Videographer Sukez earns SAS awards nomination

Youthful Malawian videographer Sukez has earned a nomination for Founder of the Year in this year’s Southern Africa Start-up (SAS) awards, whose winners will be announced on September 21.

The 24-year old, born Gift Sukali, is the owner of HD Plus Creations. He said the recognition means a lot to him considering that his company is still in its budding stages, but it will compete against well-established names.

“Looking at where we have come from, I feel this nomination is a great achievement on its own. We are still in the process of growing the company and expanding our expertise and this will act as an inspiration to take us towards our dreams and goals,” he said.

So far, HD Plus Creations, which he co-owns with Hastings Golosi, has 16 full-time employees. The company was established in 2014 and has, so far, produced numerous television adverts, documentaries and music videos.

Said Sukez: “Looking at the overwhelming support  Malawians are showing us, it is our hope that we will get this award come September.”

The SAS awards is an annual event which selects and awards players in  tech/web industries that have shown outstanding achievements in business and service to the community and start-up ecosystem as a whole.

“Our objective is to connect, support and celebrate key players in national and regional start-up ecosystems worldwide and fuse them together in a global entrepreneurial network, creating a matrix of opportunities for international partnerships and commercial exchange,” reads in part a statement on the SAs website.

Fifteen categories will be competed for, including start-up of the year, best newcomer, founder of the year, investor of the year, female role model in tech, best fintech start-up, best foodtech/agritech startup and best student startup.

The awards are in three phases in each region. First, national nominations are opened, then nominees are shortlisted with the guidance of ambassadors and country partners, after which an announcement is made for the voting process to start.

A public vote, together with a judging process by an expert jury determines the national winners in each category from each participating country. The national winners move on to the Grand Finale for the selection of the regional winners.

Finally, the regional winners compete on a global level.n