosystem.

The 2023 summit will bring together hundreds of delegates including C-Level executives who are spearheading the scaling, adoption, and usage of digital and financial services across Africa, policymakers, young entrepreneurs, and innovators in the Digital and Financial Inclusion ecosystem. The summit will shine a spotlight on how businesses have recovered from the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Cyber Security threats among other key topics.

It will have over 50 speakers from government, multinationals, large enterprises, small and mid-sized enterprises, and start-ups. Additionally, the summit will offer a platform for informal businesses (like market vendors, smallholder farmers, sole proprietors, public transporters, e-commerce delivery agents, etc.)  

Both the Digital Impact Awards Africa and Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit are organized by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Here is the Full List of #DIAA2023 Nominations:

Community Digital Empowerment Excellence.

  1. Church Offertory and Tithe Collection by EzeeMoney
  2. Digital Messaging Platform for Catholic Dioceses by Cente Tech
  3. MTN ACE-Tech
  4. Oracle Academy
  5. Tawaza Digital Varieties

Financial Inclusion Excellence.

  1. Hospital Sente by Airtel Money, Prudential Uganda and Turaco
  2. Kawu Smart Card by Kawu Uganda
  3. MaMa’s Account by clinicPesa
  4. MSacco by FutureLink Technologies
  5. Questbanker by Quest Digital Finance  

Digital Banking Excellence.

  1. ABSA Bank
  2. Centenary Bank
  3. DFCU Bank
  4. Stanbic Bank
  5. Standard Chartered Bank

Banking Innovation Excellence.

  1. Cente On The Go Account by Centenary Bank
  2. FlexiPay by Stanbic Bank
  3. Mobile Banking Solution – ELMA by Craft Silicon
  4. SC Shilingi Funds by Standard Chartered Bank
  5. WENDI Digital Wallet by Post Bank

Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence.

  1. Centenary Bank
  2. Future Link Technologies
  3. Letshego
  4. Post Bank Limited
  5. Pride Microfinance Limited

FinTech Innovation Excellence.

  1. Hamwe Pay by Hamwe East Africa
  2. Micro Merchant by Airtel Money.
  3. MTN MoMo Open APIs
  4. SafeCar by SafeBoda
  5. SchoolPay by Service Cops
  6. Xente Visa Card

Financial Services Digital Excellence.

  1. Airtel Money
  2. MFS Africa
  3. MTN MoMo
  4. Stanbic Bank 
  5. Standard Chartered

Consumer Goods Digital Excellence.

  1. Café Javas
  2. Hariss International
  3. Jude Color Solutions
  4. Jumia Uganda  
  5. Movit
  6. StarTimes Uganda

Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence.

  1. NSSF
  2. NWSC
  3. Umeme
  4. URA
  5. URSB

Technology Services Digital Excellence.

  1. Airtel
  2. Cente Tech
  3. Comviva
  4. Ericsson
  5. Huawei
  6. MTN

Digital Campaign Excellence.

  1. #KikoleForLess with FlexiPay 
  2. #NoTuteeseOffline by SafeBoda
  3. Beera Smart by Airtel Uganda
  4. Beera Steady – Be Better by Next Media and Partners
  5. Together We are Unstoppable by MTN Uganda

CEO of the Year.

  1. Anne Juuko – Stanbic Bank
  2. Dhimant Shah – Craft Silicon
  3. Fabian Kasi – Centenary Bank
  4. Japhet Aritho – Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL)
  5. Richard Yego – MTN MoMo
  6. Sanjay Rughani – Standard Chartered Bank

Digital Brand of the Year.

  1. Airtel
  2. Centenary Group
  3. MTN Uganda
  4. MultiChoice Uganda
  5. Stanbic Bank
  6. Standard Chartered Bank

Digital Brand of the Decade – 2013 to 2023.

  1. Airtel
  2. Centenary Group
  3. Jumia
  4. MTN Uganda
  5. MultiChoice Uganda
  6. NWSC
  7. SafeBoda
  8. Stanbic Bank
  9. Standard Chartered Bank

Visit www.digital-impact-awards.com to cast your vote, today. 

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Join the Celebration of a Decade of Digital Excellence: Submit your Nomination for the 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa Now

Kampala, Uganda. In 2014, HiPipo unveiled the Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA), a prestigious platform dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the epitome of African innovation in digital technology, financial inclusion, and cybersecurity advancement.

