Ugandan digital financial company ranked among world’s top 20 in innovation

A Ugandan digital company has been listed among this year’s world’s top 20 companies escalating innovation in the digital financial services market. 
The only African company on America-based Global Business Leaders Magazine’s list, HiPipo was lauded for championing digital innovation and financial inclusion across Africa under their Include Everyone programme. 

Other companies on the list include Naborforce, Helpware, Proximity Space, Gulf Data Hub, SMT Energy and Motus Inc. among others. The rankings looked at companies at the forefront of digital innovations across the world, with special emphasis on inclusion.   
HiPipo’s chief executive officer, Mr Innocent Kawooya noted that the ranking is testament to the company’s 18-years’ journey of championing inclusion for everyone. 

“It is always refreshing to see our work appreciated by reputable organizations such as the Global Business Leaders Magazine. These are indeed fruits of a dedicated team determined to change lives of people, especially found at the bottom of the pyramid,” Mr Kawooya said.
Founded in 2005, HiPipo was started by a team of young enterprising minds who came together with the desire to change and excitement about billboard charts and people awards. It began by promoting local music using digital means and awards. The firm eventually started the HiPipo Music Awards in 2012. Through their Include Everyone programme, the company first organized the Digital Impact Awards Africa in 2013 which eventually led to initiation of other programmes focused on low-income digital users, special interest groups such as women, PWDs, rural organizations, and small formal and informal businesses.

Headquartered in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb, the company has been able to conceptualize and actualize several sector-changing initiatives to put Africa’s digital innovators on the required pedestal to help them solve problems. These include the 40-Days-40-FinTechs and FinTech Landscape Exhibition; the Women-In-FinTech Hackathon, Summit and Incubator; and one of the continent’s most distinguished awards for digital innovation – the Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA). 
Mr Kawooya further observed that their initiatives and related activities, publications, and implementations have put the company among the most important conveners of the various players/stakeholders in the FinTech and digital financial services space. 

“In future, we strive to continue doing our best. We are planning to implement and scale initiatives on the continent that increase the number of African women in leadership positions through efforts such as the Women-In-FinTech Hackathon, Summit, and Incubator. With financial exclusion persisting in Africa due to various reasons, HiPipo is aiming to accelerate its advocacy for the demand of creating instant and inclusive payment systems across Africa,” he said.