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SAIS stands for “Scaling digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups” and is a project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ GmbH) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is co-funded by the Gates Foundation and the European Union (EU). We are a company development and accelerator programme for tech start-ups in the agriculture, food, and climate sectors. Start-ups and their solutions are a central pathway to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In Africa, we offer annual Investment Readiness Programmes (IRPs) in English, French, and one particular for the livestock sector (in English).
You can read more on our website: https://sais-accelerator.com/
Yes, you are welcome to apply!
Yes. But make sure to describe your contribution in developing the start-up, as we assess and celebrate high vision female founders who have proven to drive their vision into action.
Yes. But make sure to describe your contribution in developing the start-up, as we assess the founder individually.
No. Your start-up needs to be registered and operating in Africa.
No, you should have a team of at least 3 people that are part of the management team.
The award is equity free. We offer you vouchers and various tailored services that best support your start-up’s further growth, integration into the international start-up ecosystem and into the SAIS Female Leaders Circle.
No. Only start-ups operating in these three sectors (AgTech, FoodTech, ClimateTech) are eligible to apply for the SAIS Female Founder Award.
The SAIS Female Leaders Circle is a community where women in leadership roles in the start-up ecosystem benefit from inputs sessions with experts from different areas and peer-to-peer exchange sessions. These monthly meetings serve as a platform for insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and skill development tailored to the unique challenges faced by women in the entrepreneurial realm.
Yes, the travel costs to Nairobi (accommodation, flights, invitation letter for your visa application and AfricArena ticket) for one person are covered, and the opportunity to gain visibility at the event are part of the award.
Yes, but your business model should depend on a digital component to be eligible to apply.
For the three winners the prize include:
1st Place:
2nd Place:
3rd Place:
Questions about the application process and program can be submitted to support@innovationsinafrica.com on or before February 10th. Responses to all submitted questions will be posted on the i3 website by February 21st.
If you would like to discuss whether your work is relevant to the I3 program or require any other clarification about the application process, please contact us on support@innovationsinafrica.com
I3 applicants must be:
Deadline for application for the 2025 cohort is February 28th, 2025
No, the I3 program only accepts businesses with products/services, and customers. The more evidence you can provide to demonstrate the impact of your products or services, the better your chances of being selected as part of the cohort.
There is no fee required to apply for the I3 Program. All you need to do is complete the application form, enclose the relevant supporting documents, and answer any questions we may ask during or after submission. If you are shortlisted, you will need to set out time to participate in our due diligence process prior to final selection.
All information submitted may be seen by the I3 program team which includes judges and assessors. All members of the program team are bound by confidentiality agreements. We will retain application materials of applicants (including applicants who are not selected) for up to two years.
Yes, applicants who are not selected may apply to join later cohorts provided they meet the eligibility requirements at the time.
We do not invest ourselves, but we help you to make your business investment-ready and connect you with our network of investors and partners. Unlike other accelerator or investment programmes, we do not acquire shares of the companies that successfully applied to our IRPs.
VC4A’s adherence to guidelines set by GDPR VC4A is a data processor when it comes to applications received and processed via the VC4A.com website. VC4A does not process or use the data itself without explicit consent from the user filling in the application, and otherwise only stores the data on behalf of 3rd parties that use the VC4A.com website to receive and process applications. Under article 17, the right to be forgotten, VC4A has an automated pruning process that deletes all application data after 36 months. Any data added to the VC4A.com website directly, like user data and venture profiles, can be altered (Art. 16) and fully removed (Art. 17) from VC4A systems. VC4A also offers users the ability to download all of their data from the VC4A.com website (Art. 15 + Art. 20 GDPR – data portability).
I3 reserves the right to publicize your involvement in the program through any communications channel (including but not limited to the program’s website, websites of program partners, social media platforms of program partners as well as other public communications channels). All shortlisted participants may be required to participate in publicity campaigns including but not limited to media interviews.
To maximize the impact of the I3 program, if you are shortlisted or selected for the program, we ask you to not publicize this fact until a date set by our communications team. We will work closely with you to ensure this.
We try to avoid accepting direct competitor companies from the same country into the same cohort.
Companies that graduate from the programme stay part of the CIRCULAR community: You can continue to participate in the monthly community and peer-learning events and we will keep you notified of upcoming fundraising & support opportunities. Motivated start-up founders can sign up to become mentors for start-ups in the next cohort.
No, currently we only offer the Investment Readiness Programme in English.
Yes, though we do not recommend going through multiple programmes simultaneously. The time commitment to different programmes at the same time will be challenging for you.
A Navigator is a member from the CIRCULAR team who will be your main contact point for the duration of the programme. Your navigator will visit you on-site (if possible), assess your support needs, help you set goals and milestones in your development plan, and regularly check-in with you on your progress.
Actively participate and ask questions in one of our upcoming info session. Please follow our Facebook page or LinkedIn page for more information.
The video is required for the application process. We are not looking for a professionally produced video; we want to see what you are working on, why you’re excited about it, how your team works together, and what makes you unique. You can record a video with your phone but make sure the audio quality is good.
Please reach out to VC4A directly for any support needed with your application after submission. You can reach out to Akram from the VC4A team. Please note that this is only intended for technical matters only (i.e. difficulty uploading a document, difficulty uploading pitch video, changing pitch deck version attached, etc.) other non-technical matters will be disregarded.
We use seven criteria to measure the investment readiness of a start-ups during the programme:
These indicators are based on what investors look at and addressing them will help you to raise investment. In addition to investment readiness, we measure the customer growth of the start-ups, their impact on the income of their customers, food security and climate adaptation, and of course the investments raised during the programme until one year after.
If you have worked with GIZ as an employee or contractor, please let us know and indicate this clearly in the application. Most of the time, this is not an issue. If you have questions in advance, reach out to us via giz-srilanka@giz.de.
We highly recommend that your founding team works in the company full-time so that you can focus on your business. But we fully understand your decision not to quit your previous job, especially if your start-up is still early stage.
We don’t exclude applications just because they have a single founder. But we look for teams with a range of complementary skills. Therefore, we highly recommend you seek co-founders who balance your skillset. If you are a single founder, you should build a strong management team around you.
No, it is not.
No! We treat all data and information given in the application in a proper and confidential manner. We take measures to protect your data and information, as this guarantees our core business model and good reputation.
No, you just have to fill out the application form.
Yes, it is not a requirement that your technology development is done in-house.
Please get in touch with us at giz-srilanka@giz.de and tell us about the company and why you think they’ll be a good fit.
Yes, VC4A is our partner supporting us in the selection of start-ups. They also actively reach out to companies on our behalf and inform them about the open call for application.
Entrepreneurs who have set up a venture profile on VC4A, have access to the Venture Valuation Tool, powered by Equidam. It is used to give founders an initial estimate of the value of their business and aid fundraising conversations with investors. For that, you can click on the Fundraising tab of your venture profile and follow the page prompts.
The Grand Prize of MAC 2024 is $50,000 in equity investment, access to MEST Portfolio resources and strategic partnerships, 1 year professional business coaching in addition to other benefits and prizes for the overall winner.
You’re eligible to apply if your company operates in one or more of the fourteen MAC countries (Benin, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Mali and Togo.)
Pitch readiness sessions will only be organized for Finalists preparing for the final Demo Day.
3-4 days. Plan to arrive in Accra 1-2 days before the final competition and depart the day after.
Finalists will be fully sponsored with travel to and from Accra, housing, and transport for the final pitch day in December 2024. Please plan to arrive in Accra a few days before.
Yes.
All pitches and Q&A will be made in English.
Hybrid. Semi Finals will be virtual and the final demo day will be in Accra, Ghana.
Semi Finalists will be announced a few days after their pitch and the overall challenge winner will be announced at the end of the Final Demo Day in December.
Each pitch will last for 5 minutes with 5 minutes Q&A. Startups can include a live demo of their product during pitches. This should be within time.
The Semi Finals will be private and virtual. A link for this session will be shared in advance to all Semi Finalists.
Your business must be an early-stage technology startup based in at least one of the fourteen MAC countries (Benin, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Mali and Togo) with the following characteristics:
If selected, start-ups should be committed to:
Companies that graduate from the programme stay part of the SAIS community: You can continue to participate in the monthly community and peer-learning events and we will keep you notified of upcoming fundraising & support opportunities. Motivated start-up founders can sign up to become mentors for start-ups in the next cohort.
If your company does not have an office, we can support you to access a local hub or co-working space to provide a workplace for you and your team.
Yes, we have a special track for start-ups from francophone countries in Africa and mentors and experts from these regions, so we can cover the needs of French speaking teams.
A Navigator is a member from the SAIS team who will be your main contact point for the duration of the programme. Your navigator will visit you on-site (if possible), assess your support needs, help you set goals and milestones in your development plan, and regularly check-in with you on your progress.
Actively participate and ask questions in one of our upcoming info sessions.
If you have worked with GIZ as an employee or contractor, please let us know and indicate this clearly in the application. Most of the time, this is not an issue. If you have questions in advance, reach out to us via SAIS@giz.de.
Please get in touch with us at sais@giz.de and tell us about the company and why you think they’ll be a good fit.
SAIS stands for “Scaling digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-ups” and is a project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ GmbH) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is co-funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Bayer Cares Foundation.
We are a company development and accelerator programme for African Tech start-ups in the agriculture, food, and climate sectors. Start-ups and their solutions are a central pathway to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We offer annual Investment Readiness Programmes (IRPs) in English, French, and for the livestock sector.
No, you should have a team of at least 3 people.
Yes, the travel costs to Paris (accommodation, flights, invitation letter for your visa application and Vivatech ticket) for one person are covered, and the opportunity to pitch your start-up on VivaTech stage are part of the award.
Yes, but your hardware-based start-up should include a digital component for the application.
Looking to inform fellow members about your recent career change or investment updates? Simply update your Investor Pro profile by clicking on your icon in the top right corner and selecting “Account.” Here, you can modify any of your information.
Would you like to know more about angel investing or mentor driven capital? We have courses on them. This lists also updates every now and again. To access the well of learning, follow the link here. Here you can discover all course available on the VC4A platform. If you don’t want to complete a course in one sitting, that’s okay. Simply stop when you feel like it and pick it up again under the dashboard and my courses. Here you can see all active and previously completed courses.
Interested in delving deeper into topics like angel investing or mentor-driven capital? Explore our range of courses dedicated to these subjects, with the list regularly updated. To access this wealth of knowledge, click on the following link.
Here, you can browse through all the courses available on the VC4A platform. If you prefer to take your time completing a course, no worries. Pause at your convenience and resume by navigating to the dashboard and selecting “My Courses,” where you can view all active and previously completed courses.
A notable feature of Investor Pro is the direct connection it offers to some of the most promising ventures and entrepreneurs of today. To discover these innovative investors you can use the advanced search features within your investor dashboard.
Once you identify a venture of interest, click on their profile. Navigate to the ‘Overview’ tab and scroll down to access the contact feature, enabling you to message them directly through our platform.
We hate to see you go but sometimes it’s not the right time for you to benefit from our services. To cancel your Investor Pro account please go to your account page.
After experiencing Investor Pro, if you’ve decided to extend your stay and wish to avail of an additional month discount, simply contact our team using the email provided below. They will assist you in transitioning your subscription from monthly to yearly.
Discovering your community in unfamiliar regions can be hard, that’s precisely where our assistance comes in! Investor Pro enables you to engage with a community of over 1400+ like-minded investors spanning six continents, each bringing diverse backgrounds and experiences to the table. To connect with fellow investors, visit this link. Additionally, we’ll keep you informed about investor events in your region, and you can access information about upcoming events through the calendar.
VC4A features a diverse array of promising ventures, and one method through which we guarantee their quality is by implementing various programs tailored for ventures, such as investor readiness programs. These programs ensure an exciting pipeline of high-growth ventures and are continuing being updated onto our platform.