From its inception, the Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA) was met with immense enthusiasm, with the majority of the market recognizing it as an initiative poised to elevate the industry to new heights. Despite this optimism, questions were raised about its sustainability. Skeptics drew parallels with earlier initiatives that, like the DIAA, began with considerable market excitement, only to fade away prematurely. Yet, the DIAA has persevered, defying these predictions and cementing its role in leading the industry’s progress.

Indeed, the Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA) has not merely weathered the passage of time, but it has significantly transformed Africa’s trajectory in digital and financial inclusion. With each passing year, the DIAA continues to make groundbreaking strides, redefining expectations and leading the charge towards a digitally inclusive future for all of Africa.

Innocent Kawooya, the CEO of HiPipo, expressed his feelings of anticipation and accomplishment, saying, “From the inception of our journey, we held a vision to significantly contribute to Africa’s digital and financial inclusion journey. We aimed to not only spotlighting the innovative products and services that are transforming millions of lives but also to honor the remarkable individuals behind these achievements. Today, we stand at the dawn of a decade that has witnessed this vision come to life. Our accomplishments fill us with pride, yet our eyes are firmly set on the future, committed to scaling new heights. We acknowledge that the road to universal digital and financial inclusion requires relentless efforts. In this pursuit, we have been fortunate to have the unwavering support of dedicated partners like the Gates Foundation, whose contributions have been instrumental to our progress. As we move forward, we pledge to continue making strides towards a digitally inclusive future for Africa.”

Kawooya further expressed his gratitude, stating: “Our sincere appreciation goes out to the over 500 companies that have engaged in this initiative over the years, collectively fueling its success. We wish to extend a special commendation to our invaluable partners whose faith in this endeavor has been unwavering. This remarkable milestone is a testament to your belief in our mission, and we simply could not have reached this point without your steadfast support.”

Celebrating a decade of transformation, the 10th edition of the Digital Impact Awards Africa is slated for 17th November 2023 at Kampala Serena Hotel as part of the annual Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit.

Digital Impact Awards Africa is a platform that promotes Digital Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, and Cyber Security. The Awards recognize and celebrate stakeholders that are spearheading the use of digital mediums to serve communities. They further celebrate digital excellence across the continent; big or small, local or international.

On the other hand, the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit explores strategic trends and technologies that are shaping the future of Digital, ICTs, and Business. Special attention is paid to the safety of customers’ funds and the security of platforms in the Digital Financial Services ecosystem.

The 2023 summit will bring together hundreds of delegates including C-Level executives that are spearheading the scaling, adoption, and usage of digital and financial services across Africa, policymakers, young entrepreneurs, and innovators in the Digital and Financial Inclusion ecosystem. The summit will shine a spotlight on how businesses have recovered from the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Cyber Security threats among other topics.

It will have more than 50 speakers from government, multinationals, large enterprises, small and mid-sized enterprises, and start-ups. Additionally, the summit will offer a platform for informal businesses (like market vendors, smallholder farmers, sole proprietors, public transporters, e-commerce delivery agents, etc.)   

Both the Digital Impact Awards Africa and Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit are organized by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Submit your #DIAA2023 nominations today.

With an air of anticipation and excitement, we officially embark on the journey towards the 2023 Digital Impact Awards Africa, beginning with an open call for nominations. Join us in recognizing and celebrating those who are boldly shaping the digital landscape of Africa.

This call marks the start of a comprehensive Digital Impact Awards Africa entry submission and validation process that will run until October 10th, 2023. This will be followed by the release of a list of nominees, Jury assessment, and a rollout of public voting from October 17th until November 17th when the grand finale will be held.

List of categories open for nomination:

  1. Financial Inclusion Excellence
  2. Digital Banking Excellence
  3. Banking Innovation Excellence
  4. Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence
  5. FinTech Innovation Excellence
  6. Financial Services Digital Excellence
  7. Consumer Goods Digital Excellence
  8. Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence
  9. Technology Services Digital Excellence
  10. Digital Campaign Excellence
  11. CEO of the Year
  12. Digital Brand of the Year
  13. Digital Brand of the Decade – 2014 to 2023
  14. Community Digital Empowerment Excellence

Visit www.digital-impact-awards.com to submit your nomination.

Both the summit and awards are using these 3 official tags; #IncludeEveryone #DIAA2023 #LevelOneProject.

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HiPipo Secures Best Financial Inclusion Organisation Award for the Second Year: Strengthening Commitment to Fintech Innovation and Inclusivity in East Africa.

We are thrilled to announce that, for the second year running, HiPipo has been honoured with the prestigious accolade of ‘Best Financial Inclusion Organization 2023 – East Africa’ at the seventh annual FinTech Awards, organised by Wealth & Finance International.

Wealth & Finance International, renowned for celebrating outstanding achievements within the finance and investment industry, has underscored our transformative impact. As FinTech revolutionises the world around us, becoming integral to society’s digital fabric, Wealth & Finance International recognises the significance of businesses like ours that are leading the charge towards an inclusive financial future.

In the dynamic landscape of FinTech, staying innovative and one step ahead is vital. As an industry leader, we’re both navigating and shaping this evolution, contributing to a predicted industry valuation of $174 billion this year alone. The journey is exhilarating, and the accolades we receive from respected institutions like Wealth and Finance International only strengthen our resolve.

The award celebrates the homegrown leaders in FinTech who are instrumental in propelling efforts towards complete financial inclusion across continents. Our CEO, Innocent Kawooya, expressed his appreciation for this recognition, saying, ‘This award is a testament to the extraordinary team behind HiPipo. Their dedication and relentless effort made this possible.’

He further emphasized the integral role of our supportive partners in shaping our success, mentioning the Gates Foundation, Cyberplc Academy, Level One Project, INFITX, Ideation Corner, Crosslakes Technologies, and the Mojaloop Foundation. ‘This honour belongs to all of us and serves as a catalyst for our future endeavours,’ Innocent declared.

2023 has already proved a fruitful year for HiPipo. Under Innocent’s leadership, we’ve continued to champion the adoption and propagation of FinTech as a means of enhancing financial inclusion for the underserved and unserved.

Our successful initiatives this year include the 4th 40 Days 40 FinTechs & FinTech Landscape Exhibition, the 4th Women-in-FinTech Hackathon & Summit, the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit, and the Digital Impact Awards Africa. Notably, our Women-in-FinTech Incubator remains a symbol of our steadfast commitment to empowering women in the digital technology space.

‘Empowering women with the knowledge and tools needed to launch successful tech initiatives is a priority for us,’ said Innocent, ‘their contributions serve communities better and help drive us towards a more inclusive future.’

Once again, we express our heartfelt gratitude for this recognition and pledge to continue working relentlessly to broaden the scope of financial inclusion in East Africa and beyond.

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Here are the nominees for the 2022 Digital Impact Awards Africa

Following the conclusion of the entries’ submission and verification process, HiPipo is pleased to unveil the nominees of the 2022 Digital Impact Awards Africa.

Digital Impact Awards Africa is a platform that promotes Digital Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, and Cyber Security. The Awards recognize and celebrate stakeholders that are spearheading the use of digital mediums to serve communities.

The Digital Impact Awards Africa celebrate digital excellence across the continent; big or small, local or international.

The 2022 Digital Brand of the Year category will see five finance and technology giants go head to head as Centenary Bank is nominated alongside Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic Bank, MTN Uganda, and Airtel Uganda while the Digital Campaign Excellence category has the Stanbic National Schools Championship drawn against Mpola Enjoyments by Bell Lager, Bolingo Extra by YOTV Channels in partnership with MTN Uganda and NSSF Hi-Innovator. Altogether there are 11 categories this year.

Voting in the 2022 Digital Impact Awards Africa will run until 18th November 9am. While all nominees are winners, the overall winner per category will be determined by a combined public-jury vote.

The Awards now in their 9th consecutive edition will be held on Friday 18th November 2022 at Kampala Serena Hotel as part of the annual Digital and Financial Inclusion summit.

The summit explores strategic trends and technologies that are shaping the future of Digital, ICTs, and Business. Special attention is paid to the safety of customers’ funds and security of platforms in the Digital Financial Services ecosystem.

This year’s summit will bring together C-Level executives that are spearheading the scaling, adoption, and usage of digital and financial services across Africa. The summit will discuss the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on the business ecosystem and what players are doing to recover.

Speakers will come from multinationals, large enterprises, small and mid-sized enterprises, and start-ups. Additionally, the summit will offer a platform for informal businesses (like market vendors, smallholder farmers, sole proprietors, public transporters, and e-commerce delivery agents, etc.)  

The summit and awards are using these 3 official tags; #IncludeEveryone, #DIAA2022, and #LevelOneProject.

