AiDiA 2023 - awards for artificial intelligence and hair care
On September 2, AiDiA, the first pitch competition for Afro-German founders, went into its second round. Prizes were awarded in two categories, with one award going to Fades & Braids, a startup from Hamburg. The main winner was Kwame AI with a software that makes the work of lawyers easier.
Giving more visibility to the achievements of the Black community - that is the main concern of AiDiA. Opening speaker Aminata Touré, Minister of Social Affairs in Schleswig-Holstein, underlined the importance of the event, which answers racist stereotypes with positive counterexamples. AiDiA is also a bit of a cultural festival, with Black music, comedy and cuisine, but the focus is of course on the startups' pitches.
Success for Hamburg at the idea pitch
The idea pitch, in which startups participate at the very beginning of their development, was twice about hair. Kynd Hair from Berlin develops artificial hair that is not made of plastic, as it is usually the case, but of plant-based materials. This was rewarded with the second place and 1,000 euros. The winning team Fades & Braids from Hamburg received 2,000 euros for an app that finds hair salons specialising in black hair. Artificial intelligence is used in the virtual representation of hairstyles. The field of participants in this category was completed by Enertable, which aims to secure energy and water supplies in remote regions of Africa using converted shipping containers.
International startup wins founder pitch
In the main competition, the founder pitch, five startups took part that are already several steps further along in their product development. Cloudoplex uses its software to ensure that companies meet sustainability criteria when procuring raw materials and receive the most favorable offers in the process. RasaTabula produces a football that is not made of plastic, as it is usually the case. Plastic avoidance is also what IVY POW is about, and at the same time it's about hair again. The startup offers shampoos for different hair types in powder form, which reduces packaging waste. This earned it the third place and 5,000 euros.
Second place and 15,000 euros went to the Sankofa language school. It offers courses in various African languages and thus also makes a contribution to the preservation of the associated cultures. The concept was particularly well received by the audience. On the jury, Kwame AI made the best impression. The team is based in Switzerland and Ghana. 30,000 in prize money was awarded for an AI that analyses and summarises legal texts, thereby significantly reducing the amount of research required. It has already proven itself many times over in tests, and the two founders, Dr. George Jojo Boateng and Victor Kumbol, were added to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, among others.
In the future, AiDiA will expand its offering considerably. For example, there will be a fair, funding programs and business consulting, and a community called The Lounge. You can read more about the background and plans of AiDiA here:
