Three Samoa-based tech start-ups – an e-Health app, an online shopping platform and a program to assist with legislation– have won the backing of an international entrepreneurship training programme.

The three businesses were selected in the The Start-Up Challenge 2020 awards in the “Emerging Start-Ups in the Pacific Islands” from Samoa, which was announced by the Australian High Commission early this week.

The start-ups are the eHealth app called ‘Strong’, ‘Task Mai,’ an online shopping platform and ‘Fa’afiti Lo Tam’, which is designed to help with legislative processes.

“Samoa took part in a regional Start-Up Challenge alongside Fiji and Papua New Guinea,” the High Commission said in a statement.

The nine-day entrepreneurship training program was held from 9 to 18 September and concluded with a pitching competition.

Twenty-seven teams from the region pitched their technology-savvy business model to a judging panel of regionally renowned investors and ecosystem players.

The three “Emerging Start-ups” will be supported in an upcoming six-week programme, implemented by Phandeeyar, the Launch Pad. 

The founders will go through a series of entrepreneurial activities to hone their skills and polish their business models.

Training will include mentor talks, live training sessions and one-on-one coaching along with other selected start-ups.