Here is the full list of the 2022 Digital Impact Awards Africa nominees.  

  • Financial Inclusion Excellence.
    1. Letshego Digital Mall
    2. MTN MoMo Advance
    3. Group Loans for VSLAs by True African Limited
    4. Airtel Quick Loan in partnership with Housing Finance Bank and YABX
    5. MSacco by Future Link Technologies
  • Digital Banking Excellence.
    1. Stanbic Bank
    2. Centenary Bank
    3. Standard Chartered Bank
    4. ABSA Bank
    5. United Bank for Africa Uganda Limited (UBA)
  • Banking Innovation Excellence.
    1. Trust Mobile Loan | Finance Trust Bank
    2. 3600 Rewards Program | Standard Chartered Bank
    3. FlexiPay | Stanbic Bank Uganda
    4. CenteMobile Loans| Centenary Bank
    5. Eazzy Banking | Equity Bank
    6. Craft Silicon | Mobile Banking Solution – ELMA
  • Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence.
    1. Future Link Technologies  
    2. Pride Microfinance Limited
    3. Centenary Bank
    4. Post Bank Limited
    5. Letshego
    6. Finance Trust Bank
  • FinTech Innovation Excellence.
    1. Working Capital and Emergency Loans by Card Pesa
    2. Digital Ticketing for Transport services by KaCyber Technologies
    3. Sup Money by Jpesa
    4. Kawu Smart Card by Kawu Uganda
    5. Safecar by SafeBoda
    6. Jumia Food Mart by Jumia Uganda
    7. Bolingo Extra by YOTV Channels in partnership with MTN Uganda
  • Financial Services Digital Excellence.
    1. Standard Chartered Bank
    2. Comviva and Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL)
    3. Centenary Bank
    4. Stanbic Bank
    5. United Bank for Africa Uganda Limited (UBA)
    6. MTN Mobile Money Uganda
  • Consumer Goods Digital Excellence.
    1. Riham Group
    2. Jude Color Solutions
    3. Movit
    4. Club Pilsener
    5. Café Javas
    6. Bell Lager
    7. Jumia Uganda
  • Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence.
    1. Ministry of Health
    2. NSSF
    3. NWSC
    4. UMEME
    5. URA
  • Technology Services Digital Excellence.
    1. Airtel Uganda
    2. Huawei Technologies
    3. MTN Uganda
    4. TECNO Mobile
    5. Cente Tech
  • Digital Campaign Excellence.  
    1. Stanbic National Schools Championship
    2. Mpola Enjoyments by Bell Lager
    3. Bolingo Extra by YOTV Channels in partnership with MTN Uganda.
    4. NSSF Hi-Innovator
  • Digital Brand of the Year.
    1. Centenary Bank
    2. Standard Chartered Bank
    3. Stanbic Bank
    4. MTN Uganda
    5. Airtel Uganda
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We are learning, innovating, and hope to win – 2022 Women in FinTech Hackathon participants

Our Reporter.

With the 2022 Women in FinTech Hackathon underway, participants are thrilled and full of hope that they will at the end of it be better people; ready to transform the world through financial technology innovations.

They attribute this to the detailed daily program designed by the organizers that mixes learning technology, developing solutions, and improving personal skills.

Winfred Nandawula, the Team Leader of Tawaza Initiative notes that the Hackathon is helping them breakdown huge concepts into realistic and achievable products.

“One of the biggest issues that has been out there is that innovators have so many things that are going on and have a wide scope of things they are dealing in. But today we are here to learn that you can scale down a problem into something narrower and more achievable. Most of the teams are here to win, learn, innovate and solve community problems,” Nandawula noted.

Now in its third edition, the Women in FinTech Hackathon is part of HiPipo’s commitment towards empowering women with the required digital and financial inclusion skills so that they can go out there; innovate, prosper, earn and develop their families and communities.  This year’s edition has gathered 20 Women-led teams of between two to four members each.

Sophie Nabaale, a participant from Team Sueno- Wetase noted that even though she has been at a hackathon before, the Women in FinTech Hackathon is different from the first one she attended as it teaches both innovation and life skills.

“For example, today, we learnt about financial management, which is a key topic for individuals and businesses. We are here to learn all that is there to learn and I expect to win regardless of the tight competition. But even without winning, I am sure that what I will get from here will impact so much on me and my team at large,” Nabaale said.

