We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2021 BCX Digital Innovation Awards. The awards strive to recognise digital innovation excellence in South African large, medium and small enterprises.

This year, the awards received an incredible 61 entries, of which there were 45 SME entries and 16 large enterprise entries. This marked the highest number of entries for the awards since its inception in 2019.

The BCX Innovation Centre of Excellence was tasked with shortlisting the top 20 entries. The top 20 comprised of the top 10 SMEs and the top 10 large enterprises. These shortlisted candidates were then invited to an online presentation masterclass and thereafter were invited to deliver a seven-minute pitch to a panel of five expert judges in October to determine who would take first, second and third place in each category.

BCX CEO Jonas Bogoshi said: “Covid-19 left an indelible mark on our lives and livelihoods, yet it has allowed us to make incredible technological leaps forward. This year’s entrants have proven beyond doubt that South Africa is more than capable of playing on a global stage, and most importantly, there is so much scope for technology to create solutions that can move our economy forward. Quite evidently, our entrants gave the esteemed judges a very hard time this year.”

The following winners bowled the judges over in what was a tightly contested and tough competition:

The 2021 Digital Innovation Award: SME category

3^rd place: Pargo – Pargo Pickup Points
Pargo is a convenient parcel pickup-point solution for online shoppers, allowing consumers to collect parcels at a store of their choosing. Many online stores offer the Pargo option on the checkout page. Customers simply click the map and pick their preferred pickup point. Once the parcel is on its way, delivery notifications will be sent out via e-mail and SMS.

2^nd place: Technovera – Pelebox Smart Locker
Pelebox is a digital platform that manages various Internet-enabled smart lockers. Pelebox smart lockers allow patients to collect their repeat chronic medication in under two minutes instead of waiting hours queuing at public clinics. It’s a social innovation that leverages the power of technology to improve service delivery and offer a patient-centric service.

Winner: 911 Response24 – Leaders in first responder and on-demand service technology
Response24 is a communication platform that connects multiple service providers together to instantly mobilise a co-ordinated response. It brings a new, family-focused emergency response app that offers armed response and medical emergency services at the push of a button to you and your loved ones, 24/7. Whenever you or a loved one’s life is at risk, a quick tap of a button summons emergency services to the exact GPS located position where the call for help is coming from – even if you are unable to speak or do not know where you are.

The 2021 Digital Innovation Award: Corporate category

3^rd place: Old Mutual Limited – SMEgo
SMEgo is a multi-user funding platform that connects SMEs with funding providers and facilitates the application process and allows for the centralised collection of all funding opportunities available to SMEs in South Africa. SMEgo aims to increase applicants’ success rates, reduce lenders screening times and ensure that businesses are given the opportunity to access capital for future success. While receiving additional capital can be great, SMEgo wants to go a step further and ensure that businesses are also provided with access to industry-specific knowledge, networks and resources.

2^nd place: Old Mutual Limited – Comma Insure
CommaInsure is an on-demand digital solution that allows customers to insure specific items, with functionality to switch cover on and off via a WhatsApp bot. It offers affordable premiums that are calculated based on the required periods only, delivered in a convenient and easy-to-do digital way. It is designed to boost your existing home contents insurance, or it can be taken as a standalone for only the items you need. It allows you to switch cover on and off for a range of items such as laptops, cameras, GPS devices, sound equipment and gaming, sporting equipment, watches and electronic wrist devices, bicycles, caravans and trailers, and camping equipment.

Winner: RTT Logistics – RTT On-Demand Solution
The RTT On-Demand solution is positioned as an enabler bringing the content and product owner closer to their customer. This enablement solution is a true logistics or last-mile service where time is of the essence to the client’s customer. The delivery network’s mechanism consists of software with Web service integration into various platforms, motorbikes, light delivery vehicles and customer service.

“We’d like to congratulate all the winners and runners-up on finding reasons to believe by investing in research and resources to drive meaningful change in business and our society. We look forward to seeing these innovations grow in scale and impact,” Bogoshi said.

About BCX
At BCX, we pride ourselves on being an end-to-end digital partner for corporates and governments across the African continent. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Telkom Group, we were established through the strategic alliance between South Africa’s premier ICT suppliers and a leading provider of telecommunications infrastructure, creating the digital partner of choice for clients within our chosen markets.

To do this, we combine local market understanding and industry expertise with some of the world’s most advanced ICT, together with a tireless commitment to make your unique digital journey as seamless as possible. In our endeavour to maintain our position as a digital market leader in financial services, mining, retail, healthcare and the public sector, we continue to leverage and invest in ecosystems for scale, access, expertise and innovation.

Headquartered in Centurion, Pretoria, BCX permanently employs about 5 500 people, with an ongoing commitment to attracting and building talent for the future. Operating where our clients operate, our global footprint spans South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, the UK and Zambia.