Seven South African legal startups to pitch for EUR 10,000 grant

Virtual pitching event to occur on 13 July, register to attend

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) kicked off its annual global Innovating Justice Challenge in search of the region’s best justice-related social entrepreneurs in March this year. With more than 200 applications from startups with high impact justice innovations, HiiL has selected the top seven in Southern Africa to pitch to an esteemed panel and are inviting interested community members to join the presentation.

Adam Oxford, Head of the HiiL Innovation Hub Southern Africa, says that an estimated 70 percent of justice problems remain unresolved due to lack of access, trust, and high costs. These issues often result in poor outcomes for health, equality, and economic stability. “By addressing justice over the past six years in South Africa, we have used data, innovation, and transformation to build programmes and run hackathons that encourage the development of user-friendly justice.”

With more than 26 innovations directly supported in the Southern African region alone, HiiL is excited to kick-off the final part of the selection process for this year’s HiiL Innovating Justice Challenge, which will see up to five social entrepreneurs selected to participate in the Justice Accelerator Programme. Selected innovators will receive four months of intensive programmatic support, as well as the coveted EUR 10,000 grant.

The kick-off event will take place on Zoom at 18:00 on 13 July and will showcase Southern Africa’s next best innovators who are making access to justice their business – literally. These innovators will be showcasing their solutions, which aim to prevent or resolve the most pressing justice needs of the region’s most vulnerable people. Each team will be presenting virtually to community members, industry experts, government officials and international representatives.

“We’re exceptionally proud to see that many of this year’s finalists have been through previous HiiL programmes, and we have watched them develop over time to be potential game-changers in the field of justice.” says Oxford.

The startups pitching at the event include:

BUA

Bua identifies hindrances in accessing justice and formulates and implements technological solutions that enable victims to take charge.

LegalFundi

LegalFundi is simplifying legal and regulatory processes to ensure compliance and unlock opportunities. Empowering individuals, SMEs, employees and corporates through access and communication.

Legal Ascend

Legal Ascend is an application, which enables the recently bereaved to manage estate executorship correctly and easily without running up large legal fees.

Moloa365

Molao365 is an online free legal advice service offered via an application. The legal advice services are offered in local RSA languages by qualified & experienced lawyers.

Kleva Contracts

Kleva Contracts democratise access to legal services by providing online contract creation, access to legal services and educational material in multiple South African languages.

IP Braai

An online legal agency focused on Intellectual Property and Commercial Law.

EzyFind

EzyFind empowers South African citizens with legal information & FREE legal contracts for online digital download. Online digital purchase and consultation between attorney and client.

The full agenda for the event is available at https://sa.hiil.org/Kickoff2021, and will include innovator pitches from the above finalists with a keynote address from John Jeffery, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and closing remarks from Han Peters, Ambassador for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa.

Panel of experts include:

  • Tshanelo Tsoaedi: Executive Director of CAOSA
  • Simphiwe Mntambo: Ventures Manager of Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
  • Darryl Bernstein: Partner of Baker McKenzie

Please make sure that you reserve a seat here so you do not miss out on any communications for the event.

Event details

13 July, 18:00 to 19.40

https://sa.hiil.org/Kickoff2021