Day One of the Hackathon saw teams complete their Problem Statements and Business Cases in addition to being introduced to Level One Project principles. They were also mentored on Finance Management by Damali Ssali, the chief programs and projects officer at Private Sector Foundation Uganda, and Personal Growth by Wendy Nanfo, the COO Kuda Bank (Uganda).

Novita Nyirarukundo, a participant from Kisoro District and Team Leader of Land Resources observed that even though this was her first hackathon, the first day surpassed her expectations.

“We have been introduced to the latest financial technology and new ways of innovation. I have been inspired by the different speakers such as Madam Wendy who mentored us on personal growth. I have realized that success and rest do not sleep together. In all, we are learning and competing for the top prize,” she said.

The 2022 Women in FinTech Hackathon seeks to close the Gender Gap in Access to Technology, Skills, and Usage of Digital Financial Services. It will provide women innovators and students an opportunity to use digital financial technology to explore business concepts. The hackathon will introduce participants to useful tools and offer an introduction to technologies such as Mojaloop Open-Source Software, and guidance from Level One Project foundational material. The skills gained from this initiative will cover Level One Project Principles, Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems (IIPS), Inclusive Finance, and FinTech in general.

According to Cleopatra Kanyunyuzi, the Project’s Lead Facilitator and also co-founder of Club Tangaza, the Hackathon is key in closing the gender diversity gap that is currently experienced in the technology industry.

“Technology has been around but it is a male-dominated space. So when HiPipo comes up with such a project, it is trying to onboard more women in this space. The women that are being trained here will in the future contribute to not only closing the gender gap but also changing their communities. This is a learning vehicle that is enriching the ladies and giving them a push to venture and actively participate in the Financial Technology industry,” Kanyunyuzi explained. 

The week-long Women in FinTech Hackathon will culminate in the Women in FinTech summit on Friday 16th September at Mestil Hotel, Kampala; where the best performing teams and individuals from across East Africa will be announced and receive their share of the USD 10,000 collective prize money. The best teams will also automatically qualify for the Women in FinTech Incubator program that will run until January 2023.

The Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit, and Incubator project is presented by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop, ModusBox, CyberPLC Academy, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by Gates Foundation.

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#LevelOneProject: 20 Teams make final shortlist for 2022 #WomenInFinTech Hackathon

Kampala, Uganda. Following the completion of both entry submission and review process, we are excited to unveil the 20 teams that are going to take part in the 2022 Women in FinTech Hackathon, scheduled for 10th to 15th September 2022. The 20 teams have been shortlisted from over 50 submissions received.  

The successful teams will work on FinTech products and solutions in areas such as Agri-Tech, E-Commerce, Payments, Savings and Loans, Edu-Tech, and Fundraising.

“We are happy to introduce this year’s participants. The teams shortlisted come from allover the region including a team from Rwanda and Tanzania. Other teams are traveling from as far as Kisoro. This clearly indicates that the project has continued to grow and is attracting more quality. We have had pre-hackathon discussions with all the team leaders and can confirm that they are all ready to innovate, and transform their communities,” Charlotte Neeza, the HiPipo FinTechs Events Manager explained, she added;

“This announcement sets the stage and puts the Hackathon wheels into motion. On our side, we are set to receive all participants, starting Saturday at 7 am. Those traveling from far are set to arrive on Friday.”  

Now in its third edition, the Women in FinTech Hackathon is part of HiPipo’s commitment towards empowering women with the required digital and financial inclusion skills so that they can go out there; innovate, prosper, earn and develop their families and communities. 

The 2022 Women in FinTech Hackathon seeks to close the Gender Gap in Access to Technology, Skills, and Usage of Digital Financial Services. It will provide women innovators and students an opportunity to use digital financial technology to explore business concepts. The hackathon will introduce participants to useful tools and offer an introduction to technologies such as Mojaloop Open-Source Software, and guidance from Level One Project foundational material. The skills gained from this initiative will cover Level One Project Principles, Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems (IIPS), Inclusive Finance, and FinTech in general.

“Our ultimate objective is to help achieve a leveled playing field by guiding the African continent into fully maximizing its digital dividend and potential, with the entire populace equitably participating in the use, leverage, dissemination, innovation, adoption, and adaptation of secure digital financial services to improve their lives and livelihoods,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo CEO noted.

