Are you an entrepreneur in the Agri-food sector interested in scaling up your business? Apply for the GoGettaz Competition by 19 June 2023
Are you an entrepreneur in the Agri-food sector interested in scaling up your business? Apply for the GoGettaz Competition by 19 June 2023
Generation Africa, a partnership initiative aimed at strengthening the ecosystem for young entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector, invites applicants for the GoGetttaz Agripreneur Competition. This year’s edition will focus on supporting entrepreneurs whose ventures battle climate change, hunger, and poverty. Interested applicants must join the GoGettaz community before applying. Through the GoGettaz community, they will gain access to education, mentorship, and investment networks to help them launch, grow and scale their agri-food ventures. Additionally, two successful participants (one female and one male) will win USD 50,000 for the most innovative and scalable business ventures.
Interested entrepreneurs must fulfill the following criteria to apply:
- Be aged 35 years or younger on the date of submission and be legally recognized as an adult in the country of their nationality
- Have nationality (with an official ID) from an African Union member country
- Be a founder/co-founder of the venture he/she represents in the Competition and play an active role in its leadership and operations
- Have no criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony, or other offense and be willing to offer a signed declaration to that effect, if requested
Additionally, the business venture must also fulfill the following criteria to be considered for the Competition:
- Be legally registered in a country that is a member of the African Union or will have commenced with the registration of such a legal entity before 1 July 2022
- Be headquartered in a country that is a member of the African Union
- Be designed to be financially sustainable, either as a for-profit business or a non-profit generating some revenue and aiming not to be dependent on donor funding
- Have a role to play in the agri-food sector and/or supports the development of the agri-food sector through an innovation or process improvement
- The agri-food sector may be defined as businesses including:
- Agri-food research & development
- Primary food production (farming)
- Crop nutrition
- Irrigation
- Mechanization, automation, or robotics, including drones
- Crop protection
- Hydroponics or urban farming
- Transport, distribution, storage, or logistics
- Food processing
- Packaging or marketing
- Food retail or service
- Waste management or recycling
- Digital or technology solutions/services to the agri-food sector
- Innovative finance solutions/services to the agri-food sector
- Renewable energy or environmental solutions/services to the agri-food sector
To apply for this Competition, visit: GoGettaz Competition Application
Are you an e-health start-up interested in funding? Apply for the Investing in Africa i3 Program before 26 June 2023
Are you an e-health start-up interested in funding? Apply for the Investing in Africa i3 Program before 22 May 2023
Investing in Innovation (i3), a pan-African initiative invites e-health start-ups to the Investing in Africa i3 Program. i3 aims to accelerate the development and scale-up of innovative solutions that improve the availability, accessibility, affordability, quality and visibility of health products at scale in Africa. The Program seeks to advance access for start-ups traditionally excluded from funding and support, including women-led companies and founders in Francophone Africa.
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
- Grant of USD 50,000 to support commercialization and impact
- Access to leading donors, industry and institutional players who will facilitate introductions to customers
- Tailored investment readiness support delivered by leading innovation experts
- Opportunities to participate in i3’s flagship event, the i3 Marketplace, which connects innovators with potential partners and investors
Interested participants must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Be based in Africa
- Be developing a solution that addresses a health product distribution challenge in Africa
- Be at the early- or growth-stage
- Have a strong team with the experience and expertise to execute on their business plan
To apply for the Program, visit: i3 Applications
Are you an entrepreneur needing mentorship, training, and investor access? Apply for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip before 31 May 2023.
Are you an entrepreneur needing mentorship, training, and investor access? Apply for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip before 31 May 2023.
Startup Africa Roadtrip, a non-profit initiative launched by BeEntrepreneurs APS to support and drive cutting-edge social innovation in developing countries, invites applicants for the Next Generation Africa Think Glocal Roadtrip.
The program aims to identify startup founders, innovators, and young talent intending to develop products and services with a high potential impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Selected startups will participate in a free week of training and co-planning at Norrsken House Kigali in August 2023, with a chance to win a fully funded trip to Italy in spring 2024.
