Winners of TotalEnergies Startup Challenge unveiled

TotalEnergies Nigeria has unveiled winners of the third edition of its Startupper of the Year Challenge designed to support young entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the African continent.

Country Chair, TotalEnergies Companies in Nigeria, Mr Mike Sangster, presented the award to the three finalists in Lagos.

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The winners in the three categories were selected by a jury made up of experts and successful entrepreneurs from 15 top finalists.

They were assessed based on their innovative character, feasibility and development potential in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the United Nations.

The winners included: ‘Best Business Creation Project’ category won by Michael Osumune of Smart Inverter Systems, designed to provide solar electricity, wireless internet access and AI-enabled security surveillance for households and businesses with a mobile application.

The ‘Best Startup Under Three Years Old’ was won by Nonso Opurum of Soso Care, a low cost insurtech, which aims to enable millions of uninsured Nigerians access to health insurance using recyclables as premium.
Also, the ‘Best Female Entrepreneur’ was won by Rebecca Adeosun of Organic Cycle, an application developed for users to trade organic wastes, e-training intending black soldier fly farmers and sales of black soldier fly products after production.

The winners were rewarded with N5 million financial support each, presonalised coaching and mentoring, networking opportunities as well as media visibility.

Represented by the Managing Director, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Dr Samba Seye, the Country Manager explained that the Startupper Challenge was designed to support and reward young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 who had created a company in the past two years.

He said: “This prize is very important to TotalEnergies as it aligns with our culture of diversity and inclusion.

“Nigeria, like all other countries on the continent, is faced with challenges of poverty, youth unemployment, and the lack of infrastructure critical to economic development.

“It s also faced with the challenges associated with climate change and how to provide food for its teeming population, in a sustainable manner.

“I believe that today in our midst, we have entrepreneurs whose ideas can address some of the economic challenges Nigeria and other countries in Africa face.”