ENTERPRISE54 – Safaricom, a Kenya-based ICT company in a bid to use mobile ICT to develop solutions has launched the second edition of its Appwiz Challenge worth KSh7 million ($79,800).

The Appwiz Challenge which will run for 4months, is focused on identifying and developing young, successful mobile application companies with mobile technology based solutions to problems faced by the Kenyan market.

Participants must enter the challenge in teams of 3members each with prototypes of their solutions and are expected to work under five categories; Mobile for Good and Community Development, Smart Business and Cloud Innovation, Infrastructure and Utilities, Entertainment, Games and Media, Youth and Financial Inclusion.

Safaricom’s Director of Strategy and Innovation, Joseph Ogutu stated that apart from the grand prize of KSh1.5 m ($17,100) and also KSh1 m ($11,400) for the runner-up and category winners, the finalists will be tutored by A-list entrepreneurs on business strategies and project management.

“Through this, we hope to complement governments’ efforts in attaining our economic blueprints to become a middle income country by 2030, ” Mr Ogutu said.

Victor Kyalo, ICT Board Chief Executive Officer, also commented saying: “our vision is for Kenya to become a top ten ICT hub by 2030. Mobile applications will drive us there.”