Aquasafi Ltd emerged winner of #ImpactReimagined® Competition
Aquasafi Ltd, a Rwandan company dealing with water quality solutions through technological innovations has been awarded the 1st Winner of Impact reimagined competition which was organised by 1000 Alternatives.
The competition was organised to award an emerging company that can bring positive impacts to the community.
Eric Safari, the Founder of Aquasafi Ltd revealed that they submitted a project which is being implemented in Nyanza and Bugesera targeting fish farmers.
He explains that through this project, they seek to improve the fishery productivity by enabling fish farmers have accurate information on water quality before using them for fish farming.
He said “We check chemicals that can affect water as well as fish productivity and notify the concerned individuals about the dangerous impacts that are likely to happen to fishes in the water.”
“Aquasafi is here to give advice to the fish farmer and help them to check the status of water as a precautionary measure in order to avoid the loss that could happen.” He continues
Safari explains that farmers who have started to use the Aquasafi services are giving warm feedback since they are no longer facing the loss as it used to happen.
He revealed that with the use of Smart phones, farmers get notified in case there are conditions that can affect fishes planted in water.
Speaking to TOPAFRICANEWS’s reporter after award giving ceremony which took place in Kigali, the CEO of 1000 Alternatives Rwanda, Athman Ali explains that “This programme does not end here.”
He noted that “This ceremony is to recognise the milestone they have reached”
There were 15 teams in this competition and the top three have been awarded.
However, Athman added that “we plan to work with them going forwards to make sure that their companies flourish and we will give much support as we can and we can even leverage to get with them investment partnership.”
“So, our relationship with them does not end here we will be there for them whenever they need us “He emphasised
1000 Alternatives has selected projects that meet six criteria namely companies that are working in Education, health, agribusiness, housing technologies, companies with technologies for better cities, companies who are working to improving access to market especially in Rwanda.
Athman explains that they focused on those with Made in Rwanda products but can be exported to other market globally.
“When we selected these companies, we passed through four stages which are someone who have a good idea, average of the company, products and customers the company. We selected them taking into consideration those categories in their respective sectors. Judging was based on their business model but also focusing on businesses that deliver positive impacts.” Athman explains.
Because the competition was organised by 1000 Alternatives in close collaboration with Kigali City through the Kigali Employment Service Centre the Vice Mayor of City of Kigali in charge of Socio-economic Affairs Umutoni Gatsinzi urged the winners to use wisely the prizes they got in order to improve their services and increase the productivity in their respective businesses.
“These awards are very important boost to your businesses. It is very interesting to see young people with such project ideas that are beneficial to yourself and to the country as a whole. You created your own jobs and employed others. We want to see you in the near future supporting other people with great ideas like yours.” Umutoni said.
She commended the 1000 Alternatives for inspiring young people through the competition which is also a call to others to think about business ideas that can contributes to the well being of the citizens.
The winner received Rwf 2 million Prize.
About 1000 Alternatives
1000 Alternatives is an entrepreneurship support, consulting and impact-investing firm focused on sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Working with partners, 1000 Alternatives is developing the following cross-continental platforms: an emerging markets venture fund, a global founders’ network, an investors’ summit and a deal flow platform for profit-driven, impact-sustaining youth-led and women-led businesses.
1000 Alternatives has two divisions; the impact investment division and the consulting division. Under its impact investing division, 1000 Alternatives invests in companies and projects whose products and services create large-scale profit and large-scale impact towards better industry and trade, better education, better health, better housing, better agribusiness and better cities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Background of #ImpactReimagined
Since 2018, every year, 1000 Alternatives runs an impact venture competition together with partners and sponsors. In 2018, 1000 Alternatives, the Swahili Pot Hub and 1M Startups mooted and ran the #PIWPitch venture competition at the Pwani Innovation Week at Mombasa, Kenya. From December 2019, 1000 Alternatives ran the #ImpactReimagined venture competition in Kigali with the endorsement and support of the City of Kigali.
#ImpactReimagined Rwanda 2019/2020 is a unique competition that rewards teams of innovators who use cutting edge technologies to create profit-driven and impact-sustaining ventures that deliver opportunities for better education, better health, better agribusiness, better access to markets and better technology for housing and cities for the City of Kigali and the wider Rwanda.
High-level objectives
1000 Alternatives Rwanda and the City of Kigali believe that businesses can be a force for good. To this end, #ImpactReimagined is a venture competition to identify, to nurture and to invest in youth-led and women-led businesses that are profit-driven, but whose products and services intentionally deliver positive social impact for Kigali and the wider Rwanda.
