2019 JA Africa Company of the Year Competition Activates Disruptors in Ghana
December 10, 2019
The sixth and final Company of the Year Competition of 2019—and the Centennial year—was held from December 4–6, 2019, in Accra, Ghana. JA Africa’s ninth Company of the Year Competition brought together 44 students ages 15–19 from 11 countries across Africa. This year’s theme was “Activating Disruptors,” which challenged students to come up with products and services that disrupt various industries.
The three-day competition sponsored by FedEx, Citi, Delta, Facebook, Bechtel, and other local partners hosted student teams as they showcased their companies and services or products. They were joined in the competition by local and international professionals, who served as judges, mentors, and coaches.
The competition took place in four stages: company report (submitted prior to the competition), stage pitches, trade fair, and board-room interviews.
Company reports summarize each company’s business operations.
During stage pitches, student teams present their businesses to a panel of judges comprised of local and international leaders.
At the trade fair, each student team sets up a booth to demonstrate its products or services, allowing judges to learn more about student companies and ask further questions.
In the board room, judges ask student teams about their companies, probing company leaders on their understanding of how and why a company performed as it did, draw out any lessons learned from the JA Company Program experience, and how those lessons might be applied in new business contexts.
Meet the Teams:
Here are this year’s top African teams:
Relo Pave from JA Botswana produces pavement bricks without water.
Edu-Buddies from JA Eswatini built an online system to monitor school performance.
Injeksion fron JA Gabon manufactures telephone holders made from plastic tubing covered with native fabrics.
Pedtor Inc. from JA Ghana created a tracking service that connects parents and children.
Dectra JA Co. from JA Kenya developed an online real-estate advertising platform.
Disinwel from JA Mauritius produces towel disinfectors that enhance drying and sanitation.
T.C. Achievers from JA Nigeria produces rechargeable gas leakage detectors.
Future Ent. from JA South Africa makes woven baskets made from recycled materials.
Centenary Tiles from JA Uganda manufactures roofing tiles from recycled plastics.
Active Innovators from JA Zambia produces a range of kitchen utensils made from recycled bottles.
Remnsat Ent. from JA Zimbabwe sells cookies made out of Bambara groundnut flour.
In addition to the competition stages, student teams also heard from inspirational speakers, and they participated in the FedEx Access Seminar and the Delta Social Impact Seminar, two vital steps toward winning the FedEx Access Award and the Delta Social Impact Award.
Meet the Winners
Kosmos Energy Entrepreneurial Spirit Award: T.C. Achievers
Out-of-School Youth Competition Grand Prize and Best Digital Media Marketing Award (sponsored by Facebook): Wot Art
FedEx Access Award: Relo Pave
Citi Foundation Client Focus Award: T.C. Achievers
Delta Social Impact Award: Active Innovators
LAWtrust Information Security Solutions CEO Rising Award: Brian Dlamini from JA Eswatini
Third place: T.C. Achievers
Second place: Edu Buddies
First place – Company of the Year: Relo Pave
Congratulations to all the student teams and award winners!