GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2023

Two entrepreneurs, one woman and one man, will each win 50,000 US Dollars for the most innovative and scalable business ventures.

We want to hear from businesses that show:

• Innovation (20%)
• Market potential and traction (20%)
• Social and Environmental Impact (20%)
• Business model (20%)
• Founder and team (20%)

Eligibility criteria

GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize is a fantastic opportunity for young African agripreneurs to ignite their  agribusiness potential. In addition to the US$50,000, the competition also offers top agripreneurs the opportunity to attend the annual African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) and make their mark.

This year the top GoGettaz agripreneurs will travel to the AGRF Summit which is being held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

All our finalists will also receive mentorship, programing linkages and guidance to continue their entrepreneurial journey.

The Entrepreneur

• Entrepreneur is aged 35 or below on the date of submission to the competition, and is legally recognized as an adult in country of nationality.
• Entrepreneur holds nationality (with an official ID) from a country which is a member of the African Union.
• Entrepreneur is the founder/co-founder of the venture he/she represents in the competition and plays an active role in its operations and leadership.
• Entrepreneur has no criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony or other offense, and will provide a signed declaration to that effect, if requested.

The Venture

• Venture is already legally registered in a country which is a member of the African Union or will have commenced with the registration of such a legal entity prior to June 1, 2023.
• Venture is headquartered in a country which is a member of the African Union.
• Venture is designed to be financially sustainable, either as a for-profit business or a non-profit generating some revenue and aiming not to be dependent on donor funding.
• Venture plays a role in the agri-food sector and/or supports the development of the agri-food sector through an innovation or process improvement.
• The agri-food sector may be defined as businesses including:
  • Agri-food research and development.
  • Primary food production (farming).
  • Crop nutrition.
  • Irrigation.
  • Mechanization, automation or robotics, including drones.
  • Crop protection.
  • Hydroponics or urban farming.
  • Transport, distribution, storage or logistics.
  • Food processing.
  • Packaging or marketing.
  • Food retail or service.
  • Waste management or recycling.
  • Digital or technology solutions/services to the agri-food sector.
  • Innovative finance solutions/services to the agri-food sector.
  • Renewable energy or environmental solutions/services to the agri-food sector.

An expert jury will review all applications, considering the following criteria:

1. Innovation (20%)
2. Market potential and traction (20%)
3. Social and Environmental Impact (20%)
4. Business model (20%)
5. Founder and team (20%)

Next steps include:

• The Top 24 semi-finalists will be notified via WhatsApp and email in mid-July.
• Semi-finalists will each be interviewed and asked for further information.
• 12 finalists will be selected by the jury at the end of July 2023. Six male and six female finalists will be notified via WhatsApp and email.
• Finalists will be invited to compete in an online / virtual pitching contest.
• All 12 finalists will be awarded mentorship, programing linkages and other guidance to continue their entrepreneurial journey.

The application includes questions such as:

• “Give an example of your entrepreneurial mindset.”
• “How does your venture make money?”
• “Who are your main customers?”
• “Who are your main competitors?”
• “What are your biggest business challenges so far and how have you
  overcome them?”

Applicants must fill out each section of the application to be considered. Be sure to allow enough time to complete all sections.

Applicants that make it through the initial round will be asked to submit a two-minute pitch video, where you can really impress the judges and show them why you deserve to go into the 2023 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition finals. Your video pitch will be used to promote your company to the GoGettaz audience.

Generation Africa is a partnership initiative with a vision to strengthen the ecosystem for youth entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector across the continent. Founding partners are Econet, a privately-held multinational telecommunications, media, energy, and technology conglomerate, and Yara International, a global crop nutrition company, founded in Norway.

Strategic Partners

African Development Bank is committed to using its resources to achieve the 17 SDGs in Africa, including bringing an end to hunger, poverty, and gender inequality.

AGRA strives to transform agriculture on the continent to feed Africa and the world.

AGRF is one of the most visible and well-attended high-level agricultural and food security events in Africa, creating and sustaining effective partnerships geared towards the transformation of African agriculture.

Bayer, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, provides tailored solutions for farmers to plant, grow and protect their harvests using less land, water and energy.

Corteva Agriscience harnesses cutting-edge science to build flourishing farms.

Heifer International is a global non-profit working to eradicate poverty and hunger through sustainable, values-based, holistic community development.

The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) works to ensure effective foreign aid, with quality assurance and evaluation.

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.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a catalytic actor driving development and humanitarian efforts that help beneficiaries build resilience and self-reliance.

Collaboration Partners

Nourishing Africa is an agri-food entrepreneurship hub seeking to create a flourishing, sustainable, and just food ecosystem.

One Young World identifies, connects and promotes young leaders, giving them a global platform to raise their voices and create a better world.

African Leadership Academy seeks to transform Africa by developing a powerful network of young leaders who will work together to address Africa’s greatest challenges, achieve extraordinary social impact, and accelerate the continent’s growth trajectory.

Together we are building an ecosystem that supports Africa’s bold agripreneurs as they go from idea to full-scale businesses.

Generation Africa, in partnership with Microsave Consulting, is conducting a survey to gather insights into the experiences and perspectives of African youths in the food systems. 

This survey is an important initiative to understand the experiences, challenges, and opportunities for youth entrepreneurship in Africa. Policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders can use this information to develop targeted interventions that support the growth of youth agri-entrepreneurship in Africa. The survey comes at a critical time when the continent is experiencing a demographic shift due to the growing youth population.

Please go to this link to fill in the survey.