Kenyan retail-tech startup Duhqa Among Winners of FT, Seedstars SDG Challenge
Duhqa, a Kenyan retail-tech startup, was named one of six global winners of the FTxSDG Challenge, which means it could receive US$500,000 in funding and growth support.
According to Disrupt Africa, the Financial Times and Seedstars partnered in September to launch the FTxSDG Challenge, which aims to find impact-driven entrepreneurs and ventures developing innovative solutions aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from over 90 markets around the world.
From over 4,500 applications, 2,000 candidates were chosen to attend Investment Readiness Sessions and receive Seedstars’ tech perks. Following that, 30 startups were given the opportunity to pitch their solutions at the final, which took place last week.
Kenya’s Duhqa was one of the six winners, taking first place in the Reduced Inequalities category. The platform connects retailers with manufacturers and other supply sources both locally and globally, addressing logistics and delivery inefficiencies.
Three winners came from India, one from Trinidad and Tobago, and one from the Cayman Islands. The six finalists will be accelerated to the Seedstars International Fund, where they will compete for up to US$500,000 in funding. They will also have access to the Seedstars Growth Programme and a Financial Times visibility package.