Participants travelling to Italy will present their business ideas to Italian professionals, universities, and investment funds. Trip participants will be supported to build strong relationships with local and Italian stakeholders for a win-win business approach and create a collaborative, multicultural, and innovative ecosystem without barriers and borders.
To apply for the program, visit Applications
Are you a start-up that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator - The Catalytic Programme
Are you a start-up that wants to grow your new venture? Apply for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator – The Catalytic Programme
22 On Sloane, an African Startup Campus, invites applicants for the 22 On Sloane Accelerator -“The Catalytic Programme, designed for start-ups in the pre-seed and seed stages. The Programme focuses on supporting high-impact digital start-ups to launch, commercialise and scale.
Interested applicants should have innovative ideas in tech fields, including education, commerce, financial services, gaming health or building tech-enabled products or services in Africa.
Participants in the Programme will receive the following benefits
- USD 200,000 worth of capacity-building support
- Free residency at the 22 On Sloane campus in Johannesburg
- Access to an investor network with a combined value of over USD 500 million
- Access to USD 10,000 cash seed investment
To apply for the Programme, visit: Applications
Are you a woman entrepreneur interested in scaling up your business? Apply for this programme before 18 July 2022
Are you a woman entrepreneur interested in scaling up your business? Apply for this programme before 18 July 2022
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) and the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) invite applicants for the “Solutions Catalysing Increased Access to Capital for the Success of Women Entrepreneurs” programme. The programme aims to accelerate efforts to address gender inequality and drive inclusive economic transformation. Through the programme, AFAWA and AWIEF seek to drive increased access to finance and markets for women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) across Southern, East, and West Africa.
Over 510 WSMEs will be supported to scale, access markets, and receive investment readiness training. The programme is eligible for WSMEs from 8 African countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Interested participants can apply for any of the following programme components:
- AWIEF Growth Accelerator (in partnership with Nedbank) – to enhance investment readiness and increase access to finance.
- eCommerce Capacity Development (in partnership with UNIDO) – for building knowledge, capacity, and skills in digital channels to increase participation and success in online business.
- Digital Skills (in partnership with Amazon Web Services) – strengthen WSME’s capacity to embrace technology innovation.
- Mentorship and Advisory – enhancing the visibility and access to role models for WSMEs through a mentorship platform.
To apply for the programme, visit: Applications
Are you an innovative Agri-tech entrepreneur? Apply for the Pitch AgriHack 2022 competition before 29 July 2022
Are you an innovative Agri-tech entrepreneur? Apply for the Pitch AgriHack 2022 competition before 29 July 2022
In partnership with African Green Revolution Forum and Generation Africa, Heifer International invites applicants to the eighth edition Pitch AgriHack 2022 competition. Pitch AgriHack is a digital agricultural competition focused on accelerating entrepreneurial growth and job creation by leveraging advanced tech and youth participation in Africa’s food security agenda.
Through the competition, six successful participants from three open competition categories, including early-stage, mature/growth stage, and women-led, will be awarded cash prizes totaling USD 45,000. Additionally, participants to the competition will benefit from the following:
- A fourth invite-only category, known as the AYuTe Africa Challenge, sponsored by Heifer International, will award up to US$1.5 million in grants to scalable ventures already generating measurable impact for Africa’s smallholder farmers.
- Six winners will be selected from the open-application categories and two winners from the invite-only AYuTe Africa Challenge category. The winners will be announced at the AGRF Summit on September 5-9 in Kigali.
- Top contestants will receive a one-day boot camp in preparation for their final pitches, with winners receiving continued support as they develop and grow their enterprises.
- Business profiles of the finalists will also be published in a Deal Book for circulation at the AGRF and online, while individual profiles will be made public on the orgplatform and reviewed for relevance to their investor community.