Additionally, our commitment to excellence is evident in initiatives like the Venture Showcase, where we invest time and effort to identify top-tier ventures on your behalf. These ventures are sourced through open application calls and recommendations from our extensive network.
Upon creating a venture profile, thorough vetting is conducted, with additional scrutiny occurring when ventures enter fundraising mode. These rigorous vetting processes ensure that the ventures showcased represent today’s top tier ventures.
The majority of ventures on VC4A are early-stage and require investments between USD $10,000 and USD $5 million.
The primary sectors include innovative technology, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, healthcare and education amongst others. Each venture is disruptive in its use of technology or in its application of a disruptive business model. Thirty percent of the registered ventures have some form of social mission and could be qualified as a social enterprise.
Investor Pro is for a ‘for investors by investors,’ offering. This offering is all about finding the right investment choice for you and making connections with fellow investors no matter what your background is.
If investing isn’t for you, you can check our offerings for entrepreneurs or support organizations to see where else you can find your community on our platform.
Now that you’re convinced, here are the simple steps to set up your Investor Pro account.
Happens to the best of us. Go to the login panel by clicking on ‘Sign In’ at the right top corner of the page and and click ‘Lost your password?’ Here you will see the option to enter your username or e-mail address. Click ‘Get new password’ to activate. You will receive an e-mail needed to access your account again. Don’t see the e-mail? Make sure to check your spam folders.
VC4A complies with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
More details here : https://vc4a.com/privacy/
We will pay particular attention to gender equality.
Calls for projects will be launched in different countries where Luxembourg Cooperation is active and in different sectors. An unsuccessful candidate in this competition may apply for future calls for projects.
Not necessarily. Company founders can also be current members of the company team. Please specify in the role of each team member who is also a (co-)founder.
Financial statements are accounting documents that provide information on a company’s financial situation at a given point in time: they include the balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows and statement of retained earnings/statement of changes in shareholders’ equity.
To enable us to consider all applications, please complete all sections marked with a *.
The question refers to the company.
For any technical problems, you can contact akram@vc4a.com.
Fixed assets already acquired cannot be included in the personal contribution. On the other hand, if the entrepreneur makes a personal donation to a building or piece of equipment that is necessary for the implementation of the project, this represents a new resource invested and can therefore count towards the personal contribution.
It is not possible to include any other Luxembourg cooperation grant in the resources contributed by the applicant to finance the project proposed within the framework of the LuxAid Challenge Fund. However, grants from other cooperations for the same project can be included in the project’s resources (personal contribution);
As soon as the agreement has been signed by both parties, a first tranche of 25% of the grant amount will be paid, after any conditions precedent have been lifted. Payment of a second installments of 50% of the grant amount will be made on the basis of a technical report demonstrating achievement or progress in achieving the indicators and conditionalities, and a financial report justifying the expenditure actually incurred corresponding to half the total budget. The balance of up to 25% will be paid on the basis of a final technical and financial report demonstrating the results of the project and justifying the expenditure actually incurred corresponding to the fulĺ of the budget. Payment of the balance is capped at the expenses actually incurred.
The 300 000 euros of accumulated financing includes the loans, so this loan is indeed part of the accumulated financing.
The limit of 300,000 euros in cumulative funding applies to the legal entity/business company submitting the application.
LuxAid Challenge Fund has an envelope of 1 million euros to share between the best projects in the 3 countries (around 15), for co-financing ranging from EUR 50 000 to EUR 140,000 per company.
There is no quota of projects per country. The best projects will be selected, regardless of the country in which the company is registered.
The financial support provided by LuxAid Challenge Fund is non-refundable;
All commercial companies recognized as such by the law of the country of application are eligible. This could be a SUARL (société unipersonnelle à responsabilité limitée), SARL, SASU, etc.
Sole proprietorships that are not registered as one-person companies, EIGs, associations and NGOs are not eligible.
The applicant for the LuxAid Challenge Fund must be a commercial company that meets all the criteria. That said, proposals made by or involving a consortium are permitted.
If the company was legally registered before January 1, 2019, it will not be eligible.
No, LuxAid Challenge Fund targets companies registered between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2023.
Yes, if the company also meets the other eligibility criteria.
Yes, all commercial companies that also meet the other eligibility criteria criteria are eligible.
The solution proposed by the company must have been tested on the market, generating commercial revenue for the company at least over the last 3 months. If the project meets these and other criteria, it will be eligible.
For the LuxAid Challenge Fund, the criterion futureproof refers to adaptation to future risks and trends, such as climate change and land degradation, changing consumption patterns and industry 4.0.
Looking at the project’s overall potential impact (positive and negative, short- and long-term), is the project economically, socially and environmentally sustainable and forward-looking with regard to major global risks, threats and trends? For example, depending on the objectives of each action, does the project include in its analysis the risks and impacts as well as the opportunities that megatrends such as climate change and the fourth industrial revolution (among others) could have on its business case?
If it has not been officially registered in Burkina Faso, Mali or Senegal between January 1 January 2019 and January 1, 2023, it will not be eligible.
If the company can prove that it was legally registered in one of the 3 countries between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2023, it will be eligible.
To enable LuxDev on the one hand to identify the potential risks of implementing a solution, and on the other hand to develop, in collaboration with the selected companies, mitigation strategies, the shortlisted projects will be analyzed using the following warning criteria:
The project must be implemented and have a measurable impact in at least one of the 3 countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal). On the submission platform, applicants must choose one of the three countries for their application, ideally where the company’s head office is based / where the activity is most developed.
The rule is that the company must employ at least 2 employees with an employment contract. If a member of the team is employed under a service contract, but is fully employed 100% of the time by the company, and this can be demonstrated through the contract or otherwise, then he or she is counted as an employee of the company. However, if the company obtains co-financing from LuxAid Challenge Fund, it will have to commit to stable employment, and will therefore endeavor to offer an employment contract within the structure as soon as possible, in accordance with the principles of Responsible Business Conduct (RBC).
In order to be counted as an employee of the company, it is necessary to prove the legal existence of an employment contract that complies with national legislation. of an employment contract in compliance with national legislation, i.e. a written contract is mandatory.
We offer information sessions on the call for projects, in the form of webinars. Dates and registration links are available at the top of our home page.
Given the large number of applications we receive, we will not be able to offer feedback on the suitability of your application. If you have a question about the application process or the criteria applied, before writing, we recommend that you read this FAQ carefully to check whether the answer to your question already exists. If not, you can send your questions to lcf@luxdev.lu. Any answers shared will then be included in this FAQ section.
Pre-selected candidates will be contacted by LuxDev or an external supplier to discuss their application. In the various pre-selection phases, candidates will be offered free coaching sessions aimed at pitch preparation, or other aspects according to identified needs, such as reviewing the business plan, improving the results chain, etc..
No, the program is free, since no investment is promised, but rather the introductions, training and connections with the interested investors.
In the interests of fairness, no application will be considered outside this process and timetable;
Applications must be submitted by the deadline via online portal by January 8, 2024.
To be eligible for co-financing, expenses must meet all of the following criteria (without being exhaustive):
Types of eligible expenditure:
Companies must include an audit of project-related expenses in their project budget. Terms of reference for the audit will be provided by LuxDev. Coverage through co-financing: Max 120,000 EUR value of co-financing
If co-financing is used for acquisitions, they may not be resold within 3 years of the end of the co-financed project. Coverage through co-financing: 50% cost coverage, up to a maximum of 30% of the total project budget | Max 120,000 EUR value of co-financing
A non-exhaustive list of experts and consultants identified by LuxDev in the various fields mentioned above will be provided to the selected companies. Coverage through co-financing: 100% cost coverage, up to a maximum of 20% of the total project budget
LuxDev co-financing up to 70% of total project budget LuxDev co-financing capped at min 50,000 and max 140,000 EUR
Yes, as long as there is at least one woman at the management level. Management level means any position at the C-level (CEO, CTO, COO, etc.) or high-level positions such as: President, Director, etc.
In the context of the LuxAid Challenge Fund, an innovation is a new solution with the transformative capacity to accelerate impact. Innovation is about creating, finding, adapting and applying new ideas, approaches, products, services or methods to solve existing problems or address unmet needs. It is not limited to the creation of something completely new, but also encompasses the significant and creative modification of what already exists, or its use in a new context. Also, innovation can provide a solution that had no local demand because it was unknown, but which meets a real need in terms of impact.
To be considered “innovative”, the solution must be sufficiently distinct from other products, services or approaches already on the market in the country in question. This can mean distinctions in product/service design features to better meet needs, distribution model, customer segment (i.e. offering new products or services to previously underserved populations), business model (who pays and who benefits, price), product or service resilience (anticipating future developments).
Yes, as long as your product uses or works with some type of innovative technology.
Yes, as long as you have operations in any country in Latin America and the Caribbean and at least one person on your team, is based in one of the countries in the region.
Yes, it is a requirement to already have a product or service launched on the market and generating sales. There is no minimum sales required, as each industry is different. You must have income from sales, but not necessarily profits.
In the context of the LuxAid Challenge Fund, additionality marks a positive contribution that would not have occurred without co-financing, and generally characterizes projects that take bold risks to deliver innovative and impactful solutions. To assess additionality, the selection committees will analyze:
Of course, anyone on the team can give the pitch, however we prefer that they be women.
Yes, 100% virtual, there will probably be a physical event in March but travel expenses will be covered for one participant per team.
This call for projects targets the “missing middle” or “pioneer gap”. These are innovative start-ups with a validated MVP (minimum viable product) and first commercial revenues, whose financing needs are too large for microfinance institutions, but too small and risky for other types of private investors. In some markets, the investment ecosystem (venture capital market) is simply not mature enough, leaving a gap in the entrepreneurial landscape and hindering the development and growth of high-impact businesses, thus creating a vicious circle.
The LuxAid Challenge Fund’s involvement in this specific segment reflects the central role of development cooperation in providing strong additionality: without this support, the project would not have been able to achieve these results, or not on this scale, or not as quickly.
Companies are unlikely to be profitable for 2-3 years, but they must have a clear business and financial plan to achieve viability. In addition, they must have, or be prepared to have, a clear theory of change and monitoring framework for their solution, and strive to improve their responsible business conduct.
The recommended project duration is 12 to 18 months, with a maximum of 24 months, starting in June 2024.
Co-financing is a direct financial contribution in the form of a donation or non-commercial payment to encourage companies to propose initiatives that aim to achieve specific impact results in line with the objectives set out in the call for projects. Co-financing can only be used when the initiative originates from the private sector and the results of the action financed are the property of the recipient of the co-financing;
Co-financing is subject to the non-profit rule. This means that on the one hand, co-financing may not have the purpose or effect of generating a profit from the project, and on the other, the creation of reserves is not permitted through the project. Any profit margins obtained as a result of setting up the co-financed project and collected during project execution must be reinvested in project execution;
Double-funding of project costs and expenditure on actions that took place before a co-financing agreement was signed are not permitted (principle of non-cumulative allocation and non-retroactivity).
Yes, the applicant must be able to guarantee that :
Applications must be submitted in French.
The company receiving co-financing from the LuxAid Challenge Fund retains full and complete ownership of its innovation, given that LuxDev acts on behalf of Official Development Assistance. In the context of impact evaluations carried out on co-financed projects, LuxDev requires the publication of results and encourages the opening up and availability of the data collected and the analysis scripts underlying the evaluation;
Applications will be evaluated by a national selection committee made up of 3 or 5 members representing the LuxDev office and the Luxembourg Embassy in the country, an investment/private sector expert, and thematic/sector experts;
The applications shortlisted following the due diligence process will then be evaluated by an international committee made up of 3 or 5 members representing LuxDev headquarters, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, an investment/private sector expert, and thematic/sectoral experts;
Non-voting members and observers may be invited to take part in the pitch sessions and deliberations of both committees, subject to signing a declaration of impartiality and confidentiality. The selection committees reserve the right to delegate the analysis of applications to LuxDev and/or an external supplier with a view to shortlisting the best applications, organizing field visits and conducting due diligence on each shortlisted project and company. Anyone involved or having access to documents provided by companies will sign a confidentiality agreement. Selection committee members will also sign a declaration of impartiality and absence of conflict of interest.
The application should have a dedicated focus on one of the four innovation themes (Mechanization, Conservation Agriculture, Nutrition, Agricultural Risk Management).
Co-financed companies will be required to provide LuxDev with half-yearly technical and financial reports. These reports will focus on the results indicators and targets proposed by the companies in their application, agreed with LuxDev and mentioned in the annexes to the co-financing contract. The achievement of certain results will trigger co-financing payment instalments. Following each report (semi-annual or final), the company will be invited to participate in a brief meeting (virtual or in situ) with the LuxDev team and the Luxembourg Embassy in the country. In order to evaluate the results of selected projects and improve learning, LuxDev reserves the right to request on-site visits by its staff, as well as external evaluations.
Based on the progress observed, LuxDev will select certain projects for external impact assessment.
You’re eligible to apply if your company is operational in one or more of the 7 countries where we are launching the accelerator program (Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda Zambia or Zimbabwe).
Selected companies will sign a co-financing agreement with LuxDev specifying the amount of the grant in euros, and payments will be made in EUR.
Ineligible expenses are: costs incurred outside the project period, as specified in the co-financing agreement, dividends paid by the company, debt and debt-related costs, interest rates, bank charges and exchange losses, costs associated with developing the project.
Successful applicants are given notice on the 19th of February 2024. At the end of the program, the Pitch Day and announcement of grant recipients will be in October 2024. Details on date will be communicated later.
Yes, the Kick-off will be in-person. Details on the location to be communicated later.
As mentioned above, LuxDev undertakes to inform you of its decision within 6 months of the application deadline;
Yes, Pitch Day will be in-person. Details on the location to be communicated later.
Not mandatory, however the company will be required to have management accounts in place of the audited accounts.
All applications and Q&A will be made in English.
In place of a tax compliance, the Agribusiness can provide a tax exemption certificate or any other relevant document that shows clearance with the revenue authorities.
No, the Green API program is not a challenge or contest. It is an innovative new program which has been designed to foster partnerships between tech start-ups and digital platforms in the agriculture and food sector in Senegal.
The Green API program has been launched to address the main issues faced by young technology startups: access barriers to market maturity, accessing capital, customers, talent, and digital infrastructure.
The GreenAPI program is an initiative of GIZ’s Make-IT in Africa in collaboration with its digital partner Orange, and implemented by a consortium of Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and VC4A.
Tech entrepreneurs and innovators operating (or planning to start operating) in the agriculture and food sector in Senegal, with a focus on those who have developed digital products or services with proven product-market fit and measurable traction on the market. Companies from the ECOWAS region + Cameroon are welcome to apply when they plan to expand to Senegal soon.
The program will develop the capacity of platform operators and startups to integrate their solutions technically, agree on profitable business models for both sides, and understand the rules and regulations of their collaboration. Startups as well as platform operators will be empowered to pursue and endorse mutually beneficial partnerships. Through the linkage facilitated by the program, tech startups profit from integrating with the platform by gaining access to data, a larger user base and potential partners for scale.
“Integrating digital services” can mean one of the following scenarios:
The program consists of two phases:
The first phase (Nov 2023 – April 2024) constitutes a comprehensive, dedicated capacity development program for selected startups and the platform operator to build their readiness to form business partnerships. The training will focus on the three core elements of partnership development, namely identifying and assessing appropriate business models, building the required technical infrastructure, and setting and assessing the legal terms and conditions.
The second phase (May 2024 – August 2024) focuses on the matchmaking and partnership development among the selected startups and the platform operator, who have successfully completed the cooperation readiness assessment.
The training on all three topics (business modeling, technical interoperability, and legal compliance) will be delivered in three consecutive skill levels: basic, intermediate and masterclass. Each training level will be delivered through three training sessions of two hours each.
Over a period of 2 months, startups as well as the platform operator shall receive a total of 10 coaching hours. The coaching and training will be delivered remotely.
The indicative timelines for the different steps are:
Yes, incorporated companies from all countries in ECOWAS and Cameroon, who are planning to expand to Senegal.
Only if you have two different incorporated startups offering digital products or services in the agriculture and food sector, then go!
No. You should be registered as a for profit company.
You can apply by filling in the application form for the GreenAPI program in French or in English before the deadline of 16 October 2023.
The Investment Readiness Programme (IRP) is provided by the GIZ Project ‘Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations through Startups’ (SAIS). The programme is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is co-funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). You can find more information about us and our team here or on our LinkedIn page.
Your business must be an early-stage technology startup based in at least one of the 5 countries where we will hold the Regional Finals (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya) with the following characteristics:
The Regional Finals will be virtual and location specific. A link for this session will be shared in advance to all Regional Finalists.
Each pitch will last for 5 minutes with 5 minutes Q&A. Startups must include a live demo of their product during pitches.
Regional Finalists will be announced a few days after their pitch and the overall challenge winner will be announced at the end of the Final Demo Day in December.
Hybrid. Regional Finals will be virtual and the final demo day will be in Accra, Ghana.
Regional Finalists will be fully sponsored with travel to and from Accra, housing, and transport for the final pitch day in December 2023. Regional finalists should plan to arrive in Accra a few days before.
3-4 days. Plan to arrive in Accra 2 days before the final competition and depart the day after.
Pitch readiness sessions will only be organized for Regional Finalists preparing for the final Demo Day.
You’re eligible to apply if your company operates in one or more of the 5 countries where we will hold the Regional Finals (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya).
$50,000 in equity investment, access to MEST Portfolio resources and strategic partnerships, 1 year professional business coaching in addition to other benefits and prizes for main winner and Regional Finalists.
Our overall goal at SAIS is to scale digital innovations from the AgTech, FoodTech, ClimateTech and LivestockTech industry in Africa. We believe that we can do this by supporting startups to become investment ready and to gain investments. Therefore, we run the ‘Investment Readiness Programme’. We provide valuable resources such as access to a network of experts, mentors, investors and business partners.
SAIS provides benefits worth up to $50k, which contain:
Our approach is to connect the start-ups we are supporting with potential investors and business partners, but we do not directly invest. Successful applicants that are chosen for the Investment Readiness Programmes (IRPs) will receive different services from us (please see answer under question 3) that are worth up to $50k. Unlike other accelerator or investment programmes, we do not acquire shares of the companies that successfully applied to our IRPs. However, during the IRPs, startups get access to investors and partners to raise more funding. So far, more than half of our startups raised capital during or one year after they concluded the IRP.
We are looking for AgTech and FoodTech startups, as well as related industries like ClimateTech, FinTech and LivestockTech including animal health tech. All African companies, including North Africa can apply with one exception, which is South Africa. The company needs to be registered in Africa.
Furthermore, the following eligibility criteria apply:
Add-ons, but not musts are:
You can apply to the SAIS IRP if your digital innovation fits into one of the following categories or technologies used somehow in the broader AgTech, FoodTech or livestock sector, including ClimateTech:
Technologies: Agricultural intelligent machinery, Artificial intelligence (AI), Autonomous systems, Autonomous vehicles, Augmented reality, Big data, Blockchain, Cloud computing, e-commerce tools, Information management systems (IMS), Internet of things (IoT), Data analytics, Digital learning software, Drones, Machine learning, Marketplace service, Precision farming, Robotics, Sensors, SMS-services, Online payment processing, USSD, Virtual Reality (VR), 3D Printing.
Do you think that your category is missing and should be listed? Tell us at: sais@giz.de.
Competition is good for business. However, we try to avoid accepting competitive companies from the same regions into the same cohort. If you see a competitor in one of our previous cohorts, don’t worry.
Yes! We try to always also select businesses that have female founders or women in leading positions. We support them on different topics, such as making deals in male-dominated startup ecosystems (pitch, negotiations, etc.), balancing job (startup leadership) and family, but also topics such as gender-specific product development and customer orientation. The experience from the last years has shown that not only the founders of a startup, but also other female team members who are in higher positions in the company can benefit from these measures. For this reason, we developed certain formats like the ‘Female Leader Circle’ and ‘Female Founders Award’ to empower women to thrive in business.
At the end of our Investment Readiness Programme we do not say good-bye, but you will stay part of our community. What does this mean exactly? We offer monthly community sessions where you get new insights, meet interesting and important people such as investors and also learn from and connect to your peers. Usually, you would also stay in contact with your “navigator” – your main point of contact in the SAIS team – and we would keep you informed about upcoming opportunities. Our aim is to constantly grow the community to have the benefit for all start-ups, a network for FoodTech and AgTech start-ups all over Africa.
If your company does not have an office, we support you to access a local hub or co-working space to provide a workplace for you and your team. We have a specific budget for this, which you can use, but do not need to use as you can also use it for different services. Once the budget is consumed, a continued use of the space must be covered by the startup.
Yes, we have a special track for startups from francophone countries in Africa and mentors and experts from these regions, so we can cover the needs of French speaking teams. We support up to 5 French-speaking startup teams from Africa per year. For all the other startups, the primary language that we use in verbal and written communication during the programme is English.
Yes, each year we try to select two to five startups that create digital innovations for the livestock sector. They receive similar support like all the other startups and the language of the Programme would be only English. This specific Investment Readiness Programme is co-financed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Going through multiple programmes simultaneously is not recommended, as the time commitment to the company and the different programmes at the same time will be challenging for you. In the end, it’s your decision.
Each day will look different for each startup. It mainly depends on the different services you will choose from. Your navigator from the SAIS team will help you to identify your priorities and guide you through the different requirements.
Participate in the Q&A sessions. We will offer (in the beginning of September and the end of October before the closing of the deadline) online meetings where you can ask all questions about the Investment Readiness Programme and the application process. We will announce the dates on our LinkedIn page.
This is someone from the SAIS team who will be your main contact point during the Investment Readiness Programme. He or she will visit you, if possible, on site, develop with you your main goals and KPIs for the time of the Investment Readiness Programme. You will have regular check-ins and the opportunity to ask all questions that you might have.
Please reach out to VC4A directly for any support needed with your application after submission.
You can reach out to Akram or Tegan from the VC4A team.
Please note that this is only intended for technical matters only (i.e. difficulty uploading a document, difficulty uploading pitch video, changing pitch deck version attached..etc.) other non-technical matters will be disregarded.
We use seven criteria to measure the performance of the startups during the programme:
These indicators are based on what investors look at and addressing them will help you to raise investment.
In addition to investment readiness, we measure the customer growth of the startups, their impact on the income of their customers, food security and climate adaptation, and of course the investments raised during the programme until one year after.
We highly recommend that your founding team works in the company full-time so that you can focus on your business. But we fully understand your decision not to quit your previous job quite yet, especially if your startup is still early stage.
We don’t exclude applications just because they have a single founder. But we look for great balanced teams who have a full range of skills. Therefore, we highly recommend you seek co-founders who balance your skillset. If you are a single founder, you should build a strong and very committed management team around you. By the way, that’s very often also a requirement among investors.
No! We treat application data confidentially. We take measures to protect your data and information, as this guarantees our core business model and good reputation.
We are happy to consider any application considering our eligible criteria listed in question 5. Just remember that your digital innovation should address the African agriculture and food sector.
Yes, NOVABLE and VC4A are our partners supporting us in the selection of startups. They also actively reach out to companies on our behalf and inform them about the open call for application.
For Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania the develoPPP application process is handled via the VC4A.com platform on which you can easily submit and manage your application.
For Ivory Coast the develoPPP application process is handled via a separate platform.
The develoPPP Ventures ideas competition takes place twice a year for six weeks at the end of each quarter (June and December). Do you meet the conditions of participation (PDF) and would like to apply for funding? Here’s how:
Each application will first be evaluated on the basis of consistent and transparent criteria. If your application is successful in the competition, you will be given the opportunity to pitch to the decision-making committee of DEG Impulse and GIZ. The best candidates will then undergo an on-site review (due diligence), which, if successful, will be followed by a funding contract.
The develoPPP Ventures ideas competition takes place twice a year. You can submit your application documents during the following time windows:
Your start-up must be privately owned and profit-oriented and must be registered in the target country or register there prior to the funded growth investment. Your business model has high development relevance and scalability and thus contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There must be proof of concept and initial revenues must have been generated. You can find the full list of conditions of participation above.
Applications for develoPPP Ventures go through a multi-stage selection process. First, a selection is made on the basis of the application documents and pitches. The companies that are successful in this phase are then reviewed as part of the due diligence process, for which more detailed information is evaluated (i.e. the business plan including financial projections (for at least 5 years), annual financial statements, information on other investors).
The develoPPP Ventures funding is aimed at young companies that want to further expand their business model in the respective country. A legal entity must be registered locally by the time the contract is concluded at the latest. The funding contract can only be concluded with a local company. The funding is provided for the growth strategy in the respective country and is to be used in the country.
Business models that make a significant contribution to one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are considered relevant to development. The services and / or products contribute to the ecological, economic and / or social development of the country.
develoPPP Ventures specifically funds new business ideas. Funding is not possible if an established market with competitors already exists. However, it may be that a market is already established in one or more industrialized countries, but no comparable products and / or services are yet available locally. Information on the market and competitors must be provided.
In order to achieve the highest possible and sustainable contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the funding is aimed at companies that have the potential to grow. Scalability is measured in particular by the existence of a large market potential and the fact that capacity expansion is associated with efficiency gains. For efficient growth, it must be possible to achieve Economies of Scale. At the same time, the total market size must be sufficient, i.e. potential demand must be high.
Your company must already be established and be able to present its first annual financial statement. You have a technical proof of concept and are generating first revenues from your operational activities. You are also able to convince other financiers of your business model.
develoPPP Ventures is a matching-funds model, i.e. investment capital of at least the same amount must be acquired in addition to the develoPPP Ventures funding. The capital is usually provided by angel investors, family and friends, impact investors, VC funds or by other capital providers. It could also be a fresh cash injection from the current shareholders. To some extent grants can be considered. The external capital does not necessarily have to be available before applying for develoPPP Ventures funding. However, it must have been received at the latest by the time of disbursement of the develoPPP Ventures funds. Companies should therefore be in advanced discussions with investors around securing financing within the next six months. Matching funds can be considered if received up to 6 months prior to the application and as long as the funds are still predominantly available for the develoPPP Ventures investment.
Depending on the country, develoPPP Ventures is implemented either by DEG Impulse gGmbH or Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. You apply for funding in the desired country and are thereby automatically assigned to one of the two implementing partners.
Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania are managed by DEG Impulse gGmbH. Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa are managed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
Funding within the framework of develoPPP Ventures is currently possible in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ivory Coast. A call for Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria will open up again in June 2025. The application and selection process is supported in each country by a team of local experts who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Questions about the application process and program can be submitted to aida.elkohen@innovationsinafrica.com on or before May 22nd.
Submitted questions and answers will be posted on the website for all potential applicants shortly thereafter.
If you would like to discuss whether your work is relevant to the I3 program or require any other clarification about the application process, please contact us on romaric-compaore@south-bridge.com
Deadline for application for the 2023 cohort is June 26th at 11:59pm SAST
All information submitted may be seen by the I3 program team which includes judges and assessors. All members of the program team are bound by confidentiality agreements. We will retain the application materials of applicants (including applicants who are not selected) for up to two years.
The business should be officially registered and compliant with regulatory authorities.
You will be asked to provide the following:
A clear inclusive strategy for smallholder farmers, women, and youth within the business model in at least one of the following dimensions: ownership, management team, workforce and policies, supply chain and customers.
Applicants must be a for-profit company and demonstrate commercial viability and either be profitable or on the path to profitability. NGOs, corporate companies, and consultants will not be considered.
Your startup should be operating in the following countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia.
You’re eligible to apply if your company is operational in one or more of the 4 countries where we are launching the food accelerator (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia)
Successful applicants are given notice on the 10th of February. At the end of the 6-month program, the Pitch Day and announcement of grant recipients will be on 15 October 2023
Yes, the pitch day will be in-person. Details on the location to be communicated later
Not mandatory, however the company will be required to have management accounts in place of the audited accounts
An entrepreneurial leader who is driven to solve a social problem through either a for-profit or non-profit enterprise. The accelerator primarily targets social entrepreneurs with for-profit enterprise models which we also refer to as social enterprises
$100K in annual revenue is one of our basic criteria and social enterprises generating this amount or more will be prioritized. A rare exception may be made for social enterprises that a close to hitting the $100K mark and have a sure path to getting there in the near-term.
We are primarily interested in social enterprises generating between $100K and $500K in annual revenues. This represents a class of business that is neither at the earliest stage of start up nor an advanced stage that would diminish the value of our offering. We believe we are able to add the most value to social enterprises stage between early start-up and growth stage.
The Investment Readiness Programme (IRP) is part of the GIZ project ‘Scaling Digital Agriculture Innovations through Start-up’” (SAIS). SAIS is a project implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is co-funded by Bayer Cares Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Our overall goal at SAIS is to increase incomes in the African agri-food sector through scaling proven digital innovations in the AgTech, FoodTech and livestock industry.
As long as you have operations in one of our countries of interest i.e Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana or Rwanda, even if you are headquartered elsewhere, you can apply.
Beyond financial sustainability and growth of the social enterprises in the accelerator, we are keenly interested and invest in their capacity to deliver and grow their impact. After two years of engagement, what we see is businesses that have expanded their market reach, increased their revenues, build stronger teams, improved the efficiency of their operations and increased the social impact they are delivering.
We look at social impact on three levels. On one level, we look at the number of beneficiaries of the services or products a business produces. On another level, we look at qualitative metrics such as the economic and healthcare benefits generated from the use of delivered products and services. On a systemic level, we are interested in seeing how the businesses in the accelerator are contributing towards improved access, quality, awareness and affordability of care.
The accelerator provides technical support through co-creation to businesses in the accelerator but does not maintain any interest in any IP that is generated through co-creation engagements.
No. All financial support provided through the accelerator is done in the form of a grant.
Collaboration is a key component of the accelerator’s philosophy. We expect the businesses in the program to collaborate and support each other to do better. As such, were it is clear that a business does not embody this collaborative spirit, they we will not be recruited into the accelerator. On the other hand companies in a similar space that are open to working together and collaborating may be recruited into the program.
Engagement only changes but does not stop after two years. Engagement is most intense during the first 12 months of the accelerator and then slows down after that. We have various activities, support services and events that are open to companies in the program regardless of what cohort they were a part of.
Although this is extremely rare, it has happened. The reasons for taking such action have to be pretty serious like misrepresentation during the selection process or when it becomes evident that the commitment and/or capacity needed to engage in the program is lacking in a business.
Use of funds is limited to the project co-created and implemented during the accelerator. The specific allocation of funds within the project is decided by the social entrepreneur.
Most of the work involved in the accelerator is connected to day-to-day operations. As such we require a full-time project manager for the accelerator related activities. With a full-time project manager in place, other members of the team can put in a few hours a week/day as needed.
Yes. A non-founding team member can be the point person for engagement in the accelerator. What is critical though is that this person is a senior enough to make strategic decisions.
As long as your innovation can add value to the healthcare value chain, we are interested in it. We have innovations in our portfolio in fintech, data analytics, logistics and supply chain management, education, and waste management. What they have in common is a clear and deliberate link to healthcare. They either increase affordability of care, quality of care, availability of care or accessibility of care for humans, animals or both.
SAIS provides benefits worth up to $50k, which contain e.g.:
Successful applicants have free access to our IRP benefits worth up to $50k. Unlike other accelerator programmes, we do not acquire shares of the companies that successfully applied to our Investment Readiness Programmes. However, during the IRPs, start-ups get access to investors and partners to raise more funding. So far, more than half of our start-ups raised capital during or after the SAIS programme.
We support all types of start-ups whose business models contribute to our overall goal of increasing incomes in agriculture, food and livestock through digital innovations. This effect can not only be created by AgTech and FoodTech start-ups, but also by related industries such eCommerce, FinTech, Logistics, EdTech etc. and that are linked to the agriculture and food sector.
Our belief at SAIS is: Competition is good for business. However, we try to avoid accepting competitive companies from the same regions into the same programme class. With the growing SAIS alumni portfolio of companies/start-ups, there may be competitive companies in the broader SAIS network.
Yes! We support female founders and women in leading positions of the start-ups who face gender-specific challenges in the start-up sector in general and in the AgTech and FoodTech sector in particular, such as appearing and dealing in male-dominated start-up ecosystems (pitch, negotiations, etc.), balancing job (startup leadership) and family, but also topics such as gender-specific product development and customer orientation. The experience from the last years has shown that not only the founders of a start-up but also other female team members who are in higher positions in the company can benefit from it. For this reason, we developed certain formats like the ‘Female Leader Circle’ and ‘Female Founders Award’ to empower women to thrive in business.
We have multiple touchpoints with investors during the programme and our network is constantly growing. We offer a demo day and an alumni circle after the programme with opportunities to meet investors and interesting business partners. With committed start-ups we stay in touch over the course of the programme and try to support and connect whenever possible. So far, start-ups that participated in the SAIS IRPs, have raised more than 23 million USD in follow-up funding.
If you don’t have an office, we will try to access a local hub or co-working space to provide a workplace for your start-up and to facilitate contact with other players in the local start-up scene. The use of a hub or co-working space is entirely optional. SAIS offers this to interested start-ups for a duration of 6 months. A continued use of the space has to be covered by the start-up.
The primary language that we use in verbal and written communications during the programme is English. But we have a special track for start-ups from francophone countries in Africa and mentors and experts from these regions, so we can cover the needs of French speaking teams. We support at least 5 French-speaking start-up teams from Africa per year.
Going through multiple programmes simultaneously is not recommended, as your time commitment to your company and the programme might be challenging enough. However, you can participate in programmes before and after the SAIS IRP as you wish.
We don’t tell you what to do or when, but we create an environment conducive to help your start-up every day. On a regular basis, you will meet with one of our mentors and experts to discuss and define your next steps.
We use seven investment readiness criteria that measure the performance of the start-ups during the programme to improve their investment readiness:
Our overall goal at the SAIS project is to increase people’s income in the agri-food sector through proven digital innovations provided by the start-ups we support. To achieve this, we aim at improving the investment readiness of start-ups we support, so that they can raise more funds for growth. The Investment Readiness Programme aims to support African start-ups to improve their investor readiness, so that they can raise more capital to reach more customers and achieve greater impact.
If you work with GIZ, please let us know and indicate this clearly in the application. Most of the time, this is not a problem, even appreciated. If you have questions in advance, reach out to us via SAIS@giz.de
Our eligible criteria are:
Legal form
Team (founders)
Digital product/service
Market access and traction
Business model
Add-ons (But not musts)
The video is required for the application process, and we recommend it. We are not looking for a professionally produced video; we want to see what you are working on, why you’re excited about it, how your team works together, and what makes you unique. You can record a video with your phone but make sure the audio quality is good.
Please reach out to VC4A Support.
We highly recommend that your founding team works in the company full time so that you can focus on your business to make it big. But we fully understand your decision not to quit your previous job quite yet, especially if your start-up is still early stage.
We don’t exclude applications just because they have a single founder. But we look for great balanced teams who have a full range of skills. Therefore, we highly recommend you seek co-founders who balance your skillset. If you are a single founder, you should build a strong and very committed management team around you.
No.
No, you must fill out the application form.
