News app for varsity students wins in Safaricom challenge
Egerton University students leave the institution on December 7, 2014 following a riot on December 6, 2014. Egerton University students are the winners of this year’s Safaricom Appwiz Challenge. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH |
What you need to know:
- The Egerton University learners developed a mobile-based web programme that allows the youth to access campus news through handsets.
- The software, Magazine Reel, compiles news and notices from various universities and presents them in an easy-to-read format that suits students, who do not necessary conform to the traditional media consumption habits.
A group of students is the winner of this year’s Safaricom Appwiz Challenge.
The Egerton University learners developed a mobile-based web programme that allows the youth to access campus news through handsets.
Now in its second year running, Safaricom Appwiz Challenge is an annual competition that seeks to identify and develop mobile technology based companies.
The software, Magazine Reel, compiles news and notices from various universities and presents them in an easy-to-read format that suits students, who do not necessary conform to the traditional media consumption habits.
“While there are many people who still wait to watch the news every evening and read newspapers every morning, studies have shown that there are many tech-savvy youth who would rather access news on the go through smart devices,” Mr Joseph Ogutu said, the director for strategy and innovation at Safaricom.
Mr Ogutu noted that “through Safaricom Appwiz Challenge, we continue to support young entrepreneurs interested in establishing mobile and ICT startups in Kenya through mentorship, training and product development”.
OTHER VICTORS
At the moment, Magazine Reel has over 250,000 page views per month and over 5,000 users daily. Plans are in the pipeline to have it on the Safaricom App Store.
Guide Rig, a communication and marketing software for businesses won in the smart business and cloud innovation category and was the overall runners up in the contest.
Other winners were Ujirani, a community-based security app, in the mobile for good and community development category, while in infrastructure and utilities category the award went to Smart Travel, a programme that provides motorists with road information and also helps them know whether they have exceeded their alcohol limit per sitting.
The winner took home Sh1.7 million, while the runners up got Sh1.2 million. Category winners were each rewarded with Sh200,000.
The amounts will be disbursed on an agreed basis between the startup and Safaricom based on continued development of the startups.
