Living our vision of Innovation and Leadership on a Global scale
The Financial Times and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, have announced the winners of the 2019 FT/IFC Transformational Business Awards. At a gala dinner hosted in London, the awards gathered senior investors, innovators, social entrepreneurs and other thought leaders for this event.
This year’s programme marked 14 years of collaboration between the FT and IFC on awards that have had a substantial impact on the way financial and non-financial organisations approach sustainable investment.
The awards highlight ground-breaking, long-term private sector solutions to major development issues, with the programme’s core categories all directly related to global efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A record 270 entries were received from 246 organisations working in all regions of the world. During the event, there was a particular focus on human capital and the use of technology to boost inclusion, and special sessions on climate change and the geopolitical environment.
In the Transformational Solutions in Education, Knowledge and Skills category, the SIS Budget Schools Vertical Collaboration Ecosystem program scooped the award. However, Nova Pioneer received a special commendation in the category. On accepting the award, one of Nova Pioneer’s founders, Oliver Sabot, shared how Nova Pioneer gives young Africans the chance to access world-class student-centred learning at an affordable price.
“With schools in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, Nova Pioneer has focused on creative and project-based pedagogies that have been specifically designed to develop leaders and innovators for the 4th Industrial revolution.” Said Sabot. He shared how we do this by developing strong local talent and leveraging economies of scale. Nova Pioneer is currently educating over 4,000 students at an 80 per cent lower cost for parents, and we have plans to expand our reach ten-fold in the coming years.