You can apply to the SAIS IRP if your digital innovation fits into one of the following categories or technologies used somehow in the broader AgTech, FoodTech or livestock sector:
Technologies:
Agricultural intelligent machinery, Artificial intelligence (AI), Autonomous systems, Autonomous vehicles, Augmented reality, Big data, Blockchain, Cloud computing, e-commerce tools, Information management systems (IMS), Internet of things (IoT), Data analytics, Digital learning software, Drones, Machine learning, Marketplace service, Precision farming, Robotics, Sensors, SMS-services, Online payment processing, USSD, Virtual Reality (VR), 3D Printing
Do you think that your category is missing and should be listed? Tell us at sais@giz.de.
We are happy to consider any application considering our eligible criteria listed above. Just remember that your digital innovation should address the African agriculture and food sector.
The Regional Finals will occur in Accra, Lagos, Dakar, Cape Town and Nairobi. The pitch location for regionals will be shared closer to the date.
Each pitch will last for 5 minutes with 5 minutes of Q&A. Startups must include a live demo of their product during pitches.
Winners will be announced at the end of each competition day.
Yes. Both the Regional Finals and Final Demo Day will be physical events.
Regional Finalists will be fully sponsored with travel to and from Accra, housing, and transport for the final pitch day on December 1, 2022. Regional finalists should plan to arrive in Accra at the end of November 2022.
3-4 days. Regional Finalists will arrive in Accra 2 days before the competition and will depart on 2nd December 2022.
Note: The winner will be expected to stay in Accra for a longer duration, about 5-6 days total.
You’re eligible to apply if your company is based in one or more of the 5 countries where we will hold the Regional Finals (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya)
$50,000 in equity investment, access to MEST Portfolio resources and strategic partnerships, 1-year professional business coaching in addition to other benefits and prizes for the main winner and Regional Finalists.
A pre-seed or seed stage tech-enabled or software company that is currently generating income and has been in operation for 2 years or under. The company must be able to demonstrate traction in at least one of the 5 MAC countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya).
IF50 es una competencia destinada a presentar a las empresas de tecnofinanzas en fase inicial que impulsan la inclusión financiera en países de todo el mundo. Todos los años se elige a 50 ganadores de un grupo de postulantes en función de una serie de criterios establecidos de inclusión, innovación, potencial de escala y tracción. IF50 está patrocinada por Visa, MetLife Foundation, Jersey Overseas Aid y Comic Relief, con el apoyo de Accion e IFC. La iniciativa está gestionada por el Centro para la Inclusión Financiera (Center for Financial Inclusion, CFI).
El período de postulación para la competencia de 2022 se extiende desde el 27 de junio hasta el 25 de julio de 2022. Se recomienda a las empresas de tecnofinanzas que se postulen antes. Los ganadores se anunciarán al público en la Semana de la Inclusión Financiera, entre el 17 y el 20 de octubre de 2022. Ver las fechas clave.
Un panel independiente de jueces, conformado por expertos líderes en la industria —entre ellos, inversionistas, financiadores de empresas de tecnofinanzas y líderes de instituciones financieras— evaluará a los postulantes y seleccionará a los 50 ganadores finales. Conozca al panel de jueces 2022.
Los jueces evalúan a los postulantes mediante criterios de selección referidos a inclusión, innovación, potencial de escala y tracción. Se selecciona a los ganadores entre todos los tipos de productos, por ejemplo, crédito, seguro, pagos y remesas, ahorro y gestión financiera personal, e infraestructura.
Los ganadores figurarán en la lista Inclusive Fintech 50 (los 50 ganadores de tecnología financiera inclusiva), y también tendrán visibilidad a través de asociaciones con los medios de comunicación, eventos digitales, y trabajos de investigación y análisis realizados por el CFI. Además, los ganadores podrán tener la oportunidad de recibir otros servicios y herramientas de los patrocinadores e inversionistas, por ejemplo, las herramientas de apoyo sin costo proporcionadas por Visa. Conozca más sobre los beneficios.
Sí. Todas las empresas de tecnofinanzas en fase inicial (con fines de lucro, sin fines de lucro, empresas sociales) con mercados meta que incluyen a segmentos poblacionales desfavorecidos pueden postularse.
Para ser considerado para IF50, debe reunir los criterios de elegibilidad enumerados anteriormente y presentar una solicitud completa antes del 25 de julio de 2022. Si no reúne los criterios mencionados en la sección de elegibilidad al comienzo de la solicitud, el sistema le informará que usted no es elegible para postularse.
Sí, deberá registrarse para poder postularse. El registro es gratuito.
Sí. Puede descargar las preguntas de la solicitud 2022 aquí.
IF50 is a competition to showcase early-stage fintechs driving financial inclusion in countries around the world. Each year, 50 winners are selected from a pool of applicants based on established criteria of inclusivity, innovation, scale potential, and traction. IF50 is sponsored by Visa, MetLife Foundation, Jersey Overseas Aid and Comic Relief, with support from Accion and IFC. The initiative is managed by the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI).
Revisamos todas las solicitudes que recibimos. Debido a la gran cantidad de solicitudes, no podremos responder a cada una de las empresas.
Puede presentar su solicitud en inglés, francés o español.
No. Cada empresa puede presentar solo una solicitud. Esta debe reflejar la información referida al producto insignia de una empresa, que incluya a las poblaciones desatendidas o desfavorecidas. Si hay más de una solicitud por una sola empresa, solo revisaremos la primera que se presente.
No. Los postulantes deben ser representantes de la empresa que presentan para IF50 y deben tener autoridad legal para vincular a la empresa de tecnofinanzas por la que presentan una solicitud a los términos y condiciones establecidos en las Reglas oficiales.
Sí. A lo largo de la solicitud tendrá oportunidad de cargar documentación acreditativa o relevante; le recomendamos enfáticamente que comparta documentos como pruebas para respaldar sus respuestas.
Sí. Puede guardar su solicitud en cualquier momento haciendo clic en el botón «Guardar» en la parte inferior de la página de la solicitud. Para reanudarla, simplemente vuelva a iniciar sesión en el portal de la solicitud.
Sí. Haga clic en el botón «Gestionar colaboración» en la parte superior derecha de la página de la solicitud y agregue un colaborador ingresando su nombre y dirección de correo electrónico. Esa persona recibirá un enlace para ingresar a su aplicación. Una vez que se agregue un colaborador, la solicitud puede transferirse a un nuevo Colaborador principal haciendo clic en «Convertir en principal». También puede quitarse el acceso de un colaborador haciendo clic en «Eliminar acceso». Tenga en cuenta que solo un usuario puede editar la solicitud por vez. La solicitud se bloqueará cuando un usuario la esté editando para evitar que la información se sobrescriba accidentalmente.
Luego de verificar que todos los campos obligatorios estén rellenos y cumplan con los límites de palabras establecidos, haga clic en el botón «Enviar». Si la solicitud se envió con éxito, verá un mensaje que confirmará que hemos recibido su solicitud. También recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación a la dirección de correo que haya proporcionado.
Puede guardar su solicitud completa en formato PDF antes o después de enviarla. En «Mis aplicaciones», en el menú de navegación izquierdo, haga clic en «Todas» y luego pulse «Imprimir».
¡Qué buena noticia! No es necesaria ninguna otra acción. Si necesitamos cualquier aclaración, recurriremos a la información de contacto que enumeró en su solicitud. En octubre de 2022 se anunciará a los finalistas en el sitio web de IF50.
Cuando usted envía contenido como parte de su solicitud para IF50, acepta permitirnos usar este contenido con fines relacionados con la competencia, incluida la presentación de los ganadores. La información financiera de su empresa solo se compartirá con la Red de inversionistas si usted decide incluir los datos. Si desea más detalles, lea las Reglas oficiales.
No. Es posible que pidamos aclaraciones adicionales sobre determinadas respuestas.
Consulte las Reglas oficiales o envíe un correo electrónico a info@inclusivefintech50.com.
La solicitud puede completarse en una o dos horas si tiene preparada toda la documentación solicitada. Es útil repasar las preguntas de la solicitud y reunir toda la documentación necesaria antes de iniciar el proceso. También puede completar su solicitud en varias sesiones, si guarda la información y la edita más tarde (vea más detalles a continuación).
IF50 est un concours visant à présenter les fintechs en phase de démarrage qui favorisent l’inclusion financière dans le monde entier. Chaque année, le jury sélectionne 50 lauréats dans tout un bassin de candidats, en fonction de critères établis d’inclusion, d’innovation, de potentiel de croissance et de traction. IF50 est commandité par Visa, la fondation MetLife, Jersey Overseas Aid & Comic Relief, avec le soutien d’Accion et de l’IFC. L’initiative est gérée par le Centre pour l’inclusion financière (CIF).
The application period for the 2022 competition runs from June 27 through July 25, 2022. Fintech companies are encouraged to apply early. Winners are announced publicly at Financial Inclusion Week, October 17-20, 2022. View key dates.
Les postulants au concours 2022 ont du 27 juin au 25 juillet 2022 pour déposer leur dossier de candidature. Les sociétés fintechs sont invitées à postuler très tôt. La proclamation officielle des lauréats aura lieu lors de la Semaine de l’inclusion financière, du 17 au 20 octobre 2022. Voyez les dates clés.
An independent judging panel of industry-leading experts – including investors, fintech founders, and financial institution leaders – will assess the applicants and select the final 50 winners.
Judges assess applicants using selection criteria around inclusivity, innovation, scale potential, and traction. Winners are selected across all product types, including credit, insurance, payments & remittances, savings & personal financial management, and infrastructure.
To be considered for IF50 you must meet the eligibility criteria outlined above and submit a complete application before July 25, 2022. If you do not meet the criteria in the eligibility section at the beginning of the application, the system will inform you that you are not eligible to apply.
Un jury indépendant composé d’experts reconnus du secteur, notamment des investisseurs, des fondateurs de fintechs et des dirigeants d’institutions financières, évaluera les candidats et élira les 50 lauréats. Voyez qui compose le jury 2022.
Les jurés évaluent les candidats selon des critères de sélection tels que l’inclusion, l’innovation, le potentiel de croissance et la traction. La sélection des lauréats concerne tous les types de produits incluant : crédit, assurance, paiements et envois de fonds, épargne et gestion des finances personnelles, infrastructure financière.
Winners will be listed as the Inclusive Fintech 50 and will also receive visibility through media partnerships, digital events, and research and insights work conducted by CFI. Winners may also have the opportunity to access additional services and tools from sponsors and investors, including zero-cost support tools provided by Visa. Learn more about the benefits.
We review all applications received. Given the large number of applications, we will not be able to provide feedback to individual companies.
You can submit your application in English, French, or Spanish.
No. Each company can submit only one application. The application should reflect information of a company’s flagship product that includes unserved or underserved populations. If more than one application is submitted for a single company, we will review only the first submitted.
No. Applicants must be a representative of the company they are submitting to IF50 and must have the legal authority to bind the fintech on whose behalf they submit an application to the terms and conditions set forth in the Official Rules.
Yes. There are opportunities throughout the application to upload supporting or relevant documentation and we strongly encourage the sharing of documents to provide evidence to back up your responses.
Non. Chaque société ne peut soumettre qu’une seule candidature. La candidature doit refléter les renseignements sur son produit phare qui inclut des populations non desservies ou mal desservies. En cas de soumission de plusieurs candidatures de la part de la même société, nous n’examinerons que la première candidature soumise.
Yes. You can save your application any time by clicking the ‘Save’ button at the bottom of the application page. To resume, simply log back into the application portal.
Non. Les candidats doivent être des représentants de la société qui présente la candidature au concours IF50 et doivent avoir l’autorité nécessaire pour soumettre une candidature au nom de cette fintech, selon les conditions énoncées dans le règlement officiel.
Yes. Click on the ‘Manage Collaboration’ button at the top right of the application page and add a collaborator by entering their name and email address. They will receive a link to access your application. Once a collaborator is added, the application can be transferred to a new Primary Collaborator by clicking ‘Make Primary’. Access can also be removed from a collaborator by clicking ‘Remove Access’. Please note that only one user can edit the application at a time. The application will be locked when one user is editing to avoid accidental overwriting of information.
