Since the launch of this program, Orange has rewarded 47 projects and helped 90 entrepreneurs access support from its experts and partners. 

The international winners of the Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) were announced on October 18, on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress Africa Kigali, October 17-19. They are Cameroonian startups Adinkra Jeunesse and Services for the aged, the Egyptian Egrobots, the Jordanian Smart WTI, and the Tunisian Bionic Soul. 

According to Orange, the winners were chosen from among 1,300 entries from 17 countries. The winning projects at this 13th edition of Poesam International are mainly in the fields of education, health, e-commerce, agriculture, and the environment.

For the international grand prize, first place went to Adinkra Jeunesse (Cameroon), which specializes in publishing children’s digital books with characters that tell Africa’s story. It received €25,000 in funding.

Second place went to Egrobots (Egypt), whose digital solutions (robots + analyses generated by artificial intelligence) help farmers optimize their business.  The startup was awarded €15,000 in funding.

Finally, third place went to Smart WTI, a Jordanian startup offering advanced water management solutions using IoT/AI technology.  Its ambition is to help businesses and communities manage their consumption efficiently, reduce waste, and improve water quality.

The International Women's Prize –awarded to a startup whose women-led project helps improve living conditions by providing specific solutions to social or environmental problems– was won by Bionic Soul (Tunisia). The startup manufactures and markets smart, custom-made, affordable bionic prostheses for amputees. It was awarded €20,000 in funding.

Finally, a "Coup de Coeur" prize was also awarded. Services for Aged, a startup based in Cameroon, was the lucky recipient. Its health, hygiene, and assistance service for elderly people at home in rural areas won over the jury.

Like the five winners of the international prize, the national winners of POESAM, in the 17 Orange Middle East and Africa markets, will benefit from support within Orange Digital Centers, with the prospect of developing their business beyond the borders of their respective countries, through the network of Orange Digital Centers set up in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.