Local fintech startup UniPay has won a P500,00 cash prize in the Business Den 2.0 Competition organised by the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC). UniPay's product is a cashless payment platform to be used in public transport.
The Business Den 2.0 received a total of 93 proposals which underwent an initial compliance screening and rigorous evaluation by an independent consultant. From this process, the ten finalists were drawn and given the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of seasoned independent judges who were tasked with selecting the winner of the grand prize.
UniPay will be housed under the Business Den for eighteen months, nurtured through continuous monitoring, evaluation, and mentorship. This period of growth and maturation will pave the way for its ultimate graduation from the program.
“We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of the project that will emerge from the grant awarded. Our nation’s youth are the driving force of change, and through their endeavours, we are confident that they will contribute positively to our society and economy,” said BDC Managing Director, Cross Kgosidiile.
Although BW TechZone could not find social media pages or a website associated with the company, according to founder Onalethata Tautona's LinkedIn, UniPay (formerly UniPost) was founded in April 2022.
Image: UniPay co-founder Onalethata Tautona, sourced from LinkedIn