Oui. Tout au long du formulaire de candidature, il existe des possibilités de télécharger des pièces justificatives ou tout document que vous jugerez pertinents, et nous vous encourageons vivement à publier les documents justifiant vos réponses.
After checking that all required fields are populated and within the given word limits, click the “Submit” button. If the application has been successfully submitted, you will see a message confirming that we received your application. You will also receive a confirmation email to the email address you provided.
Oui. Vous pouvez enregistrer votre candidature à tout moment en cliquant sur le bouton « Sauvegarder » se trouvant au bas de la page du formulaire. Pour revenir à votre formulaire, il vous suffira de vous reconnecter sur le site de candidature.
You can save your completed application as a PDF before or after submission. Under ‘My Applications’ on the left navigation menu, click on ‘All’ and then click ‘Print’.
Oui. Cliquez sur le bouton « Gérer la collaboration » situé en haut à droite de la page du formulaire de candidature et ajoutez un collaborateur en saisissant son nom et son courriel. Il recevra un lien pour pouvoir accéder à votre candidature. Une fois qu’un collaborateur est ajouté, le formulaire peut être envoyé à un nouveau collaborateur « principal » en cliquant sur « Nouveau collaborateur principal ». Vous pourrez également désactiver l’accès d’un collaborateur à votre candidature en cliquant sur « Retirer l’accès ». Veuillez noter qu’un seul utilisateur à la fois pourra modifier le dossier. Celui-ci sera verrouillé pendant qu’un utilisateur le modifiera, ceci afin d’éviter l’écrasement accidentel des informations.
That’s great news! No further action is required. We’ll reach out to the contact information you listed in your application if we require any clarification. Finalists will be announced on the IF50 website in October 2022.
Après avoir vérifié que tous les champs obligatoires ont été renseignés, en respectant le nombre de mots permis, cliquez sur le bouton « Soumettre ». Si la candidature a été correctement soumise, vous verrez un message confirmant que nous avons reçu votre candidature. Vous recevrez également un courriel de confirmation à l’adresse électronique que vous avez fournie.
Vous pouvez enregistrer votre demande dûment remplie au format PDF avant ou après la soumission. Sous « Mes candidatures », dans le menu de navigation situé à gauche, cliquez sur « Tous », puis sur « Imprimer ».
Excellente nouvelle ! Aucune autre action n’est requise. Si nous avons besoin de précisions, nous vous contacterons aux coordonnées que vous avez indiquées dans votre candidature. Les finalistes seront annoncés sur le site Internet d’IF50 en octobre 2022.
En soumettant votre dossier dans le cadre de votre candidature à IF50, vous acceptez que nous utilisions les informations que vous nous transmettez aux fins du concours, y compris pour la divulgation des lauréats. Les informations financières de votre société ne seront partagées avec le réseau d’investisseurs que si vous choisissez de vous inscrire. Pour tous les détails sur cette clause, veuillez lire le règlement officiel.
Non. Nous vous demanderons peut-être seulement d’éclaircir certaines de vos réponses.
Veuillez consulter le règlement officiel ou envoyer un courriel à info@inclusivefintech50.com.
Oui. Vous pouvez télécharger ici les questions du formulaire de candidature 2022.
Vous pourrez remplir le formulaire de candidature en une heure ou deux si vous pouvez fournir toutes les pièces requises. Il convient d’examiner les questions du formulaire et de réunir toutes les pièces requises avant de commencer la procédure de candidature. Vous pouvez également remplir votre demande en plusieurs sessions en sauvegardant, puis en complétant le formulaire plus tard (pour plus de détails, voyez l’information plus bas).
Nous examinons toutes les demandes reçues. Compte tenu du grand nombre de demandes, nous ne serons pas en mesure de fournir de commentaires aux sociétés individuelles.
Vous pouvez soumettre votre demande en français, en anglais ou en espagnol.
Les sociétés gagnantes figureront sur la liste des 50 fintechs inclusives et bénéficieront également d’une grande visibilité grâce à nos partenariats avec les médias, à des événements numériques et à des travaux de recherche et d’analyse dirigés par le CIF. Les lauréats auront également la possibilité d’accéder à des services et à des outils supplémentaires de commanditaires et d’investisseurs, et notamment à des outils de soutien à coût nul que fournit Visa. Découvrez plus de détails sur les avantages de ce concours.
Yes. All early-stage fintech companies (for-profit, non-profit, social enterprise) with target markets that include underserved population segments can apply.
Oui. Toutes les sociétés de technologie financière en phase de démarrage (à but lucratif, à but non lucratif, entreprises sociales) dont les clientèles cibles comprennent des segments de population mal desservis peuvent postuler.
Pour être pris en considération au concours IF50, vous devez répondre aux critères d’éligibilité décrits ci-dessus et soumettre un dossier de candidature complet avant le 25 juillet 2022. Si vous ne répondez pas aux critères décrits au chapitre Éligibilité situé au début du formulaire de candidature, le système vous informera que vous n’êtes pas éligible pour ce concours.
Yes, you will need to register to apply. Registration is free.
Oui, vous devrez vous inscrire pour postuler. L’inscription est gratuite.
Supporting Documentation or link(s) regarding the primary method(s) by which customers are charged for your product or service
Supporting Documentation or link(s) regarding the data sources that enable the business model of your product
Supporting Documentation or link(s) regarding your choice of technology tools and related techniques that you use to collect, store, share or analyze data
Supporting Documentation or link(s) regarding the affordability, accessibility and appropriateness of your product or service to underserved customers
Screenshot of consent form for customers
Total amount of funding your business has received (in USD)
Income statement and balance sheet from your last fiscal year
Financial projections reflecting your key revenue and expense line items through December 31, 2023
By submitting content as part of your application for IF50, you agree to allow us to use this content for purposes related to the competition, including showcasing the winners. Your company’s financial information will only be shared with the Investors’ Network if you choose opt-in. For complete details, please read the Official Rules.
The application can be completed in an hour or two if you have all the required documentation ready. It helps to review the application questions and gather all required documentation before starting the process. You can also complete your application in multiple sessions by saving and editing later (see more details below).
No. We may ask for additional clarification on certain responses.
Please see the Official Rules or email info@inclusivefintech50.com.
If you would like to discuss whether your work is relevant to the i3 program or require any other clarification about the application process, please contact us on aida.elkohen@innovationsinafrica.com
Les questions concernant le processus de candidatures et le programme peuvent être envoyées à {aida.elkohen@innovationsinafrica.com} au plus tard le 21 juillet. Les questions soumises et les réponses seront publiées sur le site web pour tous les candidats potentiels peu de temps après.
i3 applicants must be:
The deadline is on the 14th of August for companies affiliated to the North, West and East African region and 21st of August for companies affiliated to Southern Africa.
Si vous souhaitez savoir si votre travail est pertinent pour le programme I3 ou si vous avez besoin de toute autre précision sur le processus de candidatures, veuillez nous contacter à l’adresse {aida.elkohen@innovationsinafrica.com}.
Les candidats au programme I3 doivent être :
La date limite est fixée au 14 août pour les entreprises affiliées aux régions d’Afrique du Nord, de l’Ouest et de l’Est et au 21 août pour les entreprises affiliées à l’Afrique australe.
Questions about the application process and program can be submitted to {aida.elkohen@innovationsinafrica.com on or before by July 21st. Submitted questions and answers will be posted on the website for all potential applicants shortly thereafter.
No, the i3 program only accepts businesses with products/services, and customers. The more evidence you can provide to demonstrate the impact of your products or services, the better your chances of being selected as part of the cohort
There is no fee required to apply for the i3 Program. All you need to do is complete the application form, enclose the relevant supporting documents, and answer any questions we may ask during or after submission. If you are shortlisted, you will need to set out time to participate in our due diligence process prior to final selection
Non, le programme I3 n’accepte que les entreprises ayant des produits/services et des clients. Plus vous fournirez de preuves de l’impact de vos produits ou services, plus vous aurez de chances d’être sélectionné pour faire partie de la cohorte.
Il n’y a aucun frais à payer pour s’inscrire au programme I3. Il vous suffit de remplir le formulaire de candidature, de joindre les pièces justificatives pertinentes et de répondre à toutes les questions que nous pourrions vous poser pendant ou après la soumission. Si vous êtes présélectionné, vous devrez prévoir du temps pour participer à notre processus de diligence raisonnable avant la sélection finale.
All information submitted may be seen by the i3 program team which includes judges and assessors. All members of the program team are bound by confidentiality agreements. We will retain application materials of applicants (including applicants who are not selected) for up to two years.
Your application will be strictly confidential, shared only with members of the i3 team and under confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements with selection committees.
If you are shortlisted or selected for the program, we ask you to not publicize this fact until a date set by our communications team. Once companies have been admitted to the program, i3 may publicize your involvement through communications channels including but not limited to the program’s website, websites of program partners, social media platforms of program partners as well as other public communications channels.
Toutes les informations soumises peuvent être vues par l’équipe du programme I3, qui comprend des jurys et des évaluateurs. Tous les membres de l’équipe du programme sont liés par des accords de confidentialité. Nous conserverons les dossiers de candidatures des candidats (y compris ceux qui ne sont pas sélectionnés) pendant deux ans au maximum.
Oui, les candidats qui ne sont pas sélectionnés peuvent postuler pour rejoindre des cohortes ultérieures, à condition qu’ils remplissent les conditions d’admissibilité à ce moment-là.
I3 se réserve le droit de faire connaître votre participation au programme par tout canal de communication (y compris, mais sans s’y limiter, le site Web du programme, les sites Web des partenaires du programme, les plateformes de médias sociaux des partenaires du programme ainsi que d’autres canaux de communication publique). Tous les participants présélectionnés peuvent être tenus de participer à des campagnes publicitaires, y compris, mais sans s’y limiter, à des entretiens avec les médias.
Pour maximiser l’impact du programme I3, si vous êtes présélectionné ou sélectionné pour le programme, nous vous demandons de ne pas rendre ce fait public avant une date fixée par notre équipe de communication. Nous travaillerons en étroite collaboration avec vous pour garantir cette confidentialité.
VC4A ne traite ni n’utilise les données elle-même sans le consentement explicite de l’utilisateur qui remplit la demande, et ne stocke les données que pour le compte de tiers qui utilisent le site VC4A.com pour recevoir et traiter les demandes. En vertu de l’article 17, le droit à l’oubli, VC4A dispose d’un processus d’élagage automatisé qui supprime toutes les données de candidatures après 36 mois. Toutes les données ajoutées directement sur le site VC4A.com, comme les données des utilisateurs et les profils d’entreprises, peuvent être modifiées (article 16) et entièrement supprimées (article 17) des systèmes de VC4A. VC4A offre également aux utilisateurs la possibilité de télécharger toutes leurs données du site VC4A.com (Art. 15 + Art. 20 GDPR – portabilité des données).
Yes, applicants who are not selected may apply to join later cohorts provided they meet the eligibility requirements at the time
Applications open on Tuesday, October 4th, 2022.
Applications close on Tuesday, October 18th, 2022.
You will receive official acceptance by Tuesday October 25th, 2022. The BetaRaise program officially kicks off on Monday, 31st October, 2022.
BetaRaise support is over a 3-month period (October – January) with an option to extend.
A total of 10 startups will be selected.
The BetaRaise program will feature a boot camp session, which focuses on equipping startups with skills relating to fundraising, negotiating valuations, and undertaking investor intros. There’ll be work-in sessions run concurrently between startups and their Venture Partners.
The BetaRaise team will hold two information sessions on the following dates: Tuesday, October 11th, 2022, and Friday, October 14th, 2022.
You can contact the team via email at accra@impacthub.net
For further information, please contact the EatSafe Innovation Challenge support team, at eatsafeinnovationchallenge@gainhealth.org
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the competition may be held online.
