By Bliss Okperan
A mobility technology company based in Nigeria providing a platform to aggregate intercity bus transportation in Africa, Bus54, is seeking to pick the African spot at the forthcoming Startup World Cup in December 2023 in the United States.
The Startup World Cup is a global conference and competition with the goal of bridging start-up ecosystems worldwide. The competition gives startup companies from all over the world a chance to win $1 million in the form of an investment.
Bus54, which allows passengers to search, compare, book, and manage their journeys online, could make it to the tourney if it defeats nine other small firms at the AfricaIgnite Pitch Competition final, scheduled for November 16, 2023, at the Auditorium 2 of the CTICC at the Africa Tech Festival in South Africa by 2 pm.
It other competitors are AsaanaPay, Tausi App, Delta Scan, Oneway, Ukwenza VR, Hippocampus Education, BenaCare, Gradlinc, and Kyanda Africa.
The Senior Director for Events at AfricaIgnite Pitch Competition, Mr James Williams, while commenting on the unveiling of the top 10 finalists, said any of the startups were capable of doing Africa proud on the global stage.
“We called for the continent’s brightest, most inspiring founders to apply to help build the African innovation ecosystem and they certainly delivered.
“I know I speak for my colleagues, the investors and judges who will be closely monitoring the pitch competition when I say that Africa’s talent, ingenuity, and unmatched potential are abundant and diverse, and this is clearly represented in this broad array of finalists.
“It is, therefore going, to be no small task to select just one winner who will represent the continent at the Startup World Cup Final, held by Pegasus in San Francisco on December 1,” he said.