Denis Opudo
AfricaArena is an international African investor and startup conference. It partnered with VivaTech a tech conference from France in May this year. The two agreed to jointly run an African startup challenge that will have the best three finalists showcase at the summit in Cape Town. But they have not yet released the requirements of that challenge. However, entrepreneurs can apply for six challenges that their details are already out. Below are the six challenges as obtained from ventureburn.
Africa tour challenges
AfricArena announced the launch of an African tour in April this year. The tour will be used for scouting startups that will take part in Cape Town. They will go through training in Cape Town. Later on, they will showcase at the summit that will take place on 15th and 16th November this year. The tour will have specific challenges affecting the country ecosystem. The tour will select five startups from each country that will showcase for the opportunity to take part in the summit in Cape Town. The six challenges are open for every entrepreneur who already has a product in place. Additionally, applicants should be in a position to prove substantial traction and growth. They should have also gained the customers and market confidence.
The application deadline will be closing today midnight in Nairobi. This is for pre-selection event that will take place on 13th June in Nairobi. Applications in Casablanca are open for Moroccan based startups until 26th June. They should apply for pre-selection pitch event that will take place on 4th July in Casablanca. Application for Nigerian startups closes on 8th July for the pre-selection event. The event will take place on 18th July in Lagos.
The three sponsor challenge
Both the RCS Group and Vinci Energies will select three startups each to take part in the AfricArena. The three startups will attend pitching workshops and later on showcase to investors.
The RCS Group Challenge: The group is sourcing for entrepreneurs in possession of a solution that can secure and keep identification of customer and credentials of authentication to relieve client on-boarding and approval of the transaction. Innovators and entrepreneurs have less than a month to submit their application for the challenge. Applicants will only be selected if their solutions that must be available online, on mobile Apps and in-store should cater for some requirements on white labeling. They should facilitate a one-time verification and on-boarding process with the same repeat if the need be. They should also allow for the access to trusted and verified external data sources, for example, Home Affairs to ease input of customers. It should have security and legitimate needs that RCS needs to fill in every relevant customer process more so SA regulation. The winner will have an opportunity to collaborate with RSC in the linkage of their solution with its available system.
Vinci Energy Challenge: Application for the Kenyan entrepreneurs will be the first one for this challenge. Kenyans have until 6th June, Moroccans have until 24th June and Nigerians, and Senegalese have until 1st July to apply. The challenge is sourcing for disruptive solutions which use artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and machine learning to manage the exchange of energy using money through blockchain. To optimize the production of renewable energy: leverage interactions between national grids and micro-grids. Optimize the networks of energy for better energy access. Assess, manage and advance energy exchange flows at national grid or microgrid levels.
Winner of the challenge will have an opportunity to work on a mutual proof-of-concept (POC) together with Vinci Energies. It will also get an opportunity to showcase to Inerbiz Corporate Fund of the company.
Air France KLM Challenge: In 2018 Air France KLM will be sourcing solutions that target its new lowest cost subsidiary Joon. Interested parties have less than one month for them to submit their application for the challenge. The challenge mainly aims at innovators with enhancing of customers connected on board or the experience of the personal devices of the customer. Applicants should keep in mind passenger assistance, better customer experience both off and onboard and entertainment. For more information about the challenges, you can click here.
