Two Nigerian entrepreneurs, alongside ten others from South Africa and Rwanda, have emerged as winners of the 2024 Swiss–Africa Academia-Industry Training (AIT) startup competition for African entrepreneurs. The 12 winners, spanning industries from biotech to agriculture, fintech, education, clean energy, and health tech, were selected from a pool of 20 finalists by a distinguished panel of judges. These startups will travel to Switzerland at the end of May 2024 to participate in the Swiss Residency Week.
Among the Nigerian winners are Evet Africa, a digital animal healthcare startup focused on improving access to animal healthcare diagnostics for farmers and veterinarians, and TY-Dami Energy Resources, a climate tech startup revolutionizing refrigeration by integrating cooling with carbon capture.
Folasade Ogunsola, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, praised the Swiss government for extending its support to Nigeria through the 2024 Swiss–African Science and Business Innovators Program (SASBI), emphasizing the importance of empowering youths to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs. She highlighted the efforts of the University of Lagos in nurturing a mindset conducive to entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths.
Frank Eggmann, Consul General for Switzerland in Lagos, drew parallels between Switzerland’s history of innovation and Nigeria’s current situation, stressing the transformative power of innovation in changing narratives and providing solutions to societal needs. He underscored the role of SASBI in supporting startups by offering them a platform for mentorship and validation.
Erich Thaler, Programme Director of SASBI, provided an overview of the initiative, which began a decade ago with the Swiss government’s decision to strengthen its collaboration with countries on innovative ventures. Thaler highlighted the focus of SASBI on translating technical know-how from universities into viable market solutions.
Sunday Adebisi, Professor and Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Lagos, expressed gratitude to the Swiss government for selecting Unilag as the host of the conference. He encouraged the winning entrepreneurs to capitalize on the opportunities provided and reiterated Unilag’s commitment to supporting youth entrepreneurship and national growth.
The recognition of Nigerian entrepreneurs in prestigious international competitions like the Swiss–Africa AIT startup competition underscores the country’s growing innovation ecosystem and its potential to drive economic development.
