KENYAN ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY START-UP YAKWETU WINS WIPO GLOBAL AWARDS

Kenyan entertainment technology start-up Yakwetu was honoured as one of the seven winners of the 2023 WIPO Global Awards, at the 64th General Assembly of the World  Intellectual Property Organisation.

Now in its second year, the WIPO Global Awards recognises small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from around the globe, that are successfully commercialising their IP-backed innovation and creativity in an exceptional manner, that also improves society. Yakwetu emerged as one of the seven winners from 548 Submissions and 25  Finalists – from 16 Countries and from Industries like creative, food, green technology, health and more.

“Yakwetu in Kiswahili means both ‘of us’ and ‘for us’. We chose this Name, because it articulates our purpose of making available digital content for entertainment and education – from Africans, to Africans; while protecting it from  its greatest threat -piracy, and monetising it equitably for the creators. Yakwetu is deeply honoured to be the first African company, and first from  the creative industry globally, to receive this Award from WIPO”, said Mike Strano the co-founder. 

“I would like to thank the thousands of customers on our first service – MyMovies. Africa in the motherland and her diaspora, our content creators and partners for believing in us, our very talented and dedicated Staff, our generous board of advisors and directors and my co-founder – Trushna Buddhdev-Patel. To you all I say Ubuntu – We are, because You are. Asanteni sana,” he added.

The announcement follows an October 2021 recognition, when Yakwetu was 1 of 5 (from over 200 applications) admitted to the 2nd cohort in Kenya of the Next Innovation with Japan (NINJA) Accelerator; which concluded with the Launch of  their Fundraising in January 2022.

WIPO Global Award winners will receive a customised 1:1 mentoring package to bolster their IP strategies, including funding facilitation, partnership opportunities and publicity support.