By 
By Ross Moyo
Ten Zimbabwean startups have been selected to compete for a chance to represent the country at the Startup World Cup grand finale in San Francisco next year.
The finalists were announced by Tech Hub Harare and Brieftech Investments, organisers of the Zimbabwe 2026 regional finale, following a competitive application and evaluation process.
The regional finale will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare. The event is expected to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives, policymakers and innovation leaders.
The ten finalists are Viridi Solutions, which is developing locally produced sustainable industrial lubricants; Ndarama Wallet, a platform expanding access to investment through fractional ownership and digital asset technology; Nyamula Logistics, which is improving regional freight transport through cargo and truck matching; Bako Emergency Technologies, focused on emergency response coordination; BantuBuzz, a marketplace connecting brands and content creators; ZexaCore Innovations, which is developing offline artificial intelligence learning solutions for education; BonekaSuo, which improves market access for small-scale poultry farmers; Verdian Ag, trading as Cropvista, which uses agricultural intelligence to support farming and financing decisions; Pachena, which is developing technology for sustainable agriculture; and Corbeat, which applies artificial intelligence to electrocardiogram interpretation and cardiovascular health.
According to the organisers, the finalists cut across sectors including industrial manufacturing, financial technology, logistics, emergency services, digital commerce, education, agriculture and healthcare.
The Startup World Cup is a global competition organised by Pegasus Tech Ventures that connects entrepreneurs with investors, mentors and international business opportunities. The Zimbabwe regional finale is part of that initiative and will feature live pitches before a panel of judges from the business community. One winner will be selected to represent Zimbabwe in San Francisco.
Nyasha Chasakara, founder of Tech Hub Harare and principal organiser of the Zimbabwe event, said the country has abundant entrepreneurial talent but many emerging businesses need better access to markets, investment, mentors and international platforms.
He said the aim of the competition is to build those connections and to show that Zimbabwean entrepreneurs can develop commercially relevant solutions and compete internationally.
Chasakara said the ambition goes beyond selecting a winner and is also about strengthening the broader startup ecosystem and creating lasting relationships between entrepreneurs, investors and institutions that support enterprise development.
The organisers said members of the public are invited to attend the finale. Entry is free but advance registration is required and seats are limited.
Registration can be done at https
://cowork.co.zw/aios#/events
Tech Hub Harare is an entrepreneurship and innovation hub focused on business development and networking, while Brieftech Investments is involved in technology, infrastructure and business development initiatives.
For media enquiries, the organising committee can be contacted on +263 772 924 393.
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