Southern Africa Startup Awards, a circuit of the Global Startup Awards which first arrived in Africa in 2017 and launched it Southern Africa (SADC) region in 2018, has a mission to connect, support, and celebrate key players in national and regional startup ecosystems worldwide and to fuse them together on a global entrepreneurial network.
The initiative creates a matrix of opportunities for international partnerships, commercial exchange, and investment opportunities. This is done through a ‘bottom-up’ strategy with local startup ecosystems that put the founders and startup ecosystem supporters first.
More than 2,400 nominations from organisations and individuals across 15 countries were submitted for the 2019 edition.
The national finalists from Zambia are:
| Best Accelerator or Incubator Program | Lusaka Impacthub |
| Best EduTech Startup | Student Connect |
| Best EduTech Startup | Zed Tutors |
| Best EduTech Startup | The Local Electricity Project |
| Best FoodTech/ AgriTech Startup | AgriPredict |
| Best FoodTech/ AgriTech Startup | Natures Nectar |
| Best FoodTech/ AgriTech Startup | Lima Links Zambia |
| Best FoodTech/ AgriTech Startup | Savana Chocolate |
| Best FoodTech/ AgriTech Startup | Yefi |
| Best Health Tech Startup | Briisp inventions |
| Best Media Partner | Phoenix FM 89.5 |
| Best Media Partner | Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) |
| Best Media Partner | Dailynation |
| Best Newcomer | Dawa Clinic |
| Best Newcomer | Lusaka Impacthub |
| Best Newcomer | Global Empowers |
| Best Newcomer | Burger Queen |
| Best Newcomer | The Zig Group |
| Best Social Impact Startup | AgriPredict |
| Best Social Impact Startup | Dice Juice bar |
| Best Social Impact Startup | Zako |
| Best Social Impact Startup | Lusaka Impacthub |
| Best Social Impact Startup | Up Zambia |
| Best Startup Ecosystem Initiative | Burger Queen |
| Best Startup Ecosystem Initiative | Gwavar Music |
| Best Student Startup | Genius Books Literature |
| Best Student Startup | Dawa Clinic |
| Best Student Startup | Gown of Hope |
| Best Student Startup | COSLYN |
| Best Student Startup | Soar Free Pharmaceuticals |
| Brave Founder Beginnings | Tafadzwa Kalisto Munzwa |
| Female Role Model of the Year | Easy Cook |
| Female Role Model of the Year | Sharon Nyimba Simwami |
| Female Role Model of the Year | Stella Sata |
| Founder of the Year | Katherine Milling |
| Founder of the Year | Lynn Musonda |
| Founder of the Year | Stella Sata |
| Founder of the Year | Christopher Chileshe |
| Startup of the Year | Afridelivery |
| Startup of the Year | Briisp inventions |
| Best Fintech Startup | Edu-Pay |
| Best Fintech Startup | Insure Pay |