Interested applicants must fulfill the following to apply:
- Have a clear and defined description of how their solution is impacting smallholder farmers
- Have a strong organizational and operational structure
- Be aged 18-40 on the day of submission to the 2022 Pitch AgriHack Competition
- Hold nationality (with official ID) from any of the 54 nations of the African Union
- Be the founder/co-founder of the enterprise represented in the competition and play an active role in its operations and leadership
- Have no criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony, or other offenses
- Not be a previous Pitch AgriHack finalist or winner
- Must submit the application form in English
- Must agree with the Terms & Conditions
To apply for the competition, visit: Applications
For more information on the competition, visit: Pitch AgriHack 2022
Are you a social entrepreneur with a high-impact business? Apply for the Sankalp Global Awards before 7 July
Are you a social entrepreneur with a high-impact business? Apply for the Sankalp Global Awards before 7 July
The Sankalp Forum, an initiative of Intellecap, part of Aaviskhaar Group, invite applicants for the Sankalp Global Awards. The awards are part of the Sankalp Global Summit, an annual event that discusses global development and impact investing landscapes. This year’s edition of the awards seeks to celebrate social entrepreneurs who positively impact society, gain hands-on experience, and create innovative solutions with a global community. Interested applicants must have impactful social enterprises in Sankalp’s six impact areas, including agriculture, financial inclusion, health and wash, clean energy, livelihoods and future of work(ers), and affordable housing.
Successful applicants will benefit from the following:
- One-on-one investment readiness support to improve the pitch and investment ask
- Opportunity to pitch and get feedback from the eminent Sankalp Grand Jury and audience of investors
- Curated one-on-one introductions with global investors
- Collaborate with a global network of investors, donors, and entrepreneur support organizations
- Virtual exhibition space for your business to gain visibility and generate leads
Interested applicants must fulfil the following criteria to apply:
- Have a high-impact business that caters to rural, low-income, or disadvantaged communities in any of our 6 impact areas
- Have a clear for-profit business model with high potential for scale
- Have an experienced and dedicated promoter team
- Have some proof of concept on the ground that is generating revenues
- Are looking for funding in the range of USD 100,000 – USD 1,000,000
To apply for the Sankalp Global Awards , visit: Applications
Are you an early-stage justice entrepreneur interested in training and funding? Apply for the Justice Entrepreneurship School before 30 June 2022
Are you an early-stage justice entrepreneur interested in training and funding? Apply for the Justice Entrepreneurship School before 30 June 2022
The HiiL Innovation Hub, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting justice entrepreneurs in East Africa, invites applicants for the Justice Entrepreneurship School incubation programme. The programme supports early-stage entrepreneurs preventing or resolving pressing justice needs in their communities. Entrepreneurs will be offered high-quality action learning through the program on business modelling, storytelling, pitching, and justice design thinking.
The programme is suitable for start-up entrepreneurs who:
- Have a solution that meets the needs of those who struggle to access adequate, easy-to-understand, affordable, and accessible means to prevent or resolve their justice problems
- Have a basic product or service, that is, an existing prototype or minimal viable problem
- Have no traction; that is, the product is still not in the hand of users, or it’s only in the hands of a small number of early adopter users, where we still do not see enough evidence that this product or business can work
- Led by a team of 2 or 3 committed and passionate co-founders who shares a drive for justice and impact
Successful applicants to the programme will benefit from the following:
- A one-week residential boot camp delivered by industry specialists on topics such as business growth, team & leadership, design thinking
- Coaching sessions and mentorship on topics of your choice
- Access to HiiL’s regional network of justice leaders, legal tech organisations, and top-level researchers
- Certification and a learning platform for self-service
- Chance to win up to €1000 at the end of the programme during the Justice Innovation Circle demo day
To apply for the programme, visit: Justice Entrepreneurship School Applications
Are you a women entrepreneur running a for-profit business with a social and environmental impact on your community? Apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards before 30 June
Are you a women entrepreneur running a for-profit business with a social and environmental impact on your community? Apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards before 30 June
The Cartier Women’s Initiative, an annual international entrepreneurship program, invites women entrepreneurs to apply for the 2023 Regional Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. The program aims to drive change by empowering women entrepreneurs with businesses that have a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact.
Interested applicants must fulfill the following criteria to apply for the Awards:
- Business should be a for-profit designed to generate sufficient revenue to support its operations and return some level of profit to its owners.
- Business should be in the early stage of its development and growth (between 1 and 6 years of registered operations as date of application) with a proven business model.
- Business should be generating revenue from the sales of products and/or services for at least one year as of the date of the application.
- Business should not have raised more than USD 2,000,000 in dilutive funding (any kind of funding that requires you to give away a piece of your company, including not only future profits but possibly control).
- Business should demonstrate having a positive impact in its industry and demonstrate it has potential to have more impact if successful with the Awards.
- Business should contribute to at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
Successful applicants will benefit from the following
- Financial capital support: Successful applicants will be awarded grants in three categories. The first-place awardee will receive USD 100,000; the second-place awardee will receive USD 60,000; the third-place awardee will receive USD 30,000.
- Human capital support: Successful applicants will be offered training and collective workshops involving coaching, mentorship, and peer learning.
- Social capital support: Successful applicants will gain international exposure and media visibility and access to an online and offline community of 500+ experts and peers
To apply for the Awards, visit: Applications
Five Tips to Make Better Financial Decisions
Five Tips to Make Better Financial Decisions
Business owners generally need to purchase assets or inventory or make other purchases to help their businesses grow. But resources are often scarce, so it is important, therefore, to ensure you’re making the best financial decisions you can.
If you manage resources appropriately, you will be able to better accomplish your goals and improve your company’s overall performance. Here are five tips to make better financial decisions.
- Pause: Before making a purchase for your business, the first thing you should do is pause and think about what your goals are for your business. Will the item you are purchasing support those goals or deter from them? Don’t pressure yourself or let other people pressure you.
- Ask: Ask questions about the costs and risks associated with a purchase. Keep asking more questions until you understand what you’re paying for and what you are receiving. Don’t be shy about asking many questions. Here are some ideas: What will happen if it doesn’t work out? Can I stop the transaction and get my money back? Are there fees, taxes, penalties, or other charges? What exactly am I receiving in return for the amount I am paying? What warranty or guarantee does this come with?
- Compare: Compare prices to make sure you are paying a fair price. Keep an eye out for anything that seems too good to be true. Ensure that the people and businesses with whom you are working are properly registered.
- Estimate: Estimate the costs associated with your purchase and make sure you are getting value for your money. You can find online tools and calculators to compare financial products or services. Compare the total cost, including fees and chargers, to the value you are receiving.
- Decide: If you thought about how a purchase will contribute toward your goals, asked all your questions, compared prices, and estimated your total costs, make a decision whether to move forward with the transaction or not. Write down all of the above and look at it objectively to help you decide.
We hope that by applying this method, you will be able to make better financial decisions to support your business.
Inama eshanu zifasha umucuruzi gufata ibyemezo byiza byo mu rwego rw’imari
Kenshi na kenshi, abacuruzi bakenera kugura imitungo cyangwa ibicuruzwa bijya mu bubiko cyangwa bakagura ibindi bintu bagamije guteza imbere ubucuruzi bwabo. Ariko, kenshi na kenshi amikoro aba ari macye, kubera iyo mpamvu, ni ngombwa gufata ibyemezo byo mu rwego rw’imari byiza kurusha ibindi byose bishoboka.
Nimucunga amikoro yanyu uko bikwiye, muzabasha kugera ku ntego zanyu neza kandi mubashe kunoza imikorere y’ikigo cy’ubucuruzi cyanyu muri rusange. Dore inama eshanu zabafasha gufata ibyemezo bitanu byo mu rwego rw’imari.
- Ruhuka: Mbere yo kugira ibintu ugurira ikigo cy’ubucuruzi cyawe, ikintu cya mbere ugomba gukora ni ukuruhuka noneho ugatekereza ku ntego ufitiye ikigo cy’ubucuruzi cyawe. Ese igicuruzwa ugurira ikigo cyawe gishyigikira izo ntego cyangwa gihabanye nazo? Wikwishyiraho igitutu cyangwa ngo abandi bakigushyireho.
- Baza: Baza ibibazo bijyanye n’ibiguzi n’ingorane zijyana n’