21 Sep 2020

Local innovator Mr Mthabisi Bokete scooped the coveted 2020 SADC Innovation and Investment Challenge award under the Digital Financial Identity category for his Application Digital Diamond.

The SADC Innovation and Investment Challenge is a competition that supports the design of innovative technological solutions that promote use and access to financial services in the region.

Moreover, participants are tasked with developing innovations that address three key challenges that represent practical community problems, leveraging data and data analytics to design scalable solutions.

Mr Bokete is the Founder and CEO of Digital Natives, which is a Software focused design orientated Digital Agency with branches in both Botswana and Mauritius with a background in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Mauritius.

In an interview in Gaborone recently Mr Bokete said he was ecstatic over the win as he had embraced the Fourth industrial Revolution by creating long term innovative solutions during and post COVID-19.

“I have always viewed myself as a thought leader. Creating lasting and innovative solutions has always been my forte as I want to make a meaningful contribution to my country,” he said.

The 27-year-old further described his award-winning Application as a free Online and Offline Instant Digital Identification Application that does not need to be downloaded and stores Valid User Data to enable users to rapidly complete log book registers, forms, and KYC applications at the touch of a button, regardless of the user’s location.

He said additionally, a six character users Digital Diamond Secure ID No. and QR Code is generated, which will toggle between a Verified and Unverified Secure Identity if users Address, Last Name or Contact detail Changes.

“This DDSecureID Number would now become the user’s new digital identity, stored on a server with Bank Firewall and Database level security, users to their personal information enabling them to have all forms quickly filled in and automatically updated when the particulars of the user changes,” Mr Bokete explained.

He added that the App would be convenient and easy to use, providing organisations, with reliable and accurate information, while cutting out user’s hassle of repetitively completing forms.

He said there were a few logistics left before the application could be rolled out and implemented and appealed to the government and private sector to invest in the application to make it a reality.

Mr Bokete founded Digital Natives Agency in 2017 during his third year of learning, after participating in the Island wide Most innovative App competition posted by Huawei Mauritius, where he obtained first position for Get it Done.

It is a Free Unemployment curbing Task Outsourcing mobile application that relies on a consistent Wi-Fi connection.

Mr Bokete said the idea behind creating his agency was to take advantage of the booming digital era by creating transformative designed digital solutions for a wide spectrum of industries and hence the birth of Digital Diamond Application.

Citing Leonardo Da Vinci, who is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time and who painted the most famous portrait ever, Mona Lisa, as his aspiration to create products and solutions that would craft a difference to the country.

The young man from Makutu Village said his journey had not been short of challenges however, his passion kept him going.

Under his belt, Mr Bokete was one of the winners of Total Start upper Competition Botswana 2019 winning P 120 000 in grant funding for the Development of his agency’s EZPC a free, Remote Electricity Top-Up App.

Another notable achievement was when he introduced the first Mobile Wi-Fi-enabled, Digital Media truck in Southern Africa, which is very effective in Educational (COVID-19 explainer videos), Promotional, and Campaign activities.

It has already partaken in a number of notable events such as ABSA Botswana’s 2020 Bank Launch, Botswana Telecommunications Black Friday Activation Day and Even the First Lady-Neo Masisi Walk against Gender-based Violence to name a few. Ends