The Artificial Intelligence Ideathon organised by Rise Networks recently released the names of participants and ideas shortlisted for the semifinal round of the competition.
The ideathon was open to students, data scientists, working professionals, developers and academics across Nigeria with a passion to be pioneers of groundbreaking innovators in AI and Machine Learning solutions.
Entries were accepted from August 19 to September 20, 2019. The selected participants and their ideas are 12 in all and are shown in the table below.
Meet Comestibles
TechNext got to chat with one of the shortlistees Mr Oluwakorede Moshood and we got a better understanding of what the Comestibles product is about and what is next for the brand.
Korede started Comestibles in 2016 to improve the food purchase experience for consumers while also optimising the selling and supply process for food retailers and outlets.
“Comestibles is a digital food supply chain platform that improves the food purchase experience for food consumers and the selling and supply process for food retailers/outlets.
Oluwakorede Moshood. Co-founder, Comestibles
Our vision is to revolutionise the African Food Supply Chain ensuring that access to good food is quick, easy and sustainable. We hope to be Africa’s ‘food Amazon’ by 2030.”
In essence, the Comestibles app is a machine learning solution deployed on the web and in a mobile app that allows food item suppliers to keep inventory and predict future sales based on the algorithms. With the ML predictions, the users can make smart decisions about their operations and also use it to request for financial credit for their ventures.
Because food consumers can create an automated food purchase schedule with Comestibles, retailers and food outlets on the platform can plan ahead and know what volume of demand is expected.
“The product makes use of machine learning algorithms for predictions and makes smart decisions about when a retailer should buy a particular food item and in what quantity.
Our systems and products for different players are integrated to enable us use data for better decisions and better service delivery. Consumers will always have their demand met and the purchase process is seamless because they can create automated food purchase schedules on our mobile app. Food prices on our platform are cheaper due to our dynamic pricing system.”
Moshood
On what investors and subscribers alike should look out for in the coming months, Moshood shared that Comestibles would become a full subscription-based service.
“The first version of the ComestiblesERP will be available to our partnered food retailers and outlets in 2020. The Comestibles team will be releasing the third version of our mobile app with major features update for consumers and we will pivot to a full subscription-based food delivery service.”
Oluwakorede Moshood
Comestibles works by signing up both fresh and processed food retailers onto its platform. According to Moshood, “we also have a Comestibles store for drinks and raw food items that we buy and sell to our consumers directly”. Consumers can use the service by purchasing a subscription plan that works for them. For instance, a monthly subscription covers food item deliveries once a day for the month.
However, while the team has been selected for the semifinal round of the Artificial Intelligence Ideathon, the strength of its value offering will be tested alongside 11 other competitors.
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