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Spotlight on Africa Startup Ecosystem Builders
The awards recognize excellence in Africa’s startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem and celebrate unsung heroes in ecosystem building who are individuals, communities, institutions, and organizations that have demonstrated innovation, excellence, outstanding achievement, and impact in advancing African entrepreneurship.
The objectives of the awards are to:
Why you should apply?
Apart from Certificates and Trophies that would be given to the winners, each winner will nominate two startups that they support within their organization to enroll in a twelve-month program on the IRPAFRICA Investment Readiness Program sponsored by IRPAFRICA.
IRPAFRICA is an investment readiness white-label digital platform that supports entrepreneurs, non-financially, in building their business by providing affordable entrepreneur training and personal development support, access to business experts and mentors, and eventually creating an enabling and sustainable ecosystem. It facilitates the investment process for all parties, making it easier for startups to raise investment and for investors to build diverse portfolios.
There are 28 nomination categories, which you can nominate an organization, individual, or yourself to the awards offered under each category, please keep the criteria and description in mind, tell us why the nominee should be considered for the year awards.
Here are some of the awards listed:
Now more than ever, we need ecosystem builders! They say if entrepreneurship is the lifeblood of the economy, ecosystem builders are the circulatory system, the arteries, and veins that facilitate the flow of ideas, resources, connections, and collaborations in entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Full description & Criteria | Nominate now!
Incubators help startups succeed by providing them with mentorship, guidance, training, strategy, partnerships, working space, R&D, and funding. They’re instrumental in getting startups, especially early-stage ones, off the ground.
Accelerators help startups succeed by providing them with mentorship, guidance, training, strategy, partnerships, working space, R&D, and funding. They’re instrumental in getting startups, especially startups that have moved beyond the earliest stages of getting established, off the ground.
Coaching and developing individuals through ongoing, targeted, and specific one-to-one conversations can have wide-reaching benefits for the organization and individuals. It can develop and retain your critical talent; provide a stabilizing factor during change; facilitate knowledge-sharing and skill transfer; as well as boosting people’s performance and motivation and support their career transition.
An increase in funding and the number of startups shows that the African startup ecosystem is more dynamic and robust than ever. It would be impossible to achieve this without the support of venture capitalists, who use their experience, money, and networks to help startups reach new levels.
Lack of access to finance is regarded as the most important constraint to the development of businesses in Africa. Innovations in lending technology and business models can significantly reduce the cost of serving startups.
This award recognizes the best startup community event of the year. It was an event that brought the community together, amplified momentum, and was an overall great time. Keeping the criteria in mind, tell us why the nominated event should be considered for the Startup Event of the Year award.
And many more…