Malawi student shortlisted for global innovation award

Samson Fiado, a third year Business Information Systems student at The Polytechnic, University of Malawi is one of the 76 finalists from 37 countries worldwide in the 2015 Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) award.

Last year, another University of Malawi third year Bachelor of Science (Education) student Mixon Faluweki won the award for his innovation – Padoko Charger – which allows people who use bicycles for transport to also use it for charging their cell phones, power their radios or MP3 players and also recharge their torches/lamps.

Fiado, on the other hand, is in the competition for an accounting software for SMEs (EasyBooks Accounting Package).

He is the only Malawian in the competition, and was picked from a pool of 792 applications from 74 countries world over.

In an interview with Nyasa Times  he said his innovation targets Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

“It will ease a lot of accounting hurdles up-and-coming entrepreneurs face,” said Faido. “It will help in making sure that SMEs in Malawi have a proper financial keeping record and manage their businesses with much expertise as they will know how to trade to make maximum profits.”

The next level is the voting process from which 30 contestants will be picked to proceed for the finals scheduled to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 22nd to 26th July, 2015.

Voting can be done via the link http://www.gistnetwork.org/tech-i/vote.

Faido further said the innovation will be an opportunity for Malawi to show to the world that it is also making significant strides in the Information Computer Technology (ICT) world.

GIST is a US initiative that empowers young innovators through networking, skills building, mentoring, and access to financing to develop startup solutions that address economic and development challenges.

Since 2011, GIST has engaged with science and technology innovators and entrepreneurs in 86 emerging economies around the world, providing training and resources to help them build successful startups. This is done through competitions, start up boot camps, and interactive online programs, implemented by UT Austin’s IC2 Institute and AAAS.