Forbes8 announces Nigeria’s First Digital Startup Accelerator Program (Forbes first netflix for entrepreneurs digital community).

This launch is seeking over 100 of Nigeria’s top SME business and startup companies to train digitally, provide Forbes resources and perks from global partners.

Forbes Magazine is an iconic brand that has graced our business culture for over a century (since 1917).

“Forbes recently launched Forbes8 – a Netflix for entrepreneurs community platform to provide access to its top business mogul community so we can show you “how to make it” and thrive as a business pioneer today.”

Eligibility for Participation

• The free virtual accelerator will welcome 100 top companies from Nigeria
• The Forbes8 digital accelerator program is open to all small businesses, startups, and freelancers
• The program is free as it involves no equity and obligation

Benefits of Participation

• Founders selected for the program will undergo 4 intensive weeks of digital training to help build and scale their companies for the future.
• Accepted companies will have access to live virtual accelerator training for 4 weeks, access to the Forbes8 community and access to $100k in free credits and perks from AWS, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and SendGrid.

How to Apply

Startups can apply for admission to the Forbes8 digital accelerator on a rolling basis between May 5th- May 26th.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Interested founders can apply here.

Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) extends the deadline for applications for Leadtech Incubation program to Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

LeadTech Incubation is open to female digital startup leaders who are 18 years of age or older and residing in any African country.

In light of the ongoing developments and challenges around COVID-19, the Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has extended the deadline for applications for the LeadTech Incubation Program to Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

It was initially announced on Monday, March 9, 2020, here.

LeadTech is run in partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) Morocco.

AWIEF founder and CEO, Irene Ochem says “We fully appreciate the uncertainty, disruptions to business and need for flexibility during these difficult times, and hope that this will relieve some pressure for those who would like to submit an application.

This global pandemic serves to highlight the importance of innovations in health, education, agriculture, finance and environment in Africa, and LeadTech Incubation offers a unique opportunity for women tech and digital startups to test, develop and grow their innovative solutions in a time calling for creative and collaborative solutions to global problems”.

Selected participants will gain access to:

• Tailored training and capacity-building
• A 3-week residency at UM6P in Morocco
• Space and infrastructure (Living Labs, Digital Lab, Data Center, Prototyping Labs)
• World-class mentors and experts to work with you
• 5-months virtual incubation
• Venture showcase at AWIEF2020 (2 – 3 December, Johannesburg, South Africa)
• Funding opportunities

Eligibility Criteria

LeadTech Incubation is open to female digital startup leaders who are 18 years of age or older and residing in any African country.

You have an innovative, scalable offer that integrates digital technologies into the process.

You are passionate, committed, and have the capacity to engage fully in the program.

For more details and to apply, please visit this link.

The new application deadline is now Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

To find, inspire and support the best agrifood business models from young African entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 crisis

The 2020 competition aims to grow the pan-African GoGettaz entrepreneurial community and pave the way for new businesses embracing technology and innovation in the agrifood and agritech sectors

The $100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition 2020 launched on 14 April 2020 amidst the coronavirus pandemic to give hope and support to the agripreneurs on the African continent.

Bringing on board influential co-founders, members and ambassadors, the 2020 competition aims to grow the pan-African GoGettaz entrepreneurial community and pave the way for new businesses embracing technology and innovation in the agrifood and agritech sectors.

The $100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition 2020 is back for its second year.

The competition aims to inspire young people throughout the African continent to launch and grow innovative or technology-driven businesses in the agrifood sector, from “seed to fork” and beyond.

The 2020 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition will acknowledge two innovative ventures, one led by a man and one led by a woman who founded or co-founded businesses in the agrifood sector in Africa.

The winners each awarded a grand prize of $50,000 along with an industry-leading support network to take their businesses to the next level.

The competition launches as the coronavirus pandemic is having a severely negative impact on health, well-being, and livelihoods of billions of people throughout Africa and the world.

While the ultimate costs of this crisis are unknown, tremendous effort and innovation is needed to keep agribusiness going and ensure the health crisis does not translate into also a severe food crisis.

Leadership and coordinated action are required at global, national, and local levels to find solutions for agrifood systems that are responsive to, and supportive of, health measures. Africa’s youth agripreneurs have a huge role to play.

“We have decided to go ahead with the 2020 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition. Not despite the coronavirus, but because of it,” says Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Yara International.

“Now, more than ever, we need to support African agrifood entrepreneurs and the small and medium agribusinesses on the continent.

They are the people who produce food and get it to the people who need it. They will be the people who help to rebuild our economies after the pandemic is over.”

In 2019 pan-African telecommunication, technology and renewable energy group Econet together with global crop nutrition leader Yara, co-catalysed Generation Africa and the inaugural US$100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize which was awarded in September at the annual Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit in Accra, Ghana.

The success of the 2019 campaign attracted industry leaders in the global and African agriculture sectors. In 2020 the Generation Africa initiative adds four inspirational co-founders to their ranks.

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) strives to grow agriculture on the continent to feed Africa and the world. Corteva Agriscience harnesses cutting edge science to build flourishing farms.

The Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) represents the common interest of regional farmers.

The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture links small-holder farmers to agri-services, insurance and quality seeds.

“Agrifood is more than an essential business in this global pandemic, it is urgent for survival,” said Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet.

“Our African agribusinesses must stay strong and innovate to meet growing food needs locally, across the whole value chain.

With forex income impacted by COVID-19, our nations can no longer rely on imports to feed our people. Now is the time for Africa’s entrepreneurs to see and seize new opportunities.”

Generation Africa aims to inspire and nurture young entrepreneurs in Africa’s agrifood sector, from sapling businesses to companies that have already taken root firmly.

On top of this, it will provide the framework to build a support ecosystem that connects these agripreneurs with the tools, knowledge, mentors and investors they need to grow from ideas or start-ups to full-scale businesses.

This network will allow them to spot fertile new opportunities or be forewarned about continental developments that could necessitate business pivots.

Launched on 14 April 2020, the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition is open to young, agrifood entrepreneurs, aged 18 – 35 from across Africa. Applications can be submitted to the competition via here.

10 Finalists will be invited to compete in a live or virtual (online) pitching contest at the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit between 8-11 September 2020.

The two GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize winners will receive their US$50,000 awards alongside the prestigious Africa Food Prize. All 10 finalists will be awarded mentorship, programming linkages and other guidance to continue their entrepreneurial journey.

Featured Image: Africa’s go getters: Isaac Sesi from Sesi Technologies Ghana (left) and Bonolo Monthe of Maungo Craft, Botswana all smiles after they received the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize in 2019.

Kickstart, one of the biggest European innovation platforms, has opened applications, for start-ups, having an interest in making a statement, in the Switzerland market.

Kickstart wants up to 100 entrepreneurs, to enter its three-month program, meant for late-stage start-ups.

Entrepreneurs, from any country, are eligible to apply for this program. Start-ups with successful applications will commence the program, by early September 2020.

Specifically, the programme affords focused attention, on start-ups that integrate technology, into their business structure.

Such start-ups include, Smart City & Technology, FinTech & InsurTech, Food & Retail, HealthTech and EdTech.

Kickstart has confirmed that, for the first time, since its inaugural edition, it will pay special attention to Circular Economy, in the course of the program. Participating start-ups will get to learn about business development, viz-a-viz the Switzerland market.

Kickstart is an annual B2B scale-up program that, connects and creates commercial and pilot projects, in partnership with any of the following Kickstart’s 50 public and corporate sector partners, which include: Credit Suisse, AXA, Lafarge Holcim and Roche.

Selected applicants, that make it to the end of the program, would create innovative partnerships, with top Executive members, from Swiss organisations, foundations, universities and others.

The whole essence, of the partnership, is, to enable the participating start-ups, to solve business challenges, in real life.

Speaking on the merit of the Kickstart incubation program, Katka Letzing, Co-founder, Kickstart said, Switzerland is, a very attractive market, for later-stage start-ups. “We are, regularly, recognised as a world leader, for innovation and our leading organisations have a big appetite, for new technologies and solutions.

“It can be challenging, for aspiring entrants to gain access, to the Swiss market and promising opportunities, for collaboration can be lost. Kickstart, aims to overcome this hurdle, by bridging the gap, between start-ups and organisations, allowing them to tackle real-world solutions and to innovate together”.

The next edition of the programme would be the fifth incubation of Kickstart.

Featured Image: afterschoolafrica

The new programme was unveiled for the first time during the AWIEF 2020 International Women’s Day event on Monday, March 9, 2020, in Lagos, Nigeria.

Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has partnered with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco (UM6P), a world-class institution that puts research, innovation and entrepreneurship at the service of the development of the African continent, to launch LeadTech Incubation Programme.

Despite Africa being one of the fastest-growing technology markets in the world, women’s participation in the technology sector remains considerably low.

LeadTech is a continental programme to support early-stage African women-led digital startups with tools needed for their growth and success.

Sharing the belief that entrepreneurship and women’s leadership are key drivers in transforming Africa, the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) through its entity P-Curiosity Lab, in partnership with AWIEF, will support 15 African young female entrepreneurs as part of the 2020 LeadTech cohort.

Irene Ochem, Founder and CEO of AWIEF, said “We are extremely excited and proud to work with UM6P to map the path for women empowerment in the technology sector in Africa.

With LeadTech, we will build a pan-African network of female tech leaders who will serve as role models and demystify the notion that women are not as capable for leadership in technology”.

Lamia Housni, Head of P-Curiosity Lab at UM6P said, “LeadTech programme is designed, in partnership with AWIEF, to strengthen African women’s presence in the technology sector by selecting and incubating promising and innovative tech startups in Education, Healthcare, Finance, Environment, and Biotechnology”.

Housni further noted, “The launch of this programme comes at a particular moment when our African citizens are having to change their habits and isolate themselves to reduce the spread of the global pandemic coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

LeadTech programme becomes more than ever necessary for the development of our continent since it places digital as a solution to deliver services to our communities, essential to their socio-economic inclusion, environmental health, and sustainability of their activities.”

With LeadTech, we will build a pan-African network of female tech leaders who will serve as role models and demystify the notion that women are not as capable for leadership

What LeadTech Offers Participants

• Tailored training and capacity building3 weeks residency at UM6P in MoroccoSpace and infrastructure (Living Labs, Digital Lab, Data Center, Prototyping Labs)
• World-class mentors and experts to work with you5 months virtual incubationVenture showcase at AWIEF 2020.

Eligibility Criteria

• This programme is open to early-stage female digital startup leaders who are 18 years of age or older and residing in any African country.
• You have an innovative, scalable offer that integrates digital technologies into the process.
• You are passionate, committed, and have the capacity to engage fully in the programme.

To apply for LeadTech, please follow this link.

Application closes on Friday, April 24,  2020.

Featured Image: africanews

In line with its mission to give people the power to build community around the world and its commitment to supporting the community leaders who drive change, Facebook is announcing the launch of the Community Accelerator programme which will be available in the following countries: South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

An evolution of the Facebook Community Leadership Programme (FCLP), this six-month accelerator programme provides training, mentorship and funding to help community leaders grow their communities.

Selected community leaders will spend three months learning from experts, coaches and a customised curriculum to create a plan to grow their communities.

They will spend the next three months iterating and executing on their plans, with funding and support from their networks.

Kiran Yoliswa, Strategic Partner Manager, Communities SSA at Facebook said, “Our mission is to empower the leaders who foster community – people who offer support, encourage others and make real change,”

“We are investing in leaders because we believe and know they make significant contributions to today’s social challenges, by sharing knowledge and information, and helping people to connect with others that share same interests or passions for a good cause.”

In 2019 the Facebook Community Leadership Programme provided training, funding, and support to 115 community leaders.

The leaders reported that their projects impacted over 1.9 million lives through online community support, the use of helpful resources and other activities made possible by the programme.

The 12 community leaders from Sub – Saharan Africa said their projects impacted over 80,000 lives. They included:

• Anike Lawal, Mamalette (Nigeria)
• Noah Kadima Nasiali, Africa Farmers Club (Kenya)
• Felista Wangari, 52-Week Savings Challenge (Kenya)
• Pamellah Oduor, Let’s Cook Kenyan Meals (Kenya)
• Asha Mweru, #WomenWorkKE (Kenya)
• Caroline Kihusa, Still A Mum (Kenya)
• Truphosah Monah, Women And Realities of Disability Society (Kenya)
• Mamadou Sy, Docteur Nakamou (Senegal)
• Gabriel Hoosain Khan LGBTI community, Human Rights (South Africa)
• Lusanda Magwape, Dream Factory Foundation (South Africa)
• Nadine Maselesele, Salt River High Tutoring (South Africa)
• Savio Lule Mark, The Youth Hub Uganda (Uganda)

Facebook also announced that it has built new tools to help community leaders add new members and moderate conversations in their Groups.

The improved membership management tool improves how Group admins can manage new member requests, and content moderation features make it easier for admins to see important posts and find specific content.

The Community Accelerator programme is one of the many investments Facebook is making in community leaders.

The Facebook Community Learning Labs brings Group admins with similar goals together into a collaborative digital classroom for structured learning, a dedicated Facebook team with experience helps Group admins achieve their goals.

The Community Hub, meanwhile, is a place where anyone can access product education and learn more about Facebook’s programmes. It includes tips and tools for starting, managing and growing a community.

If you run an impactful, established community, ready to grow using Facebook’s apps and have the time and energy to invest in this programme, you can apply here before 10 April 2020 if you are 18 years and older.

Community leaders from the selected programme countries, including those without a presence on one of Facebook’s apps, are welcome to apply.

How to Apply

Applications are open to participants from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

You can visit here to put up your application.

The deadline for registration is Friday, April 10, 2020, while the programme commences by June 2020.

Featured Image: technologymirror.com.ng

The ‘Tech By Her Accelerator’ Program is, giving support, to blooming female-led tech ventures, for them to be, globally, competitive and sustainable.

The program is, powered by MEST, plus support, from the Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative, ‘Make-IT in Africa’.

The aim of the ‘Tech By Her Accelerator’ program is, to help create a reliable female entrepreneurship community that spans across the whole of the African continent.

The program is, set to achieve this, through the mentoring of female founders and also, creating a network of alumni, among successful participants, in the ‘Tech By Her Accelerator’.

It will, also, address the common challenges encountered, by female tech founders. Ten female tech entrepreneurs will be selected, in the 3-month accelerator, from companies in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

Benefits of participation

• Integrated training and coaching
• Access to Africa’s industry leaders and experts
• Supportive Community of top female entrepreneurs
• Invitation to the alumni network of successful female entrepreneurs
• An expansive network of tech experts
• All-expense paid, two Intensive Boot Camps in Accra, Ghana
• Virtual coaching and mentoring for 3 months
• Visibility and media publicity, for selected participants

Eligibility criteria for participants

• A female founder/co-founder of your organisation, available to participate, fully, in all aspects of the program
• An early-stage start-up that, has achieved commercialisation and monetisation phase
• Be technology-based, or, have technology, as the core enabler, of the business
• Have been operating for at least one, (1), year, before applying for this program, with a live product, or, service on the market
• Have the business registered, in any of Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. Participants must be African
• Showing evidence of scalability from its revenue
• The business model, must be social impact-driven
• Must be ready, to organize, at least one event, in your community, with support from your local MEST office
• Be ready, as a founder, to be an ambassador, of the program and of tech entrepreneurship, encouraging and motivating other females, in the entrepreneurial space

How to apply

If you are a female tech founder and have satisfied the criteria mentioned above, you can go ahead to apply here. The deadline for applications is, Friday, March 13, 2020.

Featured Image: Kachwanya

Ecobank Fintech Challenge was designed in partnership with the advisory firm Konfidants and is supported by several partners across Africa and globally.

Ecobank Group, the pan-African banking group, is inviting African fintech entrepreneurs to enter the 3rd edition of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge.

The Fintech Challenge gives African start-ups the opportunity to promote their fintech solutions, and potentially partner with Ecobank to roll-out their solutions across Ecobank’s 33 markets in Africa as well as France.

Ecobank welcomes submissions from all start-ups and developers in any of Africa’s 54 countries to enter its 2020 Ecobank Fintech Challenge.

All Finalists will be inducted as Ecobank Fintech Fellows, participate in a business boot camp followed by an Awards and Innovation Fair at the headquarters of the Ecobank Goup in Lomé, Togo in June 2020.

Ecobank Group Executive, Operations & Technology, Eddy Ogbogu noted that “As a banking group we continue to be amazed at the many ways in which fintechs are transforming banking across Africa. We look forward to the new innovations and partnership opportunities that will come with the 2020 edition.”

Fellows will qualify to explore the following opportunities including:

• Multinational product roll out: an opportunity to pursue integration with Ecobank and potentially launch products in Ecobank’s Pan African footprint.
• Service provider partnerships. Ecobank may select start-ups as a pan-African service partner within the bank’s ecosystem.
• Access to Ecobank’s Pan-African Banking Sandbox: Fellows will be given access to Ecobank’s APIs to test and improve their products for the pan-African market.
• Mentoring and networking support in the network of global and African partners of the Group.

Ecobank Senior Fintech Advisor, Djiba Diallo said “The Ecobank Fintech challenge and fellowship have been improved upon to create even additional value for Ecobank and the Fintechs.

We took feedback from the past editions and one of the major innovation this year is the opportunity for shortlisted Fintech’s to access our APIs through our Pan African Sandbox.”

Applications for the competition will close on Sunday, April 12, 2020. More information on the competition, benefits, and how to apply can be found here.

Featured Image: opportunitiesforafricans

Are you a young African Entrepreneur, aiming to build his, or, her small business, or, maybe you have created something that can benefit your immediate community? If you are, then, Anzisha prize is expecting your application.

Anzisha believes that, you could be a role model and inspiration, to the other young African entrepreneurs, given the right support.

The future of Africa, lies with the young generation and Anzisha, wants to celebrate your potentials, in growing and developing your country, through job creation.

Annually, 20 young African entrepreneurs are selected, for the Anzisha Prize Fellows.

The prize award is, arguably, the largest award for Africa’s youngest entrepreneurs, between the ages of 15 – 22.

A winning prize of USD $100,000 is, handed over, annually, to entrepreneurs, across the continent.

Eligibility for the Anzisha Prizes

• Your age range must be between 15 and 22 years old, with an ID document, or, Passport, to present as evidence.
• You must be a national of an African country, with an African-based business, serving African customers/beneficiaries.
• Your business must be running, with tangible results to share, before you apply.
• Anzisha prize welcomes any kind of venture from science and technology, down to sports.
• Applications from individuals, require that, he, or, she, must be, one of the founding members of a business.

Timeline of the event

• May 2020: Phone interviews and due diligence visit, with the semi-finalists and final selection
• July 2020: Announcement of the top 50 Finalists of the 2020 edition of the Anzisha Prize
• August 2020: Announcement of the top 20, 2020 Finalists
• October 2020: Anzisha Business Accelerator and Anzisha Prize Awards Forum.

How to Apply

If you have satisfied all the criteria mentioned above, you can go ahead to apply here. The deadline for applications is, Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

Featured Image: worldscholarshipforum

Introducing the launch of the third edition of #Africa4Future, a joint accelerator program between Airbus’ global aerospace accelerator, BizLab and Make-IT in Africa, a programme by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit German (GIZ), the German agency for International Cooperation.

First launched in 2017, the #Africa4Future initiative was created by Airbus BizLab with the objective to encourage and support entrepreneurship in Africa.

Through #Africa4future, Airbus seeks to build bridges between the aerospace industry and the different players in Africa.

For this third edition, the accelerator is open to African start-ups, service providers, software companies that are actively working on solutions in Agriculture and infrastructure sectors that are related to remote-sensing technology.

This includes automation, blockchain, artificial intelligence, data analytics, material composites, manufacturing and more.

Infrastructure refers to transportation/logistics mapping, water monitoring, waste management, real estate, urban development and other related areas.

To foster and promote the inclusion of sustainable Industry innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9); and Food security, nutrition and agriculture (SDG 2); Airbus BizLab together with its partners will consolidate and make their resources available to the startups to support economic development across Africa (SDG 17).

The 3-month programme will include virtual coaching sessions, expert sessions with Airbus experts in Europe, connection to industry experts locally, access to Airbus technologies, 250,000 up42 credit, showcase events in Africa and Europe.

At the end of the programme, the startups (either standalone or as a consortium) will have the amazing opportunity to pitch a project to the leadership team at Airbus and GIZ for possible collaboration with both organizations.

The program is implemented by Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), a Pan-African innovation center with a track record of accelerating the application of social capital and technology for economic prosperity.

CcHUB will provide strategic support and practical industry know-how to the startups to engage multiple stakeholders within their ecosystem and facilitate the connection with these global organisations.

Eligibility Criteria

Airbus BizLab & GIZ are looking for startups/solution providers/companies that:

• Create value in Agriculture and Infrastructure sectors
• Have the ability to leverage remote sensing technologies
• Been running operations for at least 1 year
• Have an existing product with traction (customers and/or revenue)
• Have a strong management team
• Have experience leveraging partnerships to create impact

In addition to the above, companies must be registered in Africa and the founder must be a Citizen of any country on the continent.

The programme would be hosting information sessions in 5 countries namely:- Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal and Morocco; If you are in any of these countries, we look forward to meeting with you.

Kindly register to attend and get updates here. Beyond learning more about the programme, these information sessions will also serve as an opportunity to learn more about some of Airbus’ technology and to network with other entrepreneurs with similar interests.

How To Apply

If you have satisfied the criteria mentioned above, you can go ahead to apply here. The deadline for application is Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Featured Image: africanews.space