Tanzania supports digital technology startups to foster innovative solutions

Tanzania’s communications regulator has partnered with a state-run science commission to support digital technology startups that foster innovative solutions to challenges facing communities.

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has partnered with the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) to offer rare and essential communication resources for free to digital technology startups, TCRA said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement said the collaborative effort seeks to nurture the burgeoning landscape of digital innovation within the country, ensuring that startups have the necessary tools to flourish and contribute positively to society through their technological advancements.

“These rare communication resources, which are crucial for the development of digital technologies, are made available for a trial period of three months, with the potential for extension up to nine months,” said the statement.

The rare communication resources to be offered for free to the digital technology startups, include numbering resources, frequency spectrum, dot TZ domain names, postcodes, and residential addresses, said the statement.

Jabiri Bakari, TCRA director general, said: “TCRA is dedicated to equipping various startups with the resources they need to conduct trials of their services over a specific period.”

Bakari urged young entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers to submit their groundbreaking ideas to COSTECH, assuring them that upon approval, they will gain access to these resources at no cost.

“The allocation of these resources facilitates high-speed internet services, an imperative in today’s digital economy,” said Bakari.

“Our partnership with TCRA in providing these communication resources to innovators aligns seamlessly with our mission to promote community-oriented innovations,” said Mary Kigosi, COSTECH head of communications.