Insurtech startup Franc, language-learning platform Uthini and payments startup Maxicash have been named winners of the Johannesburg leg of the Seedstars competition, booking places in the national final.
Global early-stage startups competition Seedstars is on the road selecting companies to pitch for up to US$1 million in equity investment at its global final in Switzerland next April, and has already picked African winners in Egypt, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ghana, Rwanda, Libya, Uganda, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Angola, and Nigeria.
In South Africa, it has held two pre-selection rounds ahead of its national final on November 14. Three startups were named winners of a Cape Town even recently, while a pitch event was held in Johannesburg last week to pick another three finalists.
The winning startup was Franc, a self-insurance platform that offers customers the opportunity to grow their wealth and manage their personal risk. Franc will be joined in the final by second placed Uthini, a language learning platform that connects busy professionals with teachers using a structured learning path and chatbot technology, and third placed Maxicash, a financial support ecosystem built around remittances and payments for the African diaspora.
All three startups have booked their places in the Seedstars South Africa finals.
