Following 500 submissions from 32 countries across the African continent, Digital Lab Africa celebrating its fourth edition has announced Robert Mensah from Nigeria and Tristan Mocke from South Africa winners in the video game category.

The 9 Winners will be given a DLA Incubation Pass to fast track the development of their project. Alongside mentorship and training sessions, the DLA #4 winners will also be hosted in planned residencies in the relevant category ecosystems.

The full list of winners is below:

Animation category:
– Bokang Koatja (South Africa) / « Mannerisms »
– Natasha Nayo (Ghana) / « Message beats »
– Ridwan Moshood (Nigeria) / « In my hood »

Video game category:
– Robert Mensah (Nigeria) / « Outcome »
– Tristan Mocke (South Africa) / « Qyn »

Immersive realities category:
– Melisa Allela (Kenya) / « Sigana: Tales of Lawino »
– Joey Ekunwe (Nigeria) / « The slavery of science »

Music category:
– Sizo Hlophe (E-Swatini) / « Antidote music »

Digital art category:
– Lara Sousa (Mozambique) / « Katalina / Kalunga /Karonga – Sea Waved Tales »

Created in 2016, Digital Lab Africa is an initiative of the French Institute and the French Embassy in South Africa, managed by the South African innovation hub Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct since 2018. 

Digital Lab Africa (DLA) is the first platform dedicated to creative content (immersive realities, video game, animation, music, digital art) linked with innovation in Africa. The very idea of DLA is to incubate emerging talent by offering them a springboard to fast track their projects development with the support and expertise of DLA creative industries ecosystem in France and in Sub-Saharan African countries.

Notable mentors to the program include South African based Nicholas Hall and Hanli Geyser as well as Sidick Bakayoko from Paradise Games.