Dropifi named Ghana’s best as Yougora picks four at TopApps Awards
It was a historic night for application developers in Ghana as they were celebrated in an industry that seems to have received very little recognition in the country.
Ghana is recognized worldwide for the number and quality of software applications emerging from the country. Indeed the country compares with countries such as Kenya and South Africa in the application field that has revolutionized the mobile industry.
In the 55 years of Ghana’s history, the country on September 27, 2012 held its first-ever awards ceremony, TopApps Awards 2012, for developers of software applications. The event was put together by PopOut, an Accra-based start-up firm owned by Mr Maximus Ametorgoh, a young man who is passionate about the ICT industry in Ghana. It was held at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT in Accra.
The over-packed auditorium was a proof of the revolution taking place in the apps creation space in Ghana.
Prior to the awards, organizers held an exhibition for the developers where they showcased their products or applications. App developers explained the features, functionalities and benefits of their apps to the participants, guests and stakeholders who attended the TopApps Awards 2012.
With Madam Dorothy Gordon, Director General of the AITI-KACE in attendance, developers brainstormed on how to revolutionize the sector to become more competitive in order to get market in the Ghanaian economy.
…and Dropifi took the overall award
It got to the awards and who won what? It was not too surprising to see Dropifi given the overall award – Top App of the year. Indeed it was recently listed in the 2012 Forbes’ top 20 start-ups in Africa.
Dropifi came third in the Forbes lists published in the February 2012 edition of the Forbes Africa magazine. Dropifi, which was started in 2011, assists businesses to better respond to incoming messages via their website, and also includes analytics for website owners.
In addition to being named TopApp of the year, Dropifi also took home the Web App 2012 and Top User Experience App 2012 awards. They received an award crystal plaque, a brand new laptop and cash prize.
But the biggest winner in terms of the number of awards went to the team of Yougora which swept four out of the ten competing awards. Their 233Law which has Ghana’s constitution on mobile phones app, won both the Social App and Mobile App of the year. Mr Kweku Danso of Yougora also won the App Developer award with Yougora named App Company of the year.
The other winners include Hei-Julor, a mobile phone emergency alert system aided by GPS, which won the SMS App 2012; AdsBrook, a context-based mobile phone advertising app, won Most Innovative New App 2012; FM Live, an app containing extensive online directory of global radio stations with recording, multi-language and other functionalities, won Entertainment App 2012.
Some personalities and organizations were also awarded for their contribution to app development in Ghana. Raindolf Owusu of Oasis Websoft and Florence Toffa of Mobile Web Ghana were given Special Recognition Award for developing Africa’s second Computer Operating System with the browser called Anansi and training the youth in app development respectively.
Meltwater Entrepreneurship School of Technology, Ashesi University and Mobile Web Ghana were also given Special Recognition Awards for growing the business and industry of app development in Ghana through training of young Ghanaians.
The event was in partnership with AITI-KACE, BusyInternet and Citi 97.3 FM. It was supported by Edge Capital, Erke Ghana, Enquesta, Rack Africa, BROS SMS, TelecomEye, Eventstreet Africa, Jon Williams Consult, GhanaBusinessNews, Ghana Developers and BusinessGhana.
Full award list
Dropifi – Top App 2012 (overall)
233Law – Mobile App 2012
Hei-Julor – SMS App 2012
Dropifi – Web App 2012
Dropifi – Top User Experience 2012
AdsBrook – Most Innovative New App 2012
FM Live – Entertainment App 2012
233Law – Social App 2012
Yougora – App Company 2012
Kweku Danso, Yougora – App Developer 2012
Special Recognition Award
Personality – Raindolf Owusu (Oasis Websoft) & Florence Toffa (Mobile Web Ghana)
Organization – MEST, Ashesi & Mobile Web Ghana
By Ekow Quandzie