Technovation Challenge 2019: Meet the four teams that emerged as winners

The city of Calabar hosted its first Technovation regional pitch recently on the 11th of May 2019 at the Tinapa Knowledge City, Calabar Nigeria. iKapture Networks in partnership with the LiftHUB, Afterschool centre and with the support of the U.S. Embassy Nigeria hosted over  hundred girls of ages 10-18 from Aba and Calabar in the South-South region of Nigeria for the regional pitch on Saturday. 

  Technovation is a global technology entrepreneurship program for girls that challenge them to identify and solve a community problem through the development of a mobile app. The girls spent the last five months participating in the program and came up the stage to pitch how their app ideas will solve community problems like poor quality of education, lack of healthcare services, fake food products, unemployment, entrepreneurship and more.

Saturday was epic as four teams emerged the winners for the semi-finals, where they would pitch their ideas and business plans to a panel of tech industry experts and investors for a chance to win scholarships to advance their education in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, in the Technovation World pitch summit in August 2019, at Silicon Valley.

 Team Harryfield and Team Paradise won the junior category, while Team Valeria and Team Explicit innovators won the senior category. Announcing the winners for this year’s regional technovation challenge, the Cultural Affairs Specialist at the Embassy of the United States of America, Nigeria; Bella Anne Ndubuisi, said the US Embassy is delighted to be part of the partners and supporters of the program.

She said the US Embassy is very proactive to support the idea of more girls getting involved in science, technology, engineering and maths

 While for the people’s choice award where teams were asked to display demo and prototype of their App to the judges and visitors Team Marvel came first for the senior category and again Team Harryfield came first for the junior category. They were awarded with the GoGlobal book by Grace Ihejiamaizu and a media tour.

The commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Stella Odey, advised the students to be of good behavior and take their studies seriously; even as she praised the regional ambassador,  Grace Ihejiamaizu for the choice to empower women and girls through technology.

“We hope to host this same program next year and get more girls accros the South South region of Nigeria to get involved in technology,” said Ihejiamaizu who is also the founder of IKapture Networks.

Notable personalities present at the event are, Akomaye Ugar, Senior Pastor, Honeystream’s Christian Centre & International Development Speaker, Associate Professor, Christiana Ihejiamaizu of the University of Calabar.

The judges include Mrs. Esther Eshiet, Faculty Lead; Afterschool Centre for Career Development, Mr. Okorn Okorn, founder of The LiftHub Africa, Journalist & Broadcaster, Ukeh Ogar, Elizabeth Kalu and Eti Demas.

Certificates were issued out to participants and mentors, recognition of partners and also some teachers and mentors were awarded for working hard for the success of their teams and the program.

 The girls were urged to continue doing their best in their different career fields to become successful in life.
More photos after the cut: