Seedstars World is now accepting applications from high growth startups and entrepreneurs for its 2018 competition. The deadline for submission os applications for Seedstars Africa Startup Competition varies per country (details available at the end of the article).
On the 2018 edition of the tour, Seedstars Africa regional team will visit 20+ cities across Sub-Saharan Africa, hosting bootcamps and pitch competitions. Countries such as Mauritius and Zambia, amongst others, will host local competitions for the first time, enlarging the impact of Seedstars mission in the continent.
Local winners will be invited to represent their country at the Regional Summit in Africa and win an all-inclusive trip to Switzerland, to introduce their startup to some of the world’s most prominent investors and executives and enjoy the opportunity to win up to $1mln in equity investments and additional prizes.
Why compete?
Equity Investment:
There is a prize package consisting of up to $ 1Million in equity investment and more in cash and in-kind prizes. You’ll be exposed to VCs, corporates, and angels searching for investment opportunities.
Coverage & Prestige:
All Seedstars World events are heavily covered by local and international press with around 500 articles on us last year. Represent your country at the worldwide Seedstars Summit in front of an international audience.
Partnerships & Family:
Join the close-knit Seedstars Family of talented entrepreneurs in 65+ countries. Find potential partners and business opportunities through the community and at the various events.
Learn & Grow:
We hand pick top-quality mentors from all over the world with experience in relevant industries. Benefit from the knowledge of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, accelerator directors and investors.
Time investment:
If you get selected for a city event:
- 1 day for the Bootcamp hosted 2 – 3 days before the event
- 1 day for the Local Event
If you win:
7 days, that includes:
- online application
- preparing for pitching event
- coaching
- traveling and attending the events.
How to Apply for Seedstars Africa Startup Competition.
Criteria to apply:
The companies selected to pitch at the Seedstars local events need to be less than 2 years old, have raised less than USD 500,000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction. The Seedstars World team is searching for one additional criterion – the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of regional partners such as Merck, SPECo, Enel or Continental, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that are addressing underlying social challenges in their home countries and developing profitable products for the global market, to support their regional businesses and growth.
Applications are open here for startups in Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep. Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwes.
Applications:
Step 1: Make sure you have a venture profile published on the VC4Africa platform with your most recent pitch deck attached.
Step 2: Apply to one of the 22 local events in Africa through the online form.
Pitching events:
At each Local Event, up to 10 pre-selected startups are invited to pitch in front of an expert jury and quality audience to determine the winner. The event brings together key entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and institutions from the local ecosystem combined with a unique global Seedstars World flavor. The winner of each Local Event gets a free trip to Seedstars World Regional Summit and the Global summit in Switzerland, with a chance to win up to $ 1 Million in equity investment and more in cash and in-kind prizes.\
Final Event:
The winner of each Local Event will be invited to Switzerland to represent his startup and country at the global finals. The Final Event is a weeklong adventure consisting of a bootcamp, international conference and investor forum. It’s an amazing chance to meet with investors, build a global network and grow your business. And don’t forget there is up to USD 1000,000 mln investment on offer to the winning startup and additional money prizes!
DATES AND DEADLINES FOR 2018:
| Country | City | Registration Deadline | Event date |
| Zimbabwe | Harare | June 18 | Jun 29 |
| Ghana | Accra | July 2 | Jul 13 |
| Rwanda | Kigali | July 9 | Jul 20 |
| Zambia | Lusaka | July 23 | Aug 3 |
| Nigeria | Abuja | July 23rd | Aug 3 |
| Kenya | Nairobi | July 30 | Aug 10 |
| Nigeria | Lagos (Finals) | August 6 | Aug 17 |
| Uganda | Kampala | August 13 | Aug 24 |
| Senegal | Dakar | August 27 | Sep 7 |
| Botswana | Gaborone | Sept 3 | Sep 14 |
| Ivory Coast | Abidjan | Sept 3 | Sep 14 |
| Tanzania | Dar Es Salaam | Sept 10 | Sep 21 |
| DRC | Kinshasa | Sept 10 | Sep 21 |
| Guinee Bissau | Bissau | Sept 16 | Sep 27 |
| Mozambique | Maputo | Sept 17 | Sep 28 |
| South Africa | Johannesburg | Sept 24 | Oct 5 |
| Cameroon | Douala | October 1 | Oct 12 |
| Angola | Luanda | October 1 | Oct 12 |
| Gambia | Banjul | October 3 | Oct 15 |
| South Africa | Cape Town | October 8 | Oct 19 |
| Mali | Bamako | October 9 | Oct 20 |
| Mauritius | Saint Louis | October 15 | Oct 26 |
| South Africa | South Africa Finals | October 22 | Nov 2 |
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