The Women in FinTech Hackathon will culminate into the Women in FinTech summit on Friday 16th of September, where the best performing teams and individuals from across East Africa will be announced and receive their share of the USD 10,000 collective prize money. The best teams will also automatically qualify for the Women in FinTech Incubator program that will run until January 2023.

The Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit, and Incubator project is presented by HiPipo in partnership with Level One Project, Mojaloop, ModusBox, CyberPLC Academy, and Crosslake Technologies and generously supported by Gates Foundation.

In case of any queries, reach out via socialweb@HiPipo.com

NOTEAM NAMETEAM LEADER
1HERDUUKATABITHA ATWIINE
2FUNA HOUSE PROPERTY MATERSKIYIGA MARION OLIVEA
3TAWAZA DIGITAL VARIETIESWINFRED NANDAWULA
4LANDS RESOURCENOVITA NYIRARUKUNDO
5OLIWAA EVENTSZAHARA NAMWANJE
6LIMA PESAMARIA VIVIAN AWORI
7JIBUNAKISOZI MASTULAH SARAH
8ACADEMIC PERSONAL ASSISTANT (APA)DIANA NAJJUMA
9THE PLATTERNAMULWA PATRA HIGENYI
10RENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM(RMS)AMASE STISHA MARGRET
11SAYL KAREVICTORIA NAKITTO
12E-SERVICEJOSEPHINE NANKUNDA
13INSURE WALLETEVELYNE NAKANWAGI
14THE FINTECH DEVOTEETUSIIME EMILY QUEEN
15TEGEKA INVESTMENT CLUBSHAMIM NAKAYIZA
16GO GREENMARIAM HAVILLAH MIREMBE
17AUTOPAYBETTY HAPPY
18ELEVATIONRACHEAL IPERU
19HER ICT SKILLSMUKAYIRANGA JANE
20IZERE EDUCATIONSHAMIM NIRERE

Ends.

Posted on

2022 Digital Impact Awards Africa Open for Nominations

Following the consecutive eight seasons of Digital Impact Awards Africa, we are glad to announce that entry submissions for the 2022 edition are open.

Digital Impact Awards Africa is a platform that promotes Digital Inclusion, Financial Inclusion, and Cyber Security. The Awards recognize and celebrate stakeholders that are spearheading the use of digital mediums to serve communities.

The Digital Impact Awards Africa celebrates digital excellence across the continent, big or small, local or international.

The 9th edition is slated for 18th November 2022 at Kampala Serena Hotel as part of the annual Digital and Financial Inclusion summit.

The summit explores strategic trends and technologies that are shaping the future of Digital, ICTs, and Business. Special attention is paid to the safety of customers’ funds and the security of platforms in the Digital Financial Services ecosystem. 

This year’s summit will bring together C-Level executives that are spearheading the scaling, adoption, and usage of digital and financial services across Africa. The summit will discuss the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on the business ecosystem and what players are doing to recover.

Speakers will come from multinationals, large enterprises, small and mid-sized enterprises, and start-ups. Additionally, the summit will offer a platform for informal businesses (like market vendors, smallholder farmers, sole proprietors, public transporters, e-commerce delivery agents, etc.)   

The summit and awards are using these 3 official tags; #IncludeEveryone #DIAA2022 #LevelOneProject. 

Now is the time for you to nominate your best service provider, products, and brands: Just visit https://bit.ly/3KvUEZn  

Here is the full list of categories open for nomination. 

  1. Financial Inclusion Excellence
  2. Digital Banking Excellence
  3. Banking Innovation Excellence
  4. Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence
  5. FinTech Innovation Excellence
  6. Financial Services Digital Excellence
  7. Consumer Goods Digital Excellence
  8. Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence
  9. Technology Services Digital Excellence 
  10. Digital Campaign Excellence 
  11. Digital Brand of the Year
Posted on

#40Days40FinTechs #LevelOneProject Season Three Is Here!

We are proud to say that the second HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs that ran in the months of July and August, 2021 set the bar very high. Even though it started soon after the partial lifting of the 2021 lockdown, it was tremendously successful.

#40Days40FinTechs has quickly grown into one of the world’s premier showcase events for the innovations that are enabling ever more people to join the digital economy space. That is surely going to remain the case, in large part due to the inspiration and collaboration that our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop, ModusBox, and Crosslake Technologies generate, but mostly because of the continuing, generous support of the Gates Foundation.

