The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and the Union of Comoros have signed a new EUR 330 Million Framework Agreement, reinforcing their strong partnership. The agreement was signed by ITFC’s CEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, Comoros’ Minister of Finance, Budget, and Banking Sector, and IsDB Governor, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Abdourazak, during his visit to ITFC’s headquarters in Jeddah.

The new 3-year Framework Agreement builds on the success of the previous EUR 330 million agreement, which achieved 83% of its target. It will focus on key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and SME support, aiming to mobilize trade financing and enhance economic development in Comoros. Since 2008, ITFC has approved over US$ 712 million in financing for Comoros, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to the country’s growth.

Commenting on the signing, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC said, “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with the Union of Comoros through this new framework agreement, which reflects our shared commitment to fostering sustainable economic development. By focusing on key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and SME development, we aim to support the country in achieving its long-term goals under the Emerging Comoros Plan. Our efforts, including the newly signed Food Security Facility, demonstrate our dedication to addressing critical needs such as food security while empowering key industries to drive growth.”

The Minister of Finance, Budget and Banking of the Union of Comoros, Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Abdourazak, also commented: “I am proud and optimistic to sign today this framework agreement between the Union of Comoros and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). This agreement marks a key milestone for the development of vital sectors such as energy, agriculture, and SMEs, the driving forces of our economy. In addition, ITFC signed a EUR 20 Million Food Security Facility in favor of the Union of Comoros and with two local banks, BDC and AFG Bank, as Executing Agencies, to support the continuous supply of essential foodstuffs at affordable prices to address food security challenges in the country. The Government of Comoros remains firmly committed to the priority programs and projects of the “Plan Comores Émergents”. Finally, on behalf of the Comorian Government and on my behalf, I would like to warmly thank ITFC for its ongoing support and look forward to strengthening our collaboration.” 

ITFC’s broader support for Comoros includes capacity-building initiatives, such as the Reverse Linkage Project with Morocco for the sustainable tourism sector, and the equipment of the Central Vanilla Buying and Marketing Center under the Aid for Trade Initiative for the Arab States (AfTIAS 2.0) program. These efforts underline ITFC’s commitment to fostering sustainable development through integrated trade solutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Contact us:
Twitter: @ ITFCCORP
Facebook: @ ITFCCORP
LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)
Tel: +966 12 646 8337
Fax: +966 12 637 1064
E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org

About the International Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$75 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

Festival Coins (Nigeria), Salubata (Nigeria), HustleSasa (Kenya) and UBR VR (Egypt) Win Top Prizes, including Financial Support and Mentorship; Paystack Payments Ltd., Kuramo Capital Management and Nigerian University of Technology and Management Join Demo Day as NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator’s First Official Partners (www.NBA.com).

NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum today announced the four prize-winning startup businesses from “NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator” (http://apo-opa.co/3ZLmNoC), which NBA Africa launched in April 2024 to support the continent’s technology ecosystem and the next generation of African entrepreneurs.  The four winning businesses – Festival Coins (Nigeria), Salubata (Nigeria), HustleSasa (Kenya) and UBR VR (Egypt) – will be awarded financial support and mentorship, including an opportunity to participate in workshops and development programs facilitated by NBA Africa or its partners. 

The 10 finalists, shortlisted from more than 700 early-stage African startup businesses that applied to participate, pitched their products to a panel of international industry leaders at a Demo Day at the NBA headquarters in New York City yesterday. The judges included Accelerate Africa Co-Founder and CEO Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; NBA Assistant General Counsel, Technology, Software Licensing and Digital Platforms Franciscus Diaba; Managing Director, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda Crystal Rugege; Chegg Inc. Executive Chairman Dan Rosensweig; and Partner at Development Partners International Joanne Yoo.  NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also delivered opening remarks and met the 10 finalists.

Below are the four winning businesses:

Festival Coins (Nigeria), an event technology company that offers a customizable, no-code event registration and ticketing platform called Tix Africa for events in Nigeria and Ghana, won the first-place prize and $50,000. 
Salubata (Nigeria), a company that creates modular shoes repurposed from plastic waste to reduce the global carbon footprint through its environmentally friendly products, won the second-place prize and $40,000. 
HustleSasa (Kenya), which provides live event services that support payment processing, attendee check-in, merchandise sales, customer data management, influencer tracking, and more, won the third-place prize and $30,000.
UBR VR (Egypt), which delivers state-of-the-art, fully immersive, in-person virtual reality (VR) experiences across Egypt, won the fourth-place prize and $20,000.

