PNGhomeTask app globally recognised

A PNG online marketplace and service job-matching mobile application joint venture has received global recognition.

PNGhomeTask was successfully included into the third cohort of 11 new start-ups joining the GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association or Global System for Mobile Communications) Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund.

Project lead in PNG, Andrew Runawery, said this was the first for PNG in the digital space globally.

“Out of a substantial list of applicants around the world, we and fellow pacific island tech start-up “SkyEye”, a localisation and mapping solution for transportation services in Samoa, were successful. That’s a significant achievement!”

Other successful innovations include:

  • Mobile financial services for smallholder farmers “Agrocenta” from Ghana
  • Mobile-supported plastic recycling solution “Coliba” and SMS-based educational content for K-12 students “Eneza Education” from Côte d’Ivoire
  • Digital maternal health support via mobile “GiftedMom” from Cameroon
  • Digital marketplace for agricultural inputs and outputs “Greenovator” from Myanmar
  • Medical identity solution for patients and hospitals “KEA Medicals” from Benin
  • Mobile-based telemedicine services for individuals “oDoc” from Sri Lanka
  • Civic engagement app to connect citizens with city officials and businesses “Qlue” from Indonesia and
  • Mobile platform connecting skilled workers from the informal sector with customers “Taskmoby” from Ethiopia.

With the latest additions, the GSMA portfolio now covers 23 markets in total, including eight new countries. The representation of very diverse ecosystems demonstrates that the case for collaboration between start-ups and mobile operators is not the prerogative of more structured ecosystems like Nairobi or Jakarta, but can also become a reality in PNG, Samoa and the Pacific.

The breadth of sectors represented within the portfolio is also expanding, with new challenges such as citizen engagement, waste management, or universal medical identity being tackled by the newcomers.

With solutions to 13 of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals within the portfolio, the case for leveraging mobile innovation to help solve local problems is being widely demonstrated.

The PNGhomeTask team will be attending the MWC19 in Barcelona, Spain. Formerly known as the Mobile World Congress, the event brings together the latest innovations and leading-edge technology from more than 2,400 leading companies, with a highly-rated conference programme assembling today’s visionaries to explore the hottest topics influencing the industry.

The event will feature extensive learning opportunities from dozens of partner-led programmes, GSMA seminars, summits and more with over 107,000 key decision-makers expected to attend.

The theme of MWC19 is ‘Intelligent Connectivity’ – the term to describe the powerful combination of flexible, high-speed 5G networks, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.

“Our platform will enable SMEs to realise their full socio-economic and commercial potential. We want to support individuals and companies committed to harnessing the power of mobile technology to deliver impact in their local societies and economies, and to partner with our mobile operators on a path to scale,” Runawery added.

“I would like to commend my team members Nancy Lai, Axel Pieria and Fredrik Orrenius for their tireless efforts, Pricilla Kevin and her PNG ICT Cluster Executive Team, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Australian government and GSMA – who have made this journey possible.”

GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association or Global System for Mobile Communications) represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with over 350 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors.

(Nancy Lai and Andrew Runawery, directors of Strategic Communications and Joint Venture Partners with Pacific Ads Group)

Author: 
Press release