Digital Innovators and FinTechs around East Africa should be more eager to embrace 40 Days 40 FinTechs as Season three will cover physical destinations in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products & Services and also share their ideas on how more of us, especially those unserved and underserved by the present financial systems, can be brought into the fold.

The 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative offers participants useful tools and an introduction to industry’s emerging technologies, such as Mojaloop Open Source Software, and guidance from Level One Project foundational material. The skills gained from this initiative cover Level One Project Principles, Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems (IIPS), Inclusive Finance and FinTech in general.

As captured by its name, 40 Days 40 FinTechs always delivers over two months of exhibition, dialogue and discussion, one not seen in the sector before. The initiative continues to generate enormous publicity, demand and pull for instant and inclusive real-time retail payment systems.

Last, but definitely not least, it draws the most attention yet to what is undeniably the future of digital financial services – interoperability.

Several participants are going on to innovate for sectors beyond just the traditional financial services but are making forays into healthcare, education, lending, remittances, agriculture, Robo-advisor, Payments, RegTech, InsurTech, crowdfunding, neo-banking, cryptography, cryptocurrency, Interledger, Blockchain, cross-border payments, retirement schemes and new ways of operating bonds and real estate among others. In their day-to-day operations, they are changing the lives of the likes of rural farmers, women, merchants, small business holders (formal and Informal), and unemployed youth, in a way creating forays for digital youth champions, women and other special interest groups (SIGs).

Not to be overlooked are the various governmental policymakers and regulators who continue to participate in the different discussions and activities we host. It is evident that demand for FinTech, DFS, IIPS, and interoperability has rapidly grown in recent years due to the impact of the broader HiPipo Include Everyone Program.

For the FinTechs, the cost-free exposure aided by the generosity of the Level One Project; an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Financial Services for the Poor (FSP) program, which is part of their Global Growth and Opportunity division, is still of immeasurable value.

“As HiPipo, our extensive effort and advocacy is partly for the intention of championing digital innovation and interoperable instant & inclusive payment systems (IIPS) in Africa to a point where our innovators enjoy and achieve sound profit margins to help them keep designing and deploying affordable and inclusive Financial Services for the Poor. It was thus pleasant for us to learn that up to 25 of our season two participants not only continued to enjoy increased client engagement and better bottom lines as a direct result of participating in the 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative but are also helping to generate economy-wide efficiencies by digitally connecting millions of low-income consumers that are learning to transact at a fast rate,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo CEO noted.

“But this is just the start, and we acknowledge there is a lot more to do. Season three of 40 Days 40 FinTechs is here, starting mid-2022 with optimism that the initiative will impact even more lives and livelihoods going forward.”

We are alive to the current market realities which continue to inform ours and our partners’ thinking, in regards to ensuring the healthiness and overall safety of participants throughout the different activities. Furthermore, we believe that, just like last year, FinTechs will take up the challenge and use the opportunity to ride the wave of appreciation for cashless payments the pandemic has brought. We need to be prepared with appropriate products and have the appropriate real-time retail payment systems in place to support an inclusive, interoperable digital marketplace that is both thriving and safe.

“It will be exciting to see what the participants have to offer. And again, various stakeholders will be on hand for more discussion and debate, with this time round extra insight from the likes of banks and MNOs. We anticipate extensive discussion on Instant and Inclusive Payment systems, Central Bank Digital Currencies(CBDC), advancing convenience for users, cross-border payments and on micro-lending products (especially those offering facilities to persons and communities that are still on the bylines of finance and trade for example; women, PWDs and other SIGs),” said Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo CEO.

40 Days 40 FinTechs Initiative is implemented by HiPipo in partnership with Crosslake Technologies, ModusBox, and Mojaloop Foundation, and generously sponsored by the Gates Foundation.

It is ultimately also HiPipo’s hope that more people, from all walks of life, will be drawn to the advocacy for financial inclusion. Together, we will bring the day when it is at 100% ever closer.

Registration is on first-come, first-served basis so qualifying FinTech stakeholders operating in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and other parts of the continent are encouraged to book their slots before 11th June 2022.

So see you soon.

SCOPE
ProjectDate
40 Days 40 FinTechs13th June to 30th July 2022
FinTech Landscape Exhibition11th August to 12th August 2022
Women In FinTech Hackathon10th to 16th September 2022
Women In FinTech Summit16th September 2022
Women In FinTech Incubator26th September 2022 to 6th January 2023
Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit18th November 2022
Digital Impact Awards Africa18th November 2022

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