I am very passionate about start-ups because having more of them is simply one assured way of positioning our country to take full advantage of today’s disruptive technologies.
On a number of occasions, I had been asked this million dollar question: “CFA, are you okay being the guy who conducts the interviews and writes the articles instead of being the one running a start-up?”
Honestly, some questions are naturally tough to answer but whatever be the case, I am enjoying my career path with all its uncertainties.
Be that as it may, I have elected to support start-ups as much as I can which is one reason I started CFA’s Start-ups Hangout, a monthly meet up where entrepreneurs meet, network, learn and grow.
I was one of those who publicly expressed optimism when the National Information Technology Development Agency established the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship in order to enhance proficiency at both creating ideas and translating a considerable proportion of these ideas into new business opportunities.
OIIE was, then, given the mandate of ensuring that start-ups were selected to showcase at GITEX technology week. In 2016, the total number of start-ups that were sponsored to participate were 16 and these start-ups did pretty well in my opinion.
In fact, one of them, Genii Games, got to the top 10 out of 400 start-ups that took part in the GITEX ‘start-up’ pitch competition. The eventual winner was Acacus Technologies, Dubai. It won the global start-up of the year award, taking home the $100,000 prize money.
Notwithstanding, the Managing Director of Acacus, Talal Bin Halim, said to the hearing of everyone that the Nigerian start-up caught his attention the most. That was a good commendation for young Nigerians competing on a global stage.
This is the type of exposure that comes only when individuals and organisations endeavour to attend international events because if Genii Games did not have an opportunity to participate, then, this sort of commendation would not have come its way.
This is why I commend NITDA for the strategic move to expose Nigerian innovations and solutions to the world. The 2017 edition featured 10 start-ups, down from 16 the previous year. In all, it was still a commendable effort.
Out of the 10 start-ups that participated, three of them mentioned below caught my attention and I see a great future for their ventures if they keep innovating and remain focused.
Nicademia
One of the start-ups that were sponsored to GITEX Technology Week in Dubai by NITDA was — Finish Reading on the Punch