Microsoft Corporation says it is backing 20 Nigerian entrepreneurs who won the first class of its recent Windows Insiders for Good Fellowship programme (#WINsiders4Good).
The selected entrepreneurs will also receive 6 months of tailored technical and strategic mentor-ship from local and international leaders to help bring their unique idea to life, according to the tech company.
Microsoft in partnership with Co-Creation Hub (CCHub) had in September opened their doors to opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs to submit brilliant ideas they believe can be used to positively impact the world today.
The objective of that, according to Microsoft, is to empower the community of people using technology to make a lasting impact on the world.
Microsoft announced the first class of fellows in its Windows Insiders for Good Fellowship program at a dinner event recently held at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.
Speaking at the dinner organised to unveil the fellows, Bambo Sofola, Director of Software Engineering, Microsoft Corp, expressed his satisfaction at the zeal and creativity of Nigerian entrepreneurs evident in the number and quality of entries received before the final winners selected for the inaugural class of WINsiders4Good Fellows, part of the Windows Insider Program.
“We at the Windows Insider Program and Co-Creation Hub (CCHub) are proud to announce the first ever class of WINsider4Good Fellows. We were excited to select Nigeria as the place to begin this fellowship, and Nigerian entrepreneurs have shown us their creative ideas to positively impact the lives of their fellow Nigerians,” Sofola says.
On the selection process, Sofola said: “We employed careful selection criteria to select our winners here today. Each of the applicants was asked to think deeply about the issues confronting his or her community, the solutions that could address these issues, and the opportunities for the solution to thrive in the market. After a thorough consideration in partnership with CCHub, we selected fellows whom we are glad to bolster with our global network, our boot camp and six month fellowship.”
Also speaking at the programme, Femi Longe, the co-Founder of CCHub, noted that the future of young Nigerians is in technology, stating that there is every need to create platforms to help them conquer their future needs and challenges.
He said the WINsiders4Good Fellowship will connect Nigerian entrepreneurs to a global community of people like them, prioritize and solve the technical issues that can hinder them from reaching their goal.
“Honestly, it’s been an interesting journey thus far. From the number of entries we received, to the rigour of combing every idea to be sure they align with the purpose the programme aims to achieve. I believe this is an indication that something phenomenal is happening in the Nigeria’s ICT space,” Longe says.
The winning ideas are: 24/7 Charging-Hub by Miracle Samuel; AgriLine Inc. by Oluwaloni Olowookere; Bamwase by Idowu Bamido; Basmalah Entreprises by Ibrahim Mohammed Aboki; Bizi Couture by Obinna Onyekwere; CASPEM by Ugochukwu Stephen Ugwudi; Cemmey Enterprises by Johnson Bewaji; Chart Synergy by Omasirichukwu Udeinya; CIMHostel by Ikechukwu ChuKwu; Congno-Aid by Paula Aliu; and Comics from Movies by Daniel Isijola.
Others are Digital Textile Printing by Ifeoma Degge; Dilish Instant Foods by Kelechi Odoemena; eTrash2Cash by Muhammad Abdullahi; GPS Tracking Device by Mubarak Adeyemo; Greenpad Concepts by Damilola Samuel; GrouPower by Yeshua Russel; Inside Education by Aleander Bamidele; Jamb CBT Practice Software by Opeyemi Adekunle; Probono Academy by Olayinka Olanrewaju; Retire Forward Inc. by Bem Asen; SonoCare by Moses Owoicho Enokela; Tour Nigeria App by Kayode Adedayo; Verified Teritiary Academic Qualification (VERITAQ) by Ayodeji Adewusi; and Virtual Farm by Ubio Obu.
One of the winners, Miracle Samuel, the entrepreneur behind 24/7 Charging Hub, expressed his delight at this opportunity that Microsoft and Co-Creation Hub have given him.
Samuel said “this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am glad to have made it into the WInsiders4Good Fellowship in Nigeria. It is an opportunity I will forever cherish and I am looking forward to it.”
The fellows have converged in Lagos to begin their one week boot camp and six-month engagement with the Windows Insider Program and the Co-Creation Hub, receiving tailored strategic and technical mentor-ship along with access to the latest hardware and software from Microsoft.
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