Teams will have the opportunity to meet and network with other innovators from across the globe.
Two winners will be chosen from each national competition in Ethiopia and Nigeria to participate in the Global EatSafe Innovation Challenge Final in Denmark in October.
Shortlisted applicants from each National EatSafe Innovation Challenge will be announced and promoted in an online (or in-person depending on Covid-19 restrictions) event.
In the first stage, 80 longlisted applicants will receive technical support and participate in two online-facilitated workshops to refine their idea facilitated by the IFSS portal team.
In the second stage, ten shortlisted applicants will participate in the Global EatSafe Innovation Challenge Virtual Mentorship Programme (July-August 2022) and will receive technical support to refine their idea before the final national competition event, including an online design workshop and one-to-one mentoring with a local food safety expert.
The application deadline is the 30th of April 2022 at 11:00 Nigeria time / 13:00 Ethiopia time / 12:00 CEST.
We have multiple touchpoints with investors during the programme and our network is constantly growing. We have a demo day and an alumni circle after the programme with opportunities to meet the right investor. So far, almost half of the companies have received follow-on funding during or after the programme.
Unfortunately, we don’t allow late applications to move through our very tight schedule for selection and to be fair to all applicants. Therefore, the next round of applications will be open soon.
Yes! We are happy to consider any application considering our eligible criteria listed above. Just remember that your digital innovation should address the African livestock value chain.
You can apply to the programme if your innovation is in one of the following categories or technologies used somehow in the broader livestock value chain:
Technologies: Internet of things, application (mobile), search engine, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, virtual/augmented reality, 3D printer, robotics, digital learning software (online training system, MOOC platform, open educational resources), database, information management system, monitoring and control system, geographic information system (GIS)/mapping, SMS services, web platform, social media, data analysis system
Application Domain: Strengthening of the digital expertise and IT skills of actors in the livestock value chain (e-skills), online training (e-learning), precision agriculture, market access, access to finance, digital payment, management of livestock value chains, logistics and transport, e-commerce, animal feed, animal health & welfare
No! We treat application data confidentially! We ensure your data and information are safe with us, as this guarantees our core business model and good reputation.
March 20, 2022.
After applications close, we’ll review applications for about two weeks and spend time getting to know even more about your team, market, progress and idea. Finally, our goal is to notify the final group of companies who will have the chance to join the selection day within four weeks from the application closing date.
If you have already submitted your application prior to the deadline and want to make changes, please reach out to VC4A for support. The VC4A support team can re-open your application for you to make the changes and re-submit. Please note, that after the deadline has passed, no further changes can be made.
We highly recommend that your founding team works in the company full time so that you can focus on your business to make it big. But we fully understand your decision not to quit your previous job quite yet, especially if your start-up is still early-stage.
The video is required for the application process, and we recommend it. We are not looking for a highly produced video; we want to see what you are working on, why you’re excited about it, how your team works together, and what makes you unique. You can record a video with your phone but make sure the audio quality is good.
If you work with the GIZ, please let us know and indicate this clearly in the application. Most of the time, this is not a problem, even appreciated. If you have questions in advance, reach out to us via SAIS@giz.de.
Seven indicators measure the performance of the start-ups during the programme to improve the level of investment readiness:
Going through multiple programmes simultaneously is not recommended, as your time commitment to your company and the L-IRP might be challenging enough. However, you can participate in programmes before and after the SAIS L-IRP as you will. In addition, after completing the L-IRP, we provide master classes with additional coaching and services for high-performing start-ups.
We don’t tell you what to do or when, but we create an environment conducive to helping your start-up every day. At least once a week, you will meet with one of our coaches and mentors/experts to discuss and define your next steps.
If you don’t have an office, we will try to access a local hub to facilitate contact with major players in the local start-up scene. The use of the regional hub office is entirely optional.
The primary language that we use in verbal and written communications during the programme – is English.
Upon acceptance to the L-IRP, the start-up has full access to all programme benefits. In addition, the accelerated start-ups commit to providing monthly data from the start of the programme until the end of 2023 concerning: Revenue, number of customers, funds raised and number of employees.
All data will only be collected to track the progress of each start-up during the programme and will not be published. Each team needs to commit on average 3 hours per week for the programme; this applies most often to the founders but not only. We require access to data and customers, with the agreement that we can execute at least two times a questionnaire with your customers to evaluate the impact of your product/service.
Our belief at SAIS is: Competition is good for business. However, we try to avoid accepting competitive companies into the same programme class.
With the growing SAIS alumni portfolio of companies/start-ups, there may be competitive companies in the broader SAIS network. So, if there is a company in the SAIS portfolio that’s competitive, we make sure there is no exchange of sensitive data.
We accelerate all types of start-ups whose business model contributes to our overall goal of increasing incomes in the agri-food sector through digital innovations in the livestock industry.
Successful applicants have free access to our L-IRP benefits worth up to $50k. In addition, unlike other accelerator programmes, we do not require shares of the companies that successfully applied for the investment readiness programme.
Our overall goal at SAIS is to increase incomes in the agri-food sector through proven digital innovations. At the L-IRP we focus on innovations in the African livestock value chain.
You can do so by keeping the page ‘unlisted’. That way, it will not yet appear in the overview of opportunities on the platform, yet it can be visited by anyone (your team) you provide with the direct URL. To unlist a page, click on “Edit page content” in your admin dashboard, navigate to the “Visibility” tab and select to unlist the page.
Click on “Edit page content” in your admin dashboard and navigate to the “Admins” tab. Here you can add colleagues as Admins or Editors (they need to have a user account on VC4A, please ask them to signup if you cannot find them).
People with Admin rights have full access, including to the form builder, where they can change the application form. If you just want them to be able to view applications and help with the pre-screening process, better to add them as Editors.
No problem. Please reach out to our campaign support team. We can easily set up an additional process for you. In that case you will get results per process, as well as overall results.
Please double-check that the judge has been assigned to a judging group. Navigate to the rating and selection environment and select the “Groups” tab to check this. Then, make sure the judge is logging in with the correct user account (using the email you see next to their name in the groups section). Then, make sure they have the correct URL to access this. For this, click on “Rating & selection” in your admin dashboard and copy that URL and send it to the judge(s).
This depends on the number of applications you are including in the rating and selection process. Applications are assigned to judging groups, therefore all judges within one group are rating the same applications. You should have a minimum of 3 judges per group so that the final score per application is based on the aggregated scores of at least three judges.
The more applications you have, the more judging groups, ideally. if you have 50 applications in the rating process, great if you have 5 groups of 3 judges each, so each group rates 10 applications. The more applications per group, the more time you are asking each judge to contribute.
Please watch the video and follow the step-by-step instructions here for a thorough understanding of the process.
The rating criteria should ideally be determined when creating the application form already to make sure to ask the right questions. A criterion could be “Team capacities” and your application form should be asking about the number of team members and their skills for the judges to determine this.
Each criterion should be given a weight, depending on the importance of each criterion. All criteria weights have to add up to 100%. Please make sure to use the same scale (5 or 10-star rating) over all criteria. You can add a comment box with no weight if you want the judges to leave qualitative feedback, statement, or comment. This comment box can be set as optional or mandatory, this is up to you.
Yes and no.
Yes – You can send bulk messages to notify candidates who didn’t make it. This functionality is available in the “Rejected” tab. To use this, move all applications that shall receive this update to “Rejected” and click on the email icon to set up the mailer. Make sure to use the available merge tags to personalize the mailer.* Save the mailer and select all applications that shall receive this. Each recipient can only receive one mail from this interface.
Yes – each applicant who either clicks on “save & continue later” or finishes his/her application and submits, receives an automated mailer to tell them the inputs have been saved/confirm their submission.
No – All other applications (outside of “Rejected”) can only be messaged via individual PM’s through the system. If you want to message all “in progress” candidates, for example, we recommend exporting those and using other bulk messaging tools such as Mailmerge. Reminder emails as such are part of the promotional services we offer.
*They didn’t make it in your final selection? Yet, great if you can show that you appreciate their interest and effort of applying. Can you recommend other opportunities or resources to them that might be of value, such as the VC4A Startup Academy or the mentorship marketplace?
Once applications start rolling in, you will see that in the graph on your admin dashboard. Click on view applications, to check out what’s been submitted, and what is in the pipeline (‘in progress’ tab). Some key tips to managing the applications throughout the call for applications:
More detailed and visual descriptions to managing incoming applications, you can find in step 4 here, as well as in the pre-screening guide.
This is normal. Anyone who clicks on “apply”, merely to check out the application form end’s up in this list. However, it is easy to determine who is serious about their application, by the progress score. It’s a good idea to follow up with “in progress” who show a high progress score (i.e. > 75% completed) a few days prior to your deadline, to remind them to finish and submit in time.
Your program’s application deadline is coming up, but you would like to extend it by another week or a few days?
Simply enter the form builder via the admin dashboard on your program page, navigate to the settings in the top right corner and select the “Dates” tab. Here you can select a new date, time, and time zone. Make sure to save your changes ;)
Yes, you can do so in the form builder. However, if you have already received applications, please note, that the ones who have already submitted, did so using the previous version of your form and cannot change their application. Best to make sure to test the form thoroughly, before launching the official call for applications.
Minor changes, such as adding a helper text or re-phrasing existing questions for a better understanding, are no problem at all. Simply click on the form builder on your admin dashboard, select the question to adjust and publish the changes.
Creating an application form on VC4A is easy. You can do so from your program page’s admin dashboard. You will find a pre-set-up form template with frequently asked questions.*
You can now use the drag-and-drop editor to adjust the form to your liking (add questions of various types, remove questions, etc.). Make sure to publish the form and any changes you make later on. Set the application dates in the form builder settings (top right corner), where you can also adjust the form intro text, confirmation messages and more.
*All questions of the VC4A application form template use smart linkages to user and venture profile information, meaning, that applicants with existing profiles on VC4A, will find most of these questions pre-filled. They only have to double-check and adjust the answers where applicable.
Some application forms may ask you whether you want to use your venture profile data to pre-fill the application form. When you click Yes, you can minimize the time spent on the application, as many questions will be already filled in based on the details you provided on your venture profile. Therefore, you only have to add double-check and update or adjust the information where you see fit, add the remaining questions, and submit.
When you opt-in to ‘Use this data to update my venture profile’ at the end of the form, all the questions you updated in the form, will be updated on your venture profile as well.
This is us, trying to make application processes as swift and seamless for you, so you can seize your chances to join as many great programs as possible, without having to spend too much time on each application. Good luck!
Yes, the ‘In the news’ section on your venture profile overview is where you can do this. Simply copy-paste the news article’s title and URL and chose to display this on the profile. Now everyone visiting your profile can see this and check out the article right away.
This is usually the case when the question is asking for a particular value type. Please read the question carefully and check if the answer field could be accepting specific value types only.
Example question: “Please provide your phone number” This field might only accept number inputs. Therefore you cannot enter a “+”, instead, you can only enter numbers such as “0027…”
Other input fields may only accept URLs, e-mail addresses, dates, addresses or text”
Make sure you have filled in all the required input fields of the application. These are characterized by a red star. When you have done so, and you have agreed to the terms and conditions, you can submit your application by clicking the blue “Submit” button at the end.
After you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email.
To apply for any program, you need to create a user account on VC4A. Click here to do so.
When this is done, you can log in, go to the program page you wish to apply for and click on the “apply” button to start your application. Most application forms allow you to ‘Save & continue later’ so you don’t have to complete the application in one go. You can always find your saved and submitted applications in the Applications tab in your profile.
Some programs require you to have a venture profile on VC4A too. If you don’t have a venture profile yet, click here to set up a venture profile, or go to your account and click on “add a venture”.
At any time you retain administrator rights to your page(s) and are able to update/change/delete content as you wish.
For more info and step-by-step guidance to setting up the pages and all application tools, click here.
First, check where you are asked to upload documents for this application.
When you open a fully customizable application form via your program page on VC4A, you will get access to an admin panel to track incoming applications over time and monitor the impact of promotional activities easily. Together with your team, you can view and pre-screen the incoming applications and prepare the selection process. You can export individual, multiple, or all applications in various file types at any point in time.
Find more info about the application tools here and the rating & selection tools here.
If you can’t find an application you have started in a previous session, please follow these steps:
Access the form builder via the admin dashboard of your program page. Scroll all the way down and find the “Embed” button there. Now you can simply copy the generated URL and implement this on your website.
Go to the page and make sure you are logged in with the right account to have admin rights. Now, click on “edit page content” in your admin dashboard. Here you can upload new logo and header images or crop the existing ones.
No. The Partner Pages are based on ‘parent-child relations. You cannot create a child (program or event or page) without having a parent (organization page).
If you use the organization page to publish information about your program, it will not be shown in the overview of opportunities or event calendar and it will not be possible for users to find it searching by program type. This will negatively affect the visibility of your program on VC4Africa platform.
Ideally, you first create the parent page, by adding a page for your “organization supporting startups”. Once that is done, from within the admin dashboard of this organization page you can then “add a page” for your program or event (child pages). More detailed step-by-step guidance, you can find here.
Yes, you need to signup on VC4A first. Later on, you will also be able to list yourself as a team member on your organization page. Make sure to add some info about you and a profile picture for a friendly impression.
We can definitely help out here! We can feature your campaign in various places on the platform to appear more dominantly. We can also support your campaign outreach through our social media channels (check out our follower numbers on Twitter, Facebook, and in the LinkedIn group), the VC4A blog, and community newsletters.
Please check out our partner campaign packages and reach out to us to plan tailored campaigns.
No, there are no costs involved to publish partner or campaign pages. Even better, using VC4A application and selection tools is free as well!
For our support in setting up the campaigns and promotional services, please consider our partner campaign packages to boost your results.
Your finalists, alumni, and otherwise supported ventures can be showcased in the portfolio section of individual program pages as well as on your VC4A partner page. By adding their venture profiles here, this connection will also appear on their profiles (on venture X it will say “Supported by {{name of your program/organization}}” with a link to your page). Following their progress overtime helps to create a meaningful track record for your program.
When using the VC4A application form, you can create a pipeline of potential candidates over the course of multiple cycles of your program. Use custom tags throughout the application processes to easily filter, track and invite past programs’ applicants for upcoming programs or events.
The VC4A platform supports the fastest-growing online community of entrepreneurs and investors in Africa and beyond. Check out the latest number of community members here.
By profiling your organization on the platform, you increase your visibility within the startup ecosystem significantly and get access to the most promising entrepreneurs.
From your organization page, you can publishing campaign pages per program or event of yours, link to your application form elsewhere, or leverage VC4A’s free customizable application form and selection tools. That way, you leverage VC4A’s reach and infrastructure to boost the number of applications for your next acceleration program, competition, conference, hackathon, or startup event. You will build a network of followers to be notified about your latest activities and new campaigns.
Any organization providing services, support, opportunities, and resources to the startup ecosystem globally is invited to create a free partner page. These can be:
Please contact us for advice if you feel that your organization is an important startup ecosystem player in Africa and beyond but doesn’t fall into any of these categories.
The VC4A partner page is a tool that allows third-party organizations to publish and administrate campaign pages on the VC4A platform, to collect applications for startup programs and promote events.
The partner page is the central point from where organizations can launch these programs and event pages to engage with the VC4A community. Instead of having to rely on the VC4A team to promote partner activities, you can manage your own pages independently and collaboratively with your team. From the dedicated partner page for your organization, you can:
VC4A is a champion for more entrepreneurship in Africa and beyond. We believe entrepreneurship is good for society and that more should be done to support entrepreneurs working so hard to strengthen the local economy. VC4A is a social venture and with the mission is to support entrepreneurs in a way that is financially sustainable for the organization over time. Our absolutely last intention is that somehow, somewhere, someone gets hurt in some way.
So we want to make this clear. Our team is comprised mostly of geeks, entrepreneurs and disillusioned idealists:) We are not financial, investment, accounting or legal experts and we do not pretend to be. We seek to provide the VC4A community with information and networking opportunities. Our aim is to foster a healthy and constructive dialogue that further promotes entrepreneurship development on the continent and beyond.
Anything business-related (or other) is done at your own risk and we highly recommend you get a lawyer or contact experts for these matters. If you are an entrepreneur approached by an investor, you are responsible for conducting your own due diligence. If you are an investor approached by an entrepreneur, you are responsible for conducting your own due diligence. If you are matched to another member via the VC4A team, you are responsible for your own due diligence. Bottom line, we are not liable for any outcome in whatever form. Before doing anything business-related, know that only you are responsible.
VC4A does not provide personal investment, financial or legal advice to individuals, or act as personal financial, legal, or institutional investment advisor, or individually advocate the purchase or sale of any security or investment, or the use of any particular financial or legal strategy. Each member of this community is responsible for their own risk assessment before acting upon any information provided via VC4A or any one of her members or visitors or others. Before pursuing any legal or financial strategy, or taking any decision at all, you should consult with your legal or financial advisor or CPA. VC4A (and anything related to VC4A) does not take responsibility for any single member, piece of content, or any other object, person, or action.
‘Accredited investor’ is a term defined by various countries’ security laws that delineate investors permitted to invest in certain types of higher-risk investments, including seed money, limited partnerships, hedge funds, private placements, and angel investor networks. The term generally includes wealthy individuals and organizations such as banks, insurance companies, significant charities, some corporations, endowments, and retirement plans.
For example, in the United States, for an individual to be considered an accredited investor, he or she must have a net worth of at least one million US dollars (excluding the value of one’s primary residence), or have an income of at least $200,000 each year for the last two years (or $300,000 together with his or her spouse if married) and have the expectation to make the same amount this year.
See additional information on what it means to be accredited here.
Investors can see which ventures are fundraising and follow the progress of the ventures they find interesting. They can network with fellow members of the investor network and engage entrepreneurs with questions. Registered investors can set custom alerts and track ventures of specific stages, in specific target sectors and geographies, review the deal terms and gain exclusive access to private venture documents.
For more info about benefits for investors and the investor dashboard to explore up-and-coming ventures, see here.
The majority of ventures on VC4A are early-stage and require investments between USD $10,000 and USD $1 million.
Are you an investor? Join the leading network of Africa-focused investors. As a registered investor, you can see which ventures are fundraising on VC4A, gain access to the investor dashboard and exclusive information:
» Customize your dashboard to discover great companies » Set up intelligent alerts to follow their progress » Access information when researching new opportunities » Check fundraising history of any venture » Contact entrepreneurs and investors to follow up directly » Contact the VC4A team for support
Register to join the VC4A investor network!
The team at VC4Africa is constantly looking to highlight ventures making progress. Keep your profile updated and share your wins and successes with the community. Build your following on VC4Africa and get yourself noticed!
Yes, you can. We encourage members and community partners to contribute to the blog as well as the VC4A Founder Series and Mentorwise podcasts. Please contact the content team at VC4A to discuss and coordinate.
Mentors are experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and business experts who are willing to share their knowledge free of charge. Entrepreneurs who have registered a venture profile on VC4A can submit requests for mentorship support. These requests are screened by the team at VC4A before they are presented to the participating mentors.
It’s a free offering and you might just score the expert you need!
1) First impressions count! Make sure your venture profile is complete featuring your logo, cover image and an accurate description.
2) Do you have a pitch video? Add this to your venture profile as a great way to introduce yourself as an entrepreneur and your business.
3) Have you added links to your startup’s social media profiles (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YoutTube)? This is a great way to keep people up to date on your activities and gives them a chance to find out more about you.
4) Have you made great progress building your company? Make sure you are sharing the latest news and developments in the update section and traction tab. Let people know what’s happening and allow them to follow your adventure through both the good times and the bad times…we all have them!
5) Check out the documents tab on your venture profile. Have you uploaded a pitch deck or any other documentation that helps investors understand what you are working on? Add a copy of your business’ certificate of incorporation or any other evidence that shows you are serious.
6) On your venture profile you will see a short URL you can use to promote your venture profile across the web. Also, you can tweet your venture profile. Leverage these functionalities to get the word out!
7) Start fundraising for your startup on your venture profile to get featured on the platform and gain more visibility amongst the investors on VC4A.
We hate to see you go. On your venture profile, click on the three little dots in the top right corner and select ‘Delete venture profile’.
Entrepreneurs are often working on multiple projects. Sometimes the work you spent building one venture ends up being the preparation for the next. Feel free to create and publish multiple venture profiles.
Easy, just visit the Ventures section of the platform and click ‘Add your venture.’ You don’t have to answer all of the questions at once, you can always add more details and update your venture profile later on.
When trying to decide whether to engage with an entrepreneur, investors look for evidence. Nothing sends a stronger signal than already having an investor on board. This shows that someone believes in you enough to trust you with their money. A lead investor has researched your business in detail and is a valuable source of information for others who are interested in your venture. A lead investor can help others understand where the business is in its development and play an important role in negotiating terms to close the deal.
Learn everything you need to know to kick-off a fundraising round in the free Finance your business course in the VC4A Startup Academy. To promote your fundraising round on the platform, please follow the 4 steps to fundraising!
Entrepreneurs who have set up a venture profile on VC4A, have the ability to register a fundraising request. For that, you can click on ‘Start fundraising’ on the Fundraising tab of your venture profile. But before you do so, pleasecheck out the 4 steps to fundraising on VC4A.
We collect the e-mail addresses of those who communicate with us via e-mail, aggregate information on what pages consumers access or visit, and information volunteered by the consumer (such as survey information and/or site registrations). The information we collect is used to improve the content of our web pages and the quality of our services and is not shared with or sold to other organizations for commercial purposes, except to provide products or services you’ve requested, when we have your permission, or under the following circumstances:
It is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Terms of Service, or as otherwise required by law.
We transfer information about you if VC4A is acquired by or merged with another company. In this event, VC4A will notify you before information about you is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
The following Terms of Service apply to your use of VC4A and all related properties. You are solely responsible for your conduct, and your content on VC4A, and compliance with these terms. By registering with us, or using or browsing VC4A, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.
The only people who are authorized to create accounts on this site are professionals who understand risk and are willing to bear the consequences. If you aren’t an Entrepreneur looking for advice, and an introduction to potential investors, or you don’t think that you are both an Accredited Investor and sophisticated enough to protect your own interests, then you should not try to create an account on this site.
By using VC4A (including by simply viewing content on VC4A.com (the “Site”), you are agreeing that you, and each person you allow to access VC4A through your account, will abide by the terms of the following agreement, which is summarized here, and set forth in its entirety below. This agreement is between you and VC4Africa BV (“We,” “VC4A” or the “Company”), and it governs your access to and use of the services, websites, and applications offered by VC4A (the “Service”). Your access to and use of the Service is conditioned on your acceptance of and compliance with this agreement.
The security laws applicable to private company finance are complicated and occasionally ambiguous. In general, they are designed to protect unsophisticated people from making ill-advised investments. The following terms are designed to minimize the risk that any unsophisticated/unaccredited individuals try to become investors through the Service, and to protect the Company in the event that anyone claims he, she or it was damaged by using the Services.
See the terms of service.
The team at VC4A screens each new member requests. We process new requests on a rolling basis 24 hours a day. If you haven’t heard back within a day, please contact us at support@vc4a.com.
The team at VC4A screens each venture profile after it has been created and if everything looks good and complies with the venture guidelines your venture profile will be approved. This can sometimes take a few hours. If your profile hasn’t been approved after a day, please reach out to support@vc4a.com.
Visit your venture profile and click on the three little dots in the top right corner. Now, select ‘Administration’ and add your team members. They need to have signed up with a user account on the VC4A platform, in order to be selected as venture profile admins. This will give them the right to edit and update the profile as well. Make sure your team is also listed on your venture profile’s Team section.