TechCabal biggest winner at the 2023 Startup Awards by StartupSouth

TechCabal was biggest winner of the night, taking home trophies in three categories.

TechCabal and its business intelligence unit TC Insights have won awards in three categories at the Startup Awards, held on October 5 and 6 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The awards are for Best New Media Platform (Technology), Best Startup Intelligence Platform (TC Insights), and  Best Startup Ecosystem Newsletter (TC Daily).

This award is coming just as the publication is preparing to host one of the biggest tech conferences on the continent, Moonshot. The conference, which will be held in Lagos on October 11  and 12, will bring together Africa’s tech ecosystem in person to network, collaborate, share insights and celebrate innovation on the continent.

The Startup Awards, organised by #StartupSouth, a startup ecosystem development and advocacy organisation, honours individuals and organisations that have made a verifiable impact in deepening the innovation ecosystem in Nigeria, with specific reference to the South-South/South-Eastern regions.

In his welcome address, Owen Shedrack, senior associate at #StartupSouth and programme lead for the Startup Awards, emphasised the importance of collective efforts in achieving economic prosperity and development.  “Whether directly or indirectly, we have seen the impact in our work at #StartupSouth. The award is a way to show gratitude, inspire, and motivate them to continue the good work.”

A breakdown of the winners’ list shows that TechCabal, winning in three categories, was the biggest winner of the night.

The 2023 edition of the Startup Awards witnessed significant growth, with over 300 nominations received and an impressive 4,000 votes recorded. The evaluation criteria included public vote (20%), national spread/national impact/relevance (20%), venture backing for startups (20%), regional impact (20%), and jury decision (20%).

In his speech before handing over the awards to the winners, Yakubu Musa, acting national coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI). National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), commended the organisers of the awards and pledged NITDA’s support and willingness to work with the team in subsequent editions. 

In his closing remarks, Uche Aniche, convener of #StartupSouth, thanked all the nominees and the winners for their relentless commitment to the #StartupSouth ethos. He emphasised that everyone who made it to the nomination table deserved to win the award and urged them to see the awards as an invitation to do more.  

Notable guests at the event were Nkechi Obi, CEO of Sports Nigeria Ltd/GTE and chairman of the Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL; Kehinde Ogundare (country manager Nigeria at Zoho; Olufemi Abioye, founder/CEO of Dekaizen; Tessy Ewuzie, facility manager at Aradel Holdings; and Ikechukwu Anachemba, senior special assistant to the governor of Anambra State on innovation & incubation.

Full list of winners

1. Startup of the Year – National – HouseAfrica
2. Startup of the Year – Regional – Foris Labs 
3. Inspirational Founder of the Year – National – Nnamdi Uba & Ndifreke Ikokpu
4. Inspirational Founder of the Year – Regional – Aaron Esumeh
5. Public Institution of the Year – National – NITDA
6. Public Institution of the Year – Regional – Skill-up Imo (MInistry Digital Economy & e-Government)
7. Best Startup Coverage (Radio) – Regional – Nigeria Info PH
8. Best Startup Coverage (TV) – National – Channels TV
9. Best Startup Coverage (TV) – Regional – AfiaTV Enugu
10. Best Startup Coverage (Non-Technology) New Media – National – Nairametrics 
11. Best Startup Coverage (Non-Technology) New Media – Regional – Naira Diary
12. Startup Journalist of the Year Regional – Peter Oluka (Tech Economy)
13. Most Inspirational Technology Hub – Regional – OlotuSquare, Port Harcourt
14. Best Startup/Technology Show (TV) – The Beam (Channels TV)
15. Best Startup Coverage (Print) – BusinessDay
16. Best Startup Ecosystem Newsletter – TechCabal Daily
17. Best Startup Ecosystem Podcast or Vlog – Growing Africa Podcast (Daniel Ose)
18. Most Inspiring Startup Community – Onitsha Business Connect 
19. Most Active #StartupSouth City Community – Port Harcourt
20. Next Rated Startup – Bellum (Port Harcourt)
21. Best New Media Platform (Technolog) – TechCabal
22. Best Startup/Technology Show (Radio) – The Entrepreneur (WaveFM Port Harcourt)
23. Best Startup Ecosystem Intelligence Platform – TechCabal Insights

Have you got your tickets to TechCabal’s Moonshot Conference? Click here to do so now!