Nokia Announced as Platinum Sponsor of Inaugural DEMO Africa

By Dan Muhuni

Gerard Brandjes, VP for Nokia South and EA. 

Nokia has confirmed their participation and support as the platinum sponsor for the first ever DEMO Africa to be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya in October this year.
The newest addition to DEMO's Global Launch Program, DEMO Africa 2012 will provide the most innovative new and established companies from across Africa the opportunity to launch their products on stage at this high profile event. It is also a platform for companies from outside the region to launch into the African marketplace.

“Nokia has a long and rich history on the African continent,” says Gerard Brandjes, Vice President for Nokia South and East Africa. “Our core strength comes from our local presence, deep consumer understanding and the ability to ignite and enable the local innovation ecosystem. DEMO Africa is the perfect showcase for this innovation, and we are extremely proud of our association with this flagship event”.

Forty of Africa’s most innovative technology products will be launched at Demo Africa. The product categories include consumer electronics, web applications, mobile technology, social media, life sciences, sustainable and renewable energy. Only companies that exhibit innovation, impact and the ability to scale their ideas will be considered for this prestigious launch platform.

"We are excited that Nokia has joined us in this search for the next big thing out of Africa. They have been a major player in this space and they will bring unprecedented value to the entire exercise," said Harry Hare, the Executive Producer for DEMO Africa.

Nokia and DEMO are also members of Liberalizing Innovation Opportunity Nations (LIONS@FRICA) Partnership with the U.S. Department of State, Microsoft, African Development Bank and USAID. This is a new public-private alliance aimed at enhancing Africa's startup and innovation ecosystems.

“DEMO Africa is an opportunity for Nokia to showcase our commitment to the LIONS@AFRICA partnership, as well as our continued focus on enabling the local ecosystem and adding value to our consumers,” concluded Brandjes.