The Global Innovation Initiative Group (GIIG) announced the inaugural Ethiopian Startup Awards, part of the Global Startup Awards Africa, which took place on June 3-4, 2024, at the Ethiopian Science Museum in Addis Ababa. Sponsored by the Development Bank of Ethiopia, Ethio Telecom, and Ethiopian Airlines, the event aimed to celebrate Ethiopia's dynamic startup culture and foster cross-vertical collaboration.

Hosted by GIIG, the Ministry of Labor and Skills, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, the event highlighted the remarkable growth of Ethiopia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This year's competition received 11,900 entries from 54 African countries, with 24% from Ethiopia. The entries covered Sustainable Development Goals-aligned categories, including Agritech, Youth, Fintech, Green Tech, Women Empowerment, Health Tech, and Mobility. Ethiopia was among the 120 countries participating in the Global Startup Awards program.

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