Ghanaian start-up Mancala Plus among winners of 2019 DLA accelerator programme
A Ghanaian start-up Mancala Plus is among 10 winners of the 2019 Digital Lab Africa (DLA) accelerator programme. This year’s edition of the programme received 500 applications from over 30 countries, a press release copied to ghanabusinessnews.com has said.
Mancal Plus won in the video game category.
DLA is a springboard and incubation platform for African creatives in digital content which was Initiated by the Embassy of France and French Institute in South Africa (IFAS) and it incubates digital entrepreneurs and grows the skills pipeline for the digital economy through collaboration with academia, corporate, government and entrepreneurs.
“From among 500 applications from over 30 sub-Saharan countries, 10 creatives from countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mali and Ghana were selected. These individuals stood out in the selection committee interviews based on their talent, creativity and ability to motivate their ideas,” the release said.
It noted that each of the 10 winners received a R42,000 cash prize and a tailor-made incubation programme to accelerate their project development which includes mentorship by French & sub-Saharan creative industries experts, a residence period in France within a digital cluster/hub, and participation at industry events in France and/or in sub-Saharan African region.
The following are the winners in the different categories:
Animation
Ringa Mzansi by Lwazi Msipha (South Africa)
Uzi by Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya (Kenya)
Web Creation
Cartographie des Régions Musicales du Mali by Tiécoura N’Daou (Mali)
Re/Member your Descendants by Xabiso Vili (South Africa)
Digital Music
Swaggify by Marvin Madyara (Zimbabwe)
Sunkambe by Shaka Ramulifho (South Africa)
Virtual Reality
Trvlr by Komborerai Chapfika (Zimbabwe)
The Afrocyborg Vr Film Collective by Shmerah Passchier & The Afrocyborg Collective (South Africa)
Video Game
Mancala Plus by Setriakor Nyomi (Ghana)
Precious Cargo by Simone Beneke-Graham, Shannon Bennetts, Rowan Brough & Niall Graham (South Africa)
About Digital Lab Africa
The DLA Created in 2016, is the 1st platform dedicated to creative content (web creation, virtual reality, video game, animation, digital music) linked with innovation in Africa. The very idea of DLA is to incubate emerging talent by offering them a springboard to jumpstart and accelerate their projects with the support of DLA partners & creative industries ecosystem (studios, events, producers, broadcasters, distributors, experts).
The DLA is managed by the South African technology hub, Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, with support from the Agence Française Développement (AFD), the release noted.
By Asabea Akonor
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