The U-Start Conference Africa, which took place in Cape Town last week, has chosen four South African startups to attend the Milan leg of the conference series.
The Cape Town event provided fifteen startups with the opportunity to pitch to a panel of six judges, with an all expenses paid trip to the Milan being awarded to the winning startups.
Mellowcabs, wiGroup, Cape Ray and Over were selected as the U-Start Africa conference finalists.
“With better visibility and stronger links with players, investors and partners in Europe, the United States and other countries, I am convinced that only that kind of international exposure can really boost the quality of the [startup] ecosystem,” said Stephano Guidotti, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of U-Start, at the event.
Mellowcabs manufactures and operates electric mini-cabs, providing public transport in urban areas. The company generates revenue through advertising on the cabs themselves, as opposed to fares generated through carrying passengers.
wiGroup provides a mobile aggregation platform, allowing retailers to accept any mobile transaction application through a single integration. The system allows for payment to be made from any mobile device.
Cape Ray have created a breast cancer diagnosis device that incorporates low dose digital X-rays and 3D ultrasound.
Over, originally based in the United States, has moved its headquarters to South Africa, providing an app for users to overlay photographs in text, artwork and icons.
The conference in Milan, which will be held in May, will provide the young companies with exposure to international media and investors, networking opportunities and a free private desk at the U-Start event.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
