Seedstars World 2018

World’s biggest startup competition in emerging markets

 2018 Seedstars World, the largest startup competition for emerging markets, is back in Africa to scout for the top high growth startups and entrepreneurs and accelerate them on their path to global scaling.

On this 2018 edition of the tour, we will visit over 20+ cities across Sub-Saharan Africa to hosting bootcamps and pitch competitions, Countries such as Mauritius and Zambia, amongst others, will host local competitions for the first time, enlarging the impact of Seedstars mission in the continent. The winner from each country is invited to the final at the Seedstars Global Summit in Switzerland to compete for up to UDS$ 1 Million in equity investment.

1) Applications

Step 1: Make sure you have a venture profile published on the VC4Africa platform with your most recent pitch deck attached.
Step 2: Apply to one of the 22 local events in Africa through the online form.

2) Pitching events

At each Local Event, up to 10 pre-selected startups are invited to pitch in front of an expert jury and quality audience to determine the winner. The event brings together key entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and institutions from the local ecosystem combined with a unique global Seedstars World flavor. The winner of each Local Event gets a free trip to Seedstars World Regional Summit and the Global summit in Switzerland, with a chance to win up to $ 1 Million in equity investment and more in cash and in-kind prizes.

3) Final Event

The winner of each Local Event will be invited to Switzerland to represent his startup and country at the global finals. The Final Event is a weeklong adventure consisting of a bootcamp, international conference and investor forum. It’s an amazing chance to meet with investors, build a global network and grow your business. And don’t forget there is up to USD 1000,000 mln investment on offer to the winning startup and additional money prizes!

Why compete?

Equity Investment
There is a prize package consisting of up to $ 1Million in equity investment and more in cash and in-kind prizes. You’ll be exposed to VCs, corporates, and angels searching for investment opportunities.

Coverage & Prestige

All Seedstars World events are heavily covered by local and international press with around 500 articles on us last year. Represent your country at the worldwide Seedstars Summit in front of an international audience.

Partnerships & Family

Join the close-knit Seedstars Family of talented entrepreneurs in 65+ countries. Find potential partners and business opportunities through the community and at the various events.

Learn & Grow

We hand pick top-quality mentors from all over the world with experience in relevant industries. Benefit from the knowledge of corporate leaders, serial entrepreneurs, accelerator directors and investors.

Time investment

If you get selected for a city event:

  • 1 day for the Bootcamp hosted 2 – 3 days before the event
  • 1 day for the Local Event

If you win:
7 days, that includes:

  • online application
  • preparing for pitching event
  • coaching
  • traveling and attending the events.

Criteria

  • Maximum 2 years since the founding date
  • Maximum USD 0.5m funding
  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
  • Need to use technology to solve a local or regional issue

 

Dates and deadlines for 2018

Country City Registration Deadline Event date
Zimbabwe Harare June 18 Jun 29
Ghana Accra July 2 Jul 13
Rwanda Kigali July 9 Jul 20
Zambia Lusaka July 23 Aug 3
Kenya Nairobi July 30 Aug 10
Uganda Kampala August 13 Aug 24
Senegal Dakar August 27 Sep 7
Botswana Gaborone Sept 3 Sep 14
Ivory Coast Abidjan Oct 20 Oct 26
Tanzania Dar Es Salaam Sept 10 Sep 21
DRC Kinshasa Sept 10 Sep 21
Guinee Bissau Bissau Sept 16 Sep 27
Mozambique Maputo Sept 17 Sep 28
South Africa Johannesburg Sept 24 Oct 5
Cameroon Douala October 1 Oct 12
Angola Luanda October 1 Oct 12
Nigeria Lagos October 5 Oct 19
South Africa Cape Town October 8 Oct 19
Mauritius Saint Louis October 15 Oct 26
South Africa South Africa Finals October 22 Nov 2
Gambia Banjul November 6 Nov 17

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Seedstars World 2018

Seedstars World 2018

Overview

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October 22, 2018
Program dates Jun 18 - Nov 2, 2018
Organizer Seedstars International Ventures
Website Visit website
Targets
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Africa, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Sectors
Retail and wholesale, Agribusiness, Automotive, Banking, Clean technology, Computer hardware, Computer software, Construction, Creative, media and entertainment, Diversified services, E-commerce, EdTech, Education, Electronics, Financial services, Food and beverage, Healthcare, HealthTech, Insurance, Internet, Leisure and travel, Manufacturing, Mobile, Real estate, Renewable energy, Telecom, Transport and logistics, Utilities, Waste management and recycling, Water, sanitation and hygiene

Portfolio

Name Country Sector(s)
CowTribe Africa
Harnessing the power of technology to deliver animal vaccines
Ghana Agritech, E-commerce, Mobile
REMA
Remote medical collaboration service dedicated to African doctors
Benin Healthcare, Healthcare providers and services, Sof…

Articles

Activity