Last week, Zambia made its mark on one of Africa’s biggest innovation platforms.

We are proud to celebrate Koloso App, led by Petra Chikasa, for emerging as winners in the EdTech category at the GITEX Africa 2026 Supernova Pitch Competition. From 14 global finalists to champions, Koloso’s achievement marks a significant moment for Zambia’s innovation ecosystem.

We also celebrate Devdraft AI for winning the Young CEO Award, reinforcing that Zambian founders are not just participating, but leading on the global stage.

Notably, these startups are part of a growing pipeline of ventures that have passed through BongoHive’s programmes:

• Green Giraffe progressed through CGIAR, Women in Tech, and Mentor Pitch, and was born out of a design sprint led by BongoHive
• Koloso passed through the Women in Tech programme and the First Capital Pitch Day, where its solution was validated through MVPs built with support from BongoHive
• Devdraft was identified through the First Capital Bank Pitch Day under the Idea Spring programme

In addition, several other Zambian startups that have engaged with BongoHive programmes had a strong presence throughout the week at GITEX Africa, including:

• Astanah (Mentor Pitch)
• Bwangu (Mentor Pitch)
• Corelink (Women in Tech)
• Zanga Metrics (Launch)

Together, these ventures reflect the strength of a growing innovation pipeline supported by structured programmes, validation, and ecosystem collaboration.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Global Gateway, the European Delegation to Zambia, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) for their continued support in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship across the region.

To all the founders who represented Zambia:

You are showing the world what is possible.

This is Zambia rising.