TakaTaka Solutions by Kenyans Wins $50,000 From Dell Social Innovation Challenge

TakaTaka Solutions by a team of Kenyans from the London School of Economics that has developed a business to collect and recycle waste in Nairobi. They have won the $50,000 grand prize at the Dell Social Innovation Competition, Dell and the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at The University of Texas at Austin announced at an evening ceremony on May 16. We told you about this competition early this year.

[youtube width=”600″ height=”450″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbzBz2XMSbY[/youtube]

TakaTaka Solutions aims to deliver affordable waste collection services to all income areas, recycling and composting of up to 85 percent of collected waste and creating new jobs.

The competition looks for inspiring ideas from university students to solve global social problems through entrepreneurship, technology and sustainability. It empowers them with unique skills and opportunities to succeed in a globally competitive workforce.

TakaTaka Solutions just one of the five finalist teams from among 1,400 entries from 85 countries who participated in a competition and the business venture plan process. They were later selected to travel to Austin to present their unique business idea to a panel of expert judges.

A second-place prize of $20,000 was awarded to Malo Traders while Sanitations Solutions received a third-place prize of $10,000.

Other categories in this year’s competition also included the following :

• Libraries Across Africa received The Dell Technology Award and $10,000 for the social innovation that best leverages technology.
• Waste not Wood received the Tomberg Prize in Environmental Sustainability and $10,000 for the social innovation that best solves an environmental problem.
• Possibilities Pakistan took home this year’s Webbie Award along with $1,000 for receiving the most online votes throughout the competition.
• The Dell Social Innovation Competition also provides university students with a chance to network with local for-profit and non-profit social entrepreneurs to learn about mentoring opportunities, internships and volunteer positions.

What do you think of the Dell Innovation Challenge and Kenyans winning it?