The six other finalists each received a $10,000 prize. 

The Demo Day was supported by three official partners: Paystack Payment Ltd. (http://apo-opa.co/3XHn75j), Kuramo Capital Management (http://apo-opa.co/3ZGroJ2) and Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM) (http://apo-opa.co/3XHn1dX).  

“Congratulations to all of the incredibly talented entrepreneurs who participated in this year’s program, with special recognition to the 10 finalists and four distinguished winners,” said NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi.  “These outstanding companies have demonstrated the creativity, drive and determination to shape the future of sport in Africa and will help the continent take its rightful place on the world stage.  We look forward to following their successes for many years to come.”

“NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator” is open to early-stage startups in Africa that develop solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, AI, and digital marketing. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya. The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more. 

NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015. The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that concluded its fourth season in June 2024.  Fans can follow @ NBA_Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3XytCXW) and @ theBAL (https://apo-opa.co/3N01pod) on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Guinea’s only public dental school celebrated the grand opening of its state-of-the-art training facility, which more than doubles capacity for dental students to learn, practice and treat patients while addressing the critical gap in accessing dental care.

The new 1500m sq plus expansion at Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) marks the end of 20 months of construction and builds on an already thriving program which is paving the way to transform dental care across sub-Saharan Africa as more partners join forces.

Since partnering with international charity Mercy Ships in 2018 to help with the renovation of an existing building, UGANC has transformed its approach to dental training, overcoming previous challenges and setting a new standard for practical, patient-focused education where students receive supervised advanced clinical training on equipment.

Guinea’s Minister of Higher Education, Mr Alpha Bacar Barry, who was the first patient to receive dental treatment at the newly-opened clinic, said: “It’s one thing to have a gift; it’s another thing to make it last. We know that the population in our country is really in need of dental care. This center is appointed to be a response to meet that need, because you cannot talk health if you don’t have infrastructure. Having this infrastructure and equipment is a huge blessing for Guinea.”

“I call for all students who are true recipients of this great achievement today, to really engage themselves in being serious and working hard in order to become great dentists for the population who are in need of it. I encourage students and teachers to research to keep improving the health system of Guinea.”

He added: “Thank you to Mercy Ships for all the endeavors and engagement and for building this center, which is going to be a great and impactful center of training for dental students in the West African region and beyond.”

The new landmark expansion allows the Doctorate in Dental Surgery program to have 30 students per class, which is an overall capacity of more than 210 students. These numbers mark a significant leap in addressing the shortage of dental professionals. Between 2014 and 2019, the WHO Africa region averaged just 3.3 dentists per 100,000 people—a figure that’s about one-tenth of the global ratio (http://apo-opa.co/3zHdBaf).

Before Mercy Ships’ involvement, there was no simulation or on-site clinic for students. In 2018-19, the partnership introduced simulation and practical training to students with 4 simulation stations and 10 dental chairs for patient care. The expansion created 30 simulation stations along with 22 dental chairs for patient care and created new labs for practical training and dental prosthodontics. Cutting edge technologies include a CBCT (Cone Bean CT) scanning machine that allows for detailed 3D images to be taken quickly for accurate diagnosis and treatment and an electronic medical management system installed for patient recordkeeping.

Professor Mohamed Cissé, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of UGANC, said: “Guineans are used to going abroad for medical treatment, but with this gem there will be no need to seek treatment abroad. People will be able to get their treatment here. I would simply like to thank Mercy Ships, because they have enabled us to get out of a rut and to become a leading light in terms of dental surgery.”

Lead dentist Dr. David Ugai – now the Mercy Ships Country Director in Guinea and the Dental Director of Education and Investment – witnessed the overwhelming scope of the dental need in the nation when he first volunteered with Mercy Ships in Guinea in 2012. There, he watched as the lines of patients seeking dental care continued to grow longer and longer.  

He shared at the time: “We could stay in Guinea forever and ever and that line would continue to be there.”

Today he celebrates the progress which he says has only come about through strong collaboration and donors who have supported the programs, which also include biomedical training, surgical specialty, and a nurse anesthesia program.

Dr. Ugai said: “’We are now in a position of being able to give every single student the ability to go through a training, a curriculum, a process, that meets not just Guinea’s standards and accreditation standards, but towards those international accreditation standards in the future.”

Students studying at UGANC and a related program in Morocco now represent a variety of African nations, such as Benin, Madagascar, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. As of September 2024, there are 26 international students enrolled in various student exchange programs in the University, including 11 dental students from neighboring Sierra Leone, where Mercy Ships’ hospital ship the Global Mercy™ has docked for two subsequent field services from 2023-2025.  

Hopes are strong that the highly educated and experienced professionals will return to their home countries and establish new schools of their own and bolster dental care throughout the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.

For more information about Mercy Ships, contact:
Guinea:
Aissatou Bhoye Bah
Mercy Ships Guinea Office Manager
aissatoubhoye.bah@mercyships.org

International:
Sophie Barnett
Mercy Ships International PR Manager
sophie.barnett@mercyships.org

ABOUT MERCY SHIPS:  
Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. An international faith-based organization, Mercy Ships has focused entirely on partnering with African nations for the past three decades. Working with in-country partners, Mercy Ships also provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact.   

Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to accelerate access to safe surgical, obstetric and anesthetic care. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has offices in 16 countries as well as an Africa Service Center in Dakar, Senegal. For more information, visit MercyShips.org and follow @ MercyShips on social media.  

2024 Finalists were selected from nearly 2,500 nominations spanning 139 countries, the largest-ever nomination pool; First Earthshot Finalists from France, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Nepal in 2024 cohort.

At the third-annual Earthshot Innovation Summit, held in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Earthshot Prize unveiled its fourth cohort of Prize Finalists, an inspiring group of global innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and advocates pioneering solutions to our most pressing climate and environmental challenges. Each of the 15 Finalists are in the running to receive five £1 million prizes which will be awarded at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa on Wednesday 6 November, to be broadcasted by the MultiChoice Group across Africa.

“Today, we celebrate the incredible achievement, unwavering dedication and urgent optimism that drives our fourth class of Earthshot innovators,” said Prince William, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize. “The passion of these Finalists is a testament to what can be achieved when we tap into the enormous creativity, ingenuity, and optimism of communities around the world.  Representing every corner of the globe, these Finalists are leading the way in solving some of the most urgent environmental challenges. Their groundbreaking work is inspiring hope and action as we work to create a sustainable future for generations to come.”

This year’s Finalists were selected from nearly 2,500 nominees submitted by the Prize’s network of more than 430 nominators from 75 countries. The 15 Finalists were chosen by The Earthshot Prize based on assessments done by its selection partners and Expert Advisory Panel (http://apo-opa.co/4dkBSAH), a global group of more than 100 subject-matter experts with deep backgrounds in conservation, science, technology, business, finance, academia and policy.

During the year-long search and select process, The Earthshot Prize, its selection partners, and members of the Expert Advisory Panel evaluated each Finalist’s solution for its potential to disrupt environmental challenges and positively impact people, communities and our planet. As a result, the 2024 Earthshot Prize celebrates the most competitive cohort to date. The 15 Finalists hail from six continents and include several firsts for The Prize, including the first Finalists from France, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Nepal.

As The Prize continues its journey to repair and regenerate the planet, it has become a powerful global search engine unearthing the best environmental solutions and a platform for impact to catalyze critical investment and resources towards these solutions. Today’s announcement brings the number of global solutions honored as Prize Finalists to 60, a major milestone in The Prize’s efforts to uncover and elevate the most promising climate solutions around the world. The Prize has also helped unlock more than £75 million in direct and in-kind support for Finalists since its founding in 2020.

The Prize is focused on discovering, spotlighting and helping scale innovative solutions that the world needs if we are to collectively achieve critical environmental goals. Solutions selected align to the five ‘Earthshots’ – simple, ambitious and aspirational goals defining the world we wish to build for future generations: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build A Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate.

For The Earthshot Prize to Protect And Restore Nature, the 2024 Finalists are:

Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance, Ecuador: An alliance of 30 indigenous nations that collectively stand together to protect 86 million acres of critical Amazon rainforest – an area the size of Germany – and advocate for a regenerative bioeconomy.
NatureMetrics, UK: A global intelligence start-up in environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling on a mission to make biodiversity monitoring accessible to all. Using eDNA technology to identify species populations and report environmental and conservation impacts, they have the potential to unleash system-level change in nature conservation and restoration.
Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, Kazakhstan: An organization that has achieved what was thought impossible – the rapid recovery of a large animal from the brink of extinction. Partnering with governments and indigenous communities to restore Kazakhstan’s Steppe grassland, Altyn Dala’s work to deliver the comeback of the Saiga antelope is one of the greatest nature restoration successes ever recorded.

For The Earthshot Prize to Clean Our Air, the 2024 Finalists are:

GAYO Ghana: A youth-led organization that uses its “zero waste model” to drive behavioural change in waste management practices across Africa that cut greenhouse gas emissions and particle pollution while bringing additional income to communities. Their plan to scale would reduce air pollution by 70% and make them the leading model for waste management on the continent.
d.light, Pan-Africa: A successful company on track to transform the lives of one billion people by providing affordable and clean solar home systems that provide electricity and replace polluting kerosene lamps and dirty stoves. Operating across Sub-Saharan Africa, India and over 60 additional countries, d.light is already one of the world’s largest solar home system providers and continues to rapidly improve access to clean energy.
MYCL, Indonesia: A company tackling two major problems: crop-waste burning and harmful leather production, both which pollute the air and damage quality of life. They take crop waste – which is typically burned – and use a unique mushroom base to convert it into a leather alternative. They are scaling rapidly via key partnerships with major fashion designers and creating local jobs for farmers and artisans.

For The Earthshot Prize to Revive Our Oceans, the 2024 Finalists are:

High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Global: A groundbreaking alliance of 119 countries with the grandest goal of any Finalist to date – to protect 30% of the land and oceans by 2030, by identifying technical, financial and knowledge gaps and connecting governments with technical assistance and funding. They’ve already achieved a major milestone with the adoption of this “30×30” target in the 2022 UN Global Biodiversity Framework.
MiAlgae, UK: A company offering a circular economy solution to the problem of sourcing marine Omega-3s from fish oil, which requires catching large quantities of wild fish simply to feed the farmed fish that we consume. Using a patented fermentation process and whisky by-products, MiAlgae grows nutrient-rich microalgae as a direct source of Omega-3s for aquaculture feed. Their innovative approach makes the solution highly scalable and cost-efficient, reducing the need to rely on wild fish and offering a sustainable alternative for the industry.
Coast 4C, Philippines: A social enterprise that aims to build the world’s largest supply of regenerative seaweed, benefiting marginalized coastal fishing communities by transforming their harvest and providing a market to sell the seaweed at profits to lift them out of poverty.

For The Earthshot Prize to Build A Waste-Free World, the 2024 Finalists are:

Natural Fiber Welding, USA: A company that creates biodegradable natural fibers and ingredients to replace plastics with wide applications in fashion, footwear, automotive and more. NFW’s non-toxic processes benefit farmers and reduce carbon emissions by 90%, compared to plastics.
Ferment’Up, France: A company that upcycles skins and seeds from fruits and vegetables using dry fermentation to create highly nutritious ingredients from food waste, cutting carbon emissions and drastically reducing water use.
Keep It Cool, Kenya: A company that is tackling problems with proper refrigeration and cold-chain logistics across Africa by offering solar-powered refrigeration solutions that cut post-harvest waste by 25% and by connecting smallholder farmers and fishers to a centralized online marketplace. 

For The Earthshot Prize to Fix Our Climate, the 2024 Finalists are:

Equatic, USA: Using breakthrough technology, this early-stage company uses a process called seawater electrolysis to remove carbon dioxide from the ocean 99,000 times faster than nature alone. The process creates a byproduct called green hydrogen, a desirable clean fuel whose sale could support its carbon removal operations.
Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, USA: A company that takes excess heat from heavy industrial processes, like creating cement and steel, and converts the heat waste into electricity. ATS’s unique heat waste capture technology has the potential to avoid a gigatonne of CO2 waste by 2050.
Build Up Nepal, Nepal: A social enterprise that has developed an earthquake-resilient brick with 75% lower carbon emissions compared to traditional clay-fired bricks. Homes built with these bricks are affordable and have been proven to withstand earthquakes.

The five Winners of this year’s Prize will be selected by Prince William and his fellow members of the prestigious Earthshot Prize Council (http://apo-opa.co/3ZFzYrw), a diverse group of individuals dedicated to championing urgent and innovative action to protect the climate and our natural environment. The Earthshot Prize Council is chaired by The Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees Chair, Dame Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Agreement.

Members of The Earthshot Prize Council are HRH Prince William, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Cate Blanchett, Sir David Attenborough, Indra Nooyi, Stella McCartney, José Andrés, Wanjira Mathai, Nemonte Nenquimo, Luisa Neubauer, Naoko Yamazaki, Ernest Gibson, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The 2024 Earthshot Prize Winners will be announced at the fourth Earthshot Prize Awards, taking place on Wednesday 6 November in Cape Town, South Africa. The awards ceremony will be part of Earthshot Week in partnership with MultiChoice Group and will comprise of a series of events convening global leaders, investors, philanthropists, businesses and NGOs to explore opportunities with The Earthshot Prize Winners and Finalists and work together to address the roadblocks preventing solutions and sectors from speeding to scale.

The Finalists’ eligibility for one of five £1 million prizes is only the beginning of their Earthshot journey. Each Finalist will receive dedicated mentorship, resources and technical support to help accelerate the growth of their solution during the Earthshot Prize Fellowship Programme. That support includes access to the Prize’s robust network of influential businesses, investors and climate experts, including The Earthshot Prize’s Global Alliance of Partners, comprised of some of the world’s largest businesses, donors, investors and environmental organizations committed to climate action. Finalists will also have access to Launchpad, Earthshot’s bespoke online innovative finance platform to matchmake Earthshot solutions to a growing community of members made up of mission-aligned donors and investors seeking to speed proven environmental solutions to scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.

Contact:
earthshotprize@fgsglobal.com  

Follow The Earthshot Prize on:
Instagram: http://apo-opa.co/3MXTdoD
Twitter: http://apo-opa.co/4ei9II6
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/3ZJOy1b
Facebook: http://apo-opa.co/3MWd8US
YouTube: http://apo-opa.co/3ZXg0Zt and
TikTok: http://apo-opa.co/3ZFQyaG

About The Earthshot Prize:                                            
For more information about The Earthshot Prize, visit: www.EarthshotPrize.org. 

Founded by Prince William and incubated in the The Royal Foundation in 2020 for a year before becoming an independent platform/organization, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize and platform designed to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, which united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon, The Earthshot Prize aims to catalyse an Earthshot challenge to urgently encourage and scale innovative solutions that can help put the world firmly on a trajectory towards a stable climate, where communities, oceans and biodiversity thrive in harmony by 2030. The five challenges are: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix Our Climate.

The Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism by championing inspiring leadership and helping to scale incredible cutting-edge solutions. It will discover 50 winners over 10 years with the power to repair the planet. More than an award, The Earthshot Prize works in partnership with a Global Alliance of Partners to support the scaling of the solutions discovered and selected each year.

The Global Alliance Founding Partners are a group of leading global organizations and philanthropists, which act as strategic funding partners to the Prize, including Aga Khan Development Network, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Breakthrough Energy Foundation, Coleman Family Ventures, DP World in partnership with Dubai EXPO 2020, Eleven Eleven Foundation, Giving Grousbeck Fazzalari, Holch Povlsen Foundation, Jack Ma Foundation, Law Family Charitable Foundation, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Marc and Lynne Benioff, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Rob Walton Foundation, Sandy and Paul Edgerley, Standard Chartered Bank, Temasek Trust, and Uber.

Global Alliance Partners are non-profit environment and sustainable development organizations that bring expertise, global reach and serve as nominating organizations each year. For a full list of our Global Alliance Partners, visit: http://apo-opa.co/4dnbwhu.

Global Alliance Members are some of the world’s largest and most influential companies and brands that will support The Earthshot Prize, implement ambitious changes within their businesses and accelerate the advancement of the solutions of Prize Finalists and Winners. They are Arup, Bloomberg L.P., Deloitte, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hitachi, Ingka Group (IKEA), Microsoft, The Multichoice Group, Natura &Co, Safaricom, Salesforce, Unilever, Vodacom Group, and Walmart.

About MultiChoice Group:
MultiChoice Group (MCG), listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), is a leading provider of entertainment and related consumer services, with an expanding ecosystem, underpinned by scalable technologies, and a track record now spanning almost 40 years.  MCG provides video entertainment products and services through its linear and streaming platforms to millions of households across 50 countries on the African continent and continues to grow by producing and acquiring the best local, sport and international content and offering tiered subscription packages and aggregated streaming services to its customer base. MCG’s superior technology capabilities enable it to continue innovating around distribution, digital and payment solutions and content security to offer the best customer experience across the continent. Reaching up to 100 million individuals on a daily basis, the MultiChoice Group is using its scale and distribution to expand its platform to include sports betting and interactive entertainment, fin-tech services, household services (focused on internet connectivity and emergency response services) and ed-tech. Irdeto, MCG’s technology business, provides platform cybersecurity services which protect over 6bn devices and applications globally for some of the world’s best media and technology brands, as well as clients in the connected industries sector.