Are you an African entrepreneur or startup? are you looking for support to grow and expand your businesses? GEC+ Africa is inviting innovative startups and entrepreneurs to a boot camp to help them prepare for the pitching competitions and present their business ideas to win $50,000.
About GEC+ Africa
Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC+ Africa) is a special event organized by a group called the Global Entrepreneurship Network. It started in 2017 and brings together entrepreneurs and leaders from over 50 African countries. The main goal of GEC+ Africa is to promote and support entrepreneurship in Africa. They also invite important people from around the world who believe in the power of entrepreneurship to help improve economies and make people’s lives better.
GEC+ Africa Key Objectives
The main goals of GEC+ Africa are:
Help innovative startups in Africa grow and expand their businesses.
Create a favorable environment where African startups can create job opportunities.
Connect African startups with big companies to form business relationships.
Assist in building a reliable network of global investors who will invest in African startups.
Establish and strengthen the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) in every African country.
About the lead-up activity events
The lead-up activity events for GEC+ Africa include regional pitching competitions. These competitions aim to attract startups and small businesses from all over Africa to showcase their businesses. It’s a chance for these innovative startups to get recognition and also strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in each country.
The competitions are open to both technology-based startups in the early stages of development (pre-seed or seed stage) and non-tech startups or small businesses that have already started making revenue. If selected, the participants will be invited to a boot camp to help them prepare for the pitching competitions, which will take place in their respective countries.
Benefit
At the GEC+ Africa Cape Town event, a panel of judges will choose 10 winners from the regional competitions. These winners will have the opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, where the GEC+ Africa Cape Town event will be held. During the final pitch, they will present their business ideas to an audience that includes investors and organizations that support entrepreneurs from all over Africa. The top three winners will receive a prize of $50,000 and will also have the chance to join an accelerator program after the congress.
Timeline
Here is the timeline for the lead-up activities, startup pitches, and boot camp events:
Regional Pitching Competitions: The Rest of Africa
Algiers: July 9-10
Cairo: July 12-13
Gaborone: July 13-14
Accra: July 19-20
Lagos: July 25-26
Nairobi: August 1-2
Windhoek: August 8-9
Regional Pitching Competitions in South Africa:
Eastern Cape: October 2-3
Kwa-Zulu Natal: October 5-6
Mpumalanga: October 9-10
North West: October 16-17
Limpopo: October 19-20
Northern Cape: October 23-24
Free State: October 30-3
Gauteng: November 2-3
Western Cape: November 7-8
How to apply
To apply for a regional pitch competition event, please click on the apply button and fill out a short form.
Assessment Criteria
Applicants whose pitch decks are deemed suitable will be invited to pitch to judges during the lead-up activity.
The assessment criteria for evaluating applicants during the pitching process include:
- Problem Statement: Has the entrepreneur clearly identified the problem they aim to solve and who is affected by it? Is the problem significant and does it indicate a sizable and growing target market?
- Value Proposition: Does the proposed solution stand out from existing solutions in the market? Does it have a clear competitive advantage over competitors?
- Business Case: Is the business model viable in terms of generating revenue while delivering its value proposition? Is the business model sustainable, and does the business have a clear strategy for growth?
- Team Composition: Is the team skilled and capable enough to effectively execute the product/service delivery and business model? Are they well-suited to drive the venture’s success?
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP): How effectively does the MVP demonstrate the value proposition? Does it provide a strong foundation for further development and scaling of the business?
- Overall Quality of the Pitch: Did the applicant submit a well-prepared pitch deck? Was the entrepreneur adequately prepared in their presentation and able to answer questions confidently?
Overview
Types of opportunity: Competition / Grant
Deadline: Ongoing
Worth: $50,000.
Open to: Tech startups, non-tech startups, or small businesses that are post-revenue.
Location: Algiers, Cairo, Gaborone, Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Windhoek, and South Africa.
Organizer: The Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).
Country: African
Inquiry
Watch the video of the past event here https://youtu.be/pIjKGTuxqGo
For questions fill out the query form
For more questions about GEC+Africa, email the Project Lead: carmen@22onsloane.co and Ecosystem Enabler: mahlatse@22onsloane.co
For more information visit GEC+Africa
