African artist MIA clinches victory in innovation contest focused on African development
The MIA digital ID app, a groundbreaking digital identity solution, has triumphed in the Africa Innovation Challenge. The app, developed by YOUNIQX Identity AG, is designed to tackle the identity crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, where only half of the population possesses a legal identity.
The MIA digital ID app was presented to an international jury during the Austrian Export Day 2019, an event attended by high-ranking African experts and industry leaders, including Mariana Kühnel, the Deputy Secretary General of the WKO, and Christiane Holzinger, the President of Young Economy.
The jury praised MIA as "a legal foundation for a dignified life," recognising its potential to bridge the identity gap, ensure biometric verification, and provide inclusive access to essential services such as banking, healthcare, and government programmes.
The Africa Innovation Challenge and the South Africa Innovation Summit, where the MIA digital ID app will also be showcased from September 11 to 13, 2019, emphasise innovative approaches to social and economic challenges, including digital identity. These platforms aim to improve access to vital services through secure digital IDs, fostering economic empowerment and inclusion across the continent.
Franz Brudl, the CEO of YOUNIQX Identity AG, shared the MIA digital ID app's vision at the Austrian Export Day 2019. He explained that the app aims to provide a robust, biometric-based digital identity that helps overcome traditional identity barriers such as lack of documentation, fraud, and exclusion from services.
The increasing prevalence of mobile phones in Africa creates an opportunity for mobile-based identity verification, and the MIA digital ID app is poised to capitalise on this trend. By participating in recognised platforms like the Africa Innovation Challenge and South Africa Innovation Summit, the app aligns itself with other technological advancements, funding opportunities, and policy support for digital inclusion.
The MIA digital ID app's victory in the Africa Innovation Challenge underscores its role in advancing secure digital identity solutions, addressing the issue of lack of legal identity in sub-Saharan Africa, and fostering economic empowerment and inclusion across the continent.
The MIA digital ID app, recognized as a technological solution, was praised for its potential to bridge the identity gap and provide inclusive access to services like banking, healthcare, and government programs. As a biometric-based digital identity system, MIA aims to capitalize on the increasing prevalence of mobile phones in Africa, aligning itself with other technological advancements towards digital inclusion.
