Judges were fierce at the Tanzania final of The Next Web’s global startup competition, 
Judges Kristiina Lähde – Chief Technical Advisor, TanzICT, Raddhina Kipozi – East Africa Program Manager for Envaya, Wilmore Mihayo – Founder & CEO Uhuru One, Charles Matondane – Head of VAS & Internet Services, VODACOM and Catherinerose Barretto – Founder and Director Kinu & Pamoja initiatives scored Safari Yetu the highest points crowing them winner of the competition. Startups were judged how innovative their product was, how scalable it could be, and what its global impact and reach might be. Points were also awarded for pitch strength.
Safari Yetu changes how consumers buy bus tickets in Tanzania; currently buying a bus ticket for travel means going to a bus station a day earlier than the expected travel date, spending two to five hours in traffic just to get your ticket and then do the same the day you are traveling. With Safari Yetu, you pay online or via mobile, receive an SMS reservation or ticket and go to the bus station once; the day you are traveling.
The 10 finalists picked to pitch in Tanzania were Book by Book, Java Foods, Blackmark Corporation, TMT Technologies, Morogoro Centre for Food Processing Training, Rasello, Victor Techno Solve Empresa, Safari Yetu, Magilatech and Harusi Yangu.
The Next Web would like to thank our partners Nathan Were of DTBi and Joshua Stern of Telerivet for helping us organize the event.
You can watch the teaser for the Startup World documentary below.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.