6 African startups among TIME's Genius Companies for 2018

This is TIME’s first annual list of Genius Companies, a compilation of the businesses that the magazine’s global network of editors and correspondents believe are inventing the future.

Candidates were evaluated on factors such as originality, influence, success and ambition before the list – which includes the likes of Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Nike, Dominos, SpaceX, Slack and Pinterest – was put together.

These are the 50 most genius companies of 2018 https://t.co/zfw2IcYHEe

— TIME (@TIME) October 4, 2018

Six African startups have earned places on the full list, including two from Kenya. They are connectivity startup BRCK, which has designed a weatherproof, shockproof and battery-powered modem that can provide internet at 3G speeds to up to 100 devices at a time; and Ona, which uses satellite imagery and information from NGOs to create a simple digital mapping system.

Nigeria’s Babymigo, an online community that connects mothers-to-be with information, medical experts, services and other parents, also makes the cut, as does Ghana’s Bitland, which uses blockchain technology to create tamper-proof digital public records to help people prove their land belongs to them.

Excited and humbled to have Babymigo listed as one of Time magazine 50 Genius Companies 2018 inventing the future.
Other companies that made the list are Amazon, Netflix, Nike, Dominos, paytm, slack, pinteresthttps://t.co/93JBepfWo0 pic.twitter.com/weUHopjyMz

— Babymigo (@BabymigoApp) October 4, 2018

South Africa is represented by two companies, nutrient recycling tartup AgriProtein and Wonderbag, which has developed a heavily insulated container that functions as a non-electric, go-anywhere slow cooker.