Duras AI wins Orange Summer Challenge, showcases Botswana’s Innovation Talent
Kabelo Boranabi | Wednesday November 26, 2025 06:00
The conservation-focused company, which developed AI-powered predictive behavioural detection of elephants to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, walked away with P50,000 and the opportunity to represent Botswana at the continental Orange Summer Challenge alongside innovators from 17 other countries in which Orange operates.
The annual competition, themed #Startup4Good, attracted 180 applications from across the country, drawing young innovators eager to turn ideas into solutions that address real-world challenges in health, agriculture, digital identity, and conservation. After three months of mentorship, technical support, and prototype development, four teams reached the final stage: Duras AI, Nkitsi, Introspect, and Passage Greens.
Nkitsi, with a digital know Your Customer (KYC) initiative, finished second and secured P30,000. In third place is Introspect with an AI-powered health diagnostics and walked away with P20,000, while Passage Greens, whose initiative centred around hydroponics for food sustainability, completed the top for and took home P10,000.
Speaking at the finale, Orange Botswana chief executive officer, Nene Mainga, praised the finalists and emphasised the importance of believing in local talent. “Botswana has incredible potential. Your solutions can succeed anywhere. Support yourself first, solve real problems, and customers will value what you create. Duras AI shows that when passion meets purpose, Botswana’s youth can deliver solutions with global relevance,' Mainga said.
For her part, Modiri Nlanda, Orange People and Social Impact Director, highlighted the critical role of the Orange Digital Centre, a state-of-the-art hub in Gaborone providing free access to technology, mentorship, and resources for young innovators. “Our goal is to match potential with opportunity,” she said. “These finalists show that with the right support, ideas can become impactful solutions that work locally, continentally, and globally. The gender balance among finalists and the quality of projects show Botswana’s talent is ready to compete on any stage,” she added.
The 2025 Orange Summer Challenge hosted live pitch presentations from the four finalists. Each team had a video introduction, a live presentation and a walk-in stall as they vied for a place in the continental finale. The winners were picked by the attendees via a voting process held during the finale.