Ghana’s Setriakor Nyomi and other African creatives selected for Digital Lab Africa finale Pitch Competition

The Digital Lab Africa (DLA) call for projects #3 closed on the 31st of January 2019 with around 500 entries from over 30 Sub-Saharan African countries.

The DLA digital content industry experts have chosen the 30 finalists who will compete in the DLA online pitch competition.

The startups, entrepreneurs and creators are all from the African continent: Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Republic of the Congo, Mali, Senegal, Gabon. They represent the new generation of talent in creative industries (virtual reality, web creation, digital music, video game and animation).

According to Lesley Williams, CEO of Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and Director of Digital Lab Africa, the digitization of Africa will only work to the benefit of the continent if we start contributing more as creators of content rather than as mere consumers: “We would like to thank all the candidates who applied for the DLA call for projects. We recognise the importance of taking ownership of the narrative in our own stories and these candidates have all stepped up to the plate.”

From the 15th of April, 2019, the « video pitch » of the 30 competitors will be displayed online on a dedicated platform (www.vote.digilabafrica.com) developed by Zakhele Technologies, a Tshimologong based IT company. This platform will allow internet users to watch and vote for their favorite pitch (from 15th to 28th of April). Last but not least, video pitches will be housed and showcased in Tshimologong Source Code Gallery.

www.vote.digilabafrica.com

Chosen by the DLA Selection Committees, the 10 winners of the Pitch Competition will be revealed on the 30th of April. In addition, the project which will gather the most votes on the platform will be awarded with a special prize (DLA Audience Award) including an invitation (for 1 person) to one of the DLA Industry events in France or in the Sub-Saharan African region (flight ticket, accommodation & accreditation covered by DLA).

The 10 winners get a R42,000 cash prize and a tailor-made incubation programme to accelerate their project development with mentors from French & Sub-Saharan creative industries, a residency period in France within a digital cluster/hub, and participation at industry events in France and/or in Sub-Saharan African region.

The 30 finalists of the DLA Pitch Competition are…

ANIMATION

BABA by Justus Macharia (Kenya)
FROZILLA by Komborerai Chapfika (Zimbabwe)
HERBBEINGS – THE MIND TEA LEAF by Abisola Aboaba (Nigeria)
LITTLE LITTLE ORISHAS by Archange Kiyindou (Republic of the Congo)RINGA MZANSI by Lwazi Msipha (South Africa)
UZI by Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya (Kenya)

*Animation Selection Committee
Stuart Forrest, Triggerfish Animation Studios (South Africa) | Eric Réginaud, Ciclic (France) | Marie-Anne Fontenier, Nef Animation (France) | Lesego Vorster, Hidden Hand Studios(South Africa) |Isaac Mogajane, Diprente Films (South Africa)

WEB CREATION

CARTOGRAPHIE DES RÉGIONS MUSICALES DU MALI by Tiécoura N’Daou (Mali)MAN WALKS INTO A BAR by Matthew Cuthbert (South Africa)
MEET THE ARTIST by Okuhle Magcaba (South Africa)
PENDO by Wako Sefara and Muendo Mullei Muindi (South Africa)RE/MEMBER YOUR DESCENDANTS by Xabiso Vili (South Africa)

REUNION by Bokang Lehlokoe and Nomonde Jele (South Africa)

Web Creation Selection Committee
Heidelinde Blumers, ARTE (France) | Kenneth Kaplan, Bioskope pictures (South Africa) |Indra de Lanerolle, JamLab (South Africa)

DIGITAL MUSIC

AKULELE PROGRAMME by Tabitha Karaba (Kenya)FRONTLINE SESSION by Norton Nyandeni (South Africa)JOKKO TEXT by Mamadou Dione (Senegal)STREAMBEATS LIVE by Cédrick Mezui Beckdan (Gabon)SUNKAMBE by Shaka Ramulifho (South Africa)SWAGGIFY by Marvin Madyara (Zimbabwe)

*Digital Music Selection Committee
Sevi Spanoudi, Black Major (South Africa)|Thibaut Mullings, Idol (France/South Africa), Alain Bidjeck, Centre des cultures d’Afrique (France)

VIRTUAL REALITY

I AM A WOMAN DEFINED / STORIES ABOUT HER by Charmaine Chitate (Zimbabwe)PHENDULA by Gugulethu Duma & Regina Kgatle (South Africa)
SIYA KHUMBULA by Isaac Zavale & Antonio Marin (South Africa/Mozambique)
THE AFROCYBORG VR FILM COLLECTIVE by Shmerah Passchier & The Afrocyborg Collective (South Africa)

TRVLR by Komborerai Chapfika (Zimbabwe)
THE CROSSING by Tafadzwa Hove (South Africa/Zimbabwe)

* VIRTUAL REALITY Selection Committee
Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, Ambrosia XR (South Africa) |Caitlin Robinson, Electric South(South Africa), Jérémy Pouilloux, La Générale de production (France), Tegan Bristow, Fak’ugesi, African Digital Innovation Festival (South Africa)

VIDEO GAME

AHKUNOBI by Ebube Ofili (Nigeria)
MANCALA PLUS by Setriakor Nyomi (Ghana)
PRECIOUS CARGO by Simone Beneke-Graham, Shannon Bennetts, Rowan Brough & Niall Graham (South Africa)
RIZIKI by George Ahere (Kenya)
WAHENGA – THE LOST ANCESTORS by Salim Burusu (Kenya)

Video Game Selection Committee
Francis Ingrand, SNJV/Plug In Digital (France), Nicholas Hall, Make Games SA/IESA (South Africa), Maud Renusson, Pictanovo (France), Sidick Bakayoko, Paradise Game (Ivory Coast)