Hit the road, hack(er) … Africa’s techies hop aboard the StartupBus

Teo Kermeliotis, for CNN
Updated 5:57 AM EST, Thu December 12, 2013
<a href="http://africa.startupbus.com/" target="_blank" target="_blank">StartupBus</a>, the annual road trip for tech entrepreneurs, arrived on African soil for the first time this November.
StartupBus comes to Africa —
StartupBus, the annual road trip for tech entrepreneurs, arrived on African soil for the first time this November.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
The 2,514-kilometer road trip kicked off in Harare, Zimbabwe, on November 18, with stops in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein before terminating in Cape Town.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
The 2,514-kilometer road trip kicked off in Harare, Zimbabwe, on November 18, with stops in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein before terminating in Cape Town.
courtesy startupbus africa
"Buspreneurs" arrived from locations ranging from Botswana and Ghana in the African camp, to Sweden and Afghanistan outside Africa.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
"Buspreneurs" arrived from locations ranging from Botswana and Ghana in the African camp, to Sweden and Afghanistan outside Africa.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
The trip brought together 35 coders, designers and business developers who were tasked with conceiving and launching new startups to address local issues.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
The trip brought together 35 coders, designers and business developers who were tasked with conceiving and launching new startups to address local issues.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
During the four-day journey, teams of four or five put together ideas for startups. On day five, they pitched their ideas to a panel of international investors.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
During the four-day journey, teams of four or five put together ideas for startups. On day five, they pitched their ideas to a panel of international investors.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
Start-ups created during the road trip include Bribed, a mobile tool fighting corruption, and <a href="http://www.strikingly.com/workforce/" target="_blank" target="_blank">Workforce</a>, a tool providing employers with Android-based mobile planning software to help them connect with workers.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
Start-ups created during the road trip include Bribed, a mobile tool fighting corruption, and Workforce, a tool providing employers with Android-based mobile planning software to help them connect with workers.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
The journey was conceived as a way to share skills with African entrepreneurs and help international developers understand the type of tech innovation taking place in Africa.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
The journey was conceived as a way to share skills with African entrepreneurs and help international developers understand the type of tech innovation taking place in Africa.
Courtesy Cedric Franz
Along the way, the buspreneurs also had the chance to stop at different innovation hubs and get feedback from local entrepreneurs.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
Along the way, the buspreneurs also had the chance to stop at different innovation hubs and get feedback from local entrepreneurs.
Courtesy Cedric Franz
Looking ahead, organizers say they want to scale up StartupBus Africa, introducing more journeys from next year.
StartupBus comes to Arica —
Looking ahead, organizers say they want to scale up StartupBus Africa, introducing more journeys from next year.
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
"Our overall goal is to strengthen the ecosystem of entrepreneurship in Africa," says Fabian-Carlos Guhl, a co-organizer of Startup Bus Africa
StartupBus comes to Arica —
"Our overall goal is to strengthen the ecosystem of entrepreneurship in Africa," says Fabian-Carlos Guhl, a co-organizer of Startup Bus Africa
Courtesy Startupbus Africa
StartupBus comes to Arica

Story highlights

Africa's first StartupBus took off from Harare, Zimbabwe, in November

It consisted of 35 innovators from the continent and beyond

Participants had to conceive, build and launch their startups during a five-day bus ride

At the end of the journey in Cape Town, participants had to pitch their ideas to i