Thirteen Nigerian startups showcased satellite technology innovations focused on addressing the nation’s pressing challenges at the third day of the Nigerian Satellite Week 2024 held last week in Abuja.
The Nigerian startups put their innovation on display during the accelerators’ demo day, having adopted satellite technology to provide solutions across various sectors and contribute to the enhancement of the country’s digital economy.
The theme for Day 3 of the Nigerian Satellite Week 2024 was “Beyond the Horizon: Shaping Nigeria’s Space Future,” and it took place at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja on October 18, 2024. This day was dedicated to the accelerator program demo day, which aimed to recognise and celebrate the creativity and innovation of Nigerian startups in the space tech sector.
NigComSat CEO: Demo Day was gathering of ‘brilliant minds’ in satellite space
Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director of the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat), emphasized that “the Demo Day is more than just pitches; it is a gathering of brilliant minds, innovators, industry leaders and investors coming together to explore what lies beyond the horizon.”
As part of the four-day event organised by NigComSat, 13 startups were given the opportunity to present their solutions in hopes of securing collaborations and funding to further develop their innovative ideas that span across sectors such as agriculture, health, education, security, and internet connectivity through satellite technology.
The startups that presented their solutions included Kitovu Technology, Agrify, Moon Innovations, Agroxchange, eHealth360, Vora Robotics, Plotogo Digital, Rural Farmers Hub, Ndandan AI, Carbon Ex, Fronet Wireless, Betalife Health, and Innovia Labs.
During the presentation moderated by Oluseye Soyode-Johnson, founder of NuConti and a space consultant, each startup was granted the opportunity to pitch their solutions to the judges. The panel of judges included Ashley Immanuel, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Semicolon, Nkem Nweke, a business schools tech leap initiative support, Dr. Agu Collins, Chief Digital Architect at TD4PAI, and Engr Abiodun Attah, Executive Director of Technical Services at Nigcomsat.
The solutions presented by the startups covered a wide range of innovative technologies aimed at addressing various challenges. These solutions included leveraging satellite technology and blockchain to tackle critical healthcare issues, connecting farmers to carbon markets for real-time insights, using AI to address geospatial data challenges, implementing advanced agricultural drone technology for more efficient chemical application, and utilizing the mujiya grid system for anti-banditry, anti-poaching, and anti-terrorism efforts.
Solutions showcased at the event included a single-box solar smart inverter system to address electricity instability, limited internet access, and security concerns. Also on display were regenerative intelligence to combat yield loss, earth observation and AI technologies to maximize crop yield and profitability, and uncapped WiFi services to improve internet connectivity for African tertiary institutions.
While many of these solutions are currently operational in Nigeria, some startups revealed their expansion beyond Nigeria to other parts of Africa. The event also saw the participation of secondary school students from various schools in Abuja, STEM Child Care Academy, and representatives from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), who presented gifts and pitches.
The event showcased the innovative solutions being developed by startups in Nigeria and their efforts to address pressing challenges not only in the country but across the African continent.
Home
