One of the finalists at the Startupbootcamp AfriTech Virtual hackathon held last year has commercialized its presentation for adoption. The innovative platform was built within a mere three days during the Startupbootcamp AfriTech virtual hackathon, hosted in conjunction with the UK-South Africa Tech Hub and the UK Government-funded Global Digital Marketplace Programme.
A Cape Town based automation startup, Autopilot which made a presentation of an innovative tool for the government procurement process, has taken it a step further in adopting the project for use. Analysts say the product may change the way government procurement procedures are handled and by extension help curb graft in government agencies in Africa.
Read also :South African Crypto Exchange Records High Subscription Internationally
The tool, Autocollect will help at easing validation and authentication in the procurement process for local governments. The procurement of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies has become a critical issue around the globe due to the global pandemic. Autopilot has developed AutoCollect in an effort to address the current issues surrounding the procurement of critical personal protective equipment. AutoCollect provides government and corporate clients with a complete solution that is accurate, transparent, and scalable. Additionally, it provides both government and corporate clients with a complete audit trail.
Read also:Rwanda Joins Other African Countries to Legislate on Startups.
Speaking on the inspiration behind AutoCollect, Adam Shapiro, AutoPilot CEO, and co-founder explains that “our goal in building AutoCollect was to minimise the potential for lost suppliers because of incomplete information or sheer frustration. Manual on boarding processes can take weeks or even months, by which time a supplier might have lost the capacity to fulfill the procurement request”. Not only does AutoCollect cater to government procurement but it also can assist organisations in the onboarding process for customers and employees. Initially aimed at the government and the manufacturing sector, AutoCollect plans to expand its tools to be applied in the medical and call centre spaces.
Read also:Stakeholders Engagement and Security Will be Key to Ensure the Success of Mozambique’s LNG Projects
While the tool may have been built over just a few days, the thinking behind it had been in the works for some time. Shapiro explains that Autopilot saw a gap in the market to provide an affordable onboarding authentication process. “The issue of haphazard document approvals and clunky onboarding processes came up time and time again when we were consulting clients. Our Market research revealed that there were a few companies that charged a fortune for these services and a few smaller companies that covered some of the bases. AutoCollect removes almost all those pain points”.
AutoCollect has several features such as online forms to collect supplied information, business registration information verified against CIPC (optional); and supplier contracts generated, signed, and submitted online. AutoCollect comes with a once-off implementation fee, a monthly license fee, and a fee per verification.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry