Google has announced the finalists of the Google Impact Challenge that they announced some time back in May. The aim was to identify and fund the most innovative social enterprises using technology to improve society on a local or national scale.
This challenge was launched in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa and over the 6 month period, over 5000 entries were submitted from the three countries, with over 1000 entries from Kenya. Google will invest a total of 200 million on these 12 non profits in Kenya. They will also provide support and training to these 12 non profits to scale their projects.
The finalists are:
- Lewa Wildlife Marathon
- African Prisons Project
- Startup Lions
- Ujuzi Kilimo Solutions
- AriScout
- Creatives Garage
- GiveDirectly Kenya
- Global Minimum InLab
- M-Shule
- NairoBits
- Sauti
- The Somo Project
Lewa Wildlife Marathon was named the winner by the public vote while the African Prisons Project, Startup Lions and Ujuzi Kilimo Solutions won the judges vote and they won 25 million each. The rest of the finalists each received 12.5 million.
The funding will be allocated in tranches to each enterprise as the reach predefined milestones on their ventures. They will also receive support from Google to reach their goals and meet these milestones.
“Google celebrates the nonprofits that took part in the Google Impact Challenge, especially for the way that their work is fuelling social and economic change in their communities. This Challenge is part of our ongoing commitment to invest and build initiatives relevant for Africans’ everyday lives,” Google Kenya’s Country Manager, Charles Murito said.
