This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
On September 11, 2019, Vodacom Tanzania and Smartlab announced a partnership to launch the Vodacom Digital Accelerator in Tanzania.
The program aims to support early-stage and growth-stage technology startups, helping them become profitable and revenue-generating businesses.
Targeting Tanzanian startup entrepreneurs in various sectors, including mobile, telecom, fintech, media, health, education, and e-commerce, the program will run yearly and have three phases: application, selection, and acceleration.
According to Hisham Hendi, Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania Plc, the partnership is a move towards providing opportunities to startup businesses via technological paths, resulting in workable business models that benefit communities.
“Vodacom always aims to create impactful sustainable change in the society where we operate in line with our strategic business focus, and the Vodacom Accelerator aims to do just that,” Hendi said.
Edwin Bruno, chief executive of SmartCodes, added that the innovation community in Tanzania has grown significantly, from just a handful of hubs in 2011 to more than 45 in 2019.
“We look forward to a tech-evolved-future for Tanzania that is full of disruptive solutions which will positively impact the coming generations,” Bruno said.
