Denis Opudo
The great news to top African entrepreneurs and startups is that Seedstars World is back in the continent for another time. The largest startup challenge for upcoming markets is sourcing for fast-growing entrepreneurs and startups to accelerate them on their way to global growth. On its 2018 African tour edition, the challenge will visit more than 20 cities within Sub-Saharan Africa to host pitch competitions and boot camps. Zambia and Mauritius amongst other countries will have an opportunity to host the local challenge for the first time.
The countries will work on increasing the impact of the Seedstars mission in Africa. The winners from every country will have a direct ticket to the final that will take place at Seedstars Global Summit in Switzerland. The summit in Swaziland will give the participants a chance to compete for an equity investment worth $1 million. The question that is now crisscrossing your mind is about who is legible to take part in the competition?
To participate in the challenge, a startup must be operational for not more than two years since its date of launch. It must have not less than $0.5 million of funding. It should also have a minimum viable product (MVP), and lastly, it should be using technology to find solutions to regional or local challenges.
The Seedstars challenge comes with a lot of benefits including equity investment. Participants are entitled to an equity investment worth $1 million and other cash prizes. Furthermore, participants will get exposed to angels, VCs and corporates sourcing for investment opportunities. All the events of Seedstars World are under the coverage of international and local press with about 500 articles about them in 2017. This offers attendance a chance to represent their countries in front of both domestic and international audience.
Moreover, startups and entrepreneurs are given a chance to join the Seedstars Family of talented entrepreneurs in over 65 countries. One will get the chance to reach potential business opportunities and partners through the family and at several events. Are you sourcing for a platform to grow and learn? Then you have to take part in this event since it brings to you top quality mentors who are hand-picked from across the world full of experience in respective industries. You will benefit from the knowledge of investors, accelerated directors, serial entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders.
Selected individuals will have a day of Bootcamp that will take place for 2 to 3 days before the real event. After that, they will attend the local event for one day. The winners will have seven days for application through online, preparation for pitching event, coaching and traveling and attending the real event. The application process involves three steps. The first one applicants should ensure that they have a venture portfolio published on the VC4Africa platform with their latest pitch deck attached. The second step is they are required to submit their applications to one of the 22 local African events using the online form.
At every Local Event, ten pre-selected startups will get an invitation to showcase in front of qualified judges and quality audience to get the winner. Local Event brings key investors, entrepreneurs, corporates, and institutions from the local ecosystem together with a worldwide Seedstars World flavor on the same floor. Winners of the Local Events will each get a fully funded trip to Global summit and Seedstars World Regional Summit in Switzerland.
The summits will give them a chance to win an equity investment worth $1 million and other cash prizes. Winners from every Local event will get an invitation to Switzerland with an opportunity to represent their countries and startups at the world finals. The event will take place for seven days consisting of an investor forum, Bootcamp and international conference. The overall winner will take home an investment worth $1000,000. Applications will open on 23rd July 2018 and close on 6th August the same year. Interested parties are invited to apply by clicking here.
