Kountable Wins Runner-up for Doing Business in Africa Award

Of the four companies nominated for NABC’s 2018 Doing Business in Africa Award, Kountable has won Runner-up. It’s the first time the global trade network has been nominated for the prestigious award, which NABC’s members give annually at their African Ambassadors’ Dinner. This year, 25 countries were represented at the ceremony.

“The Doing Business in Africa Award is primarily meant to recognize our members who do business in Africa successfully and with impact,” said NABC representative, Arne Doornebal. “We selected [these companies] based on criteria like profitability, inclusiveness, job creation and in general conduct of business.”

Delft Imaging Systems, which provides diagnostic imaging devices that diagnose TB, won first place this year. Kountable took second place, based on its achievements in developing middle-class economies through entrepreneurship and its technology-based trade platform.

Thijs Boekhoff, who oversees Business Development at Kountable and accepted the award, detailed the company’s scope: “Most global suppliers haven’t created solutions to access the African marketplace. Kountable’s platform increases access and helps to grow revenue in the biggest African markets by lowering the barriers of African trade with funding, technology and management.

“We support African entrepreneurs to access global markets, and on the buyer side we support payers with transparency in their supply chain, guaranteed in every step and at every level.”

Boekhoff described the nomination for the Doing Business in Africa Award as a jumpstart to communicate the company’s presence in the E.U.

“With more than 6,000 suppliers in NABC and the African countries’ embassy network,” said Boekhoff, “Kountable was able to position itself as a new and innovative solution to one of Africa’s biggest problems to date: access.”

Kountable, along with Delft Imaging Systems and JobnetAfrica, the third-place winner, had the opportunity to present their business model and impact to the attendees of the event.

Boekhoff said, “It was fantastic to get the opportunity to speak about Kountable to so many African Ambassadors at the same. NABC did a fantastic job getting this great crowd and turnout.”

When asked what can be expected of Kountable since winning Runner-up for the award, Boekhoff said, “We help to build, develop, nurture and grow African middle class economies in a sustainable way through entrepreneurship and technology. We will continue to do that. More rapidly and at a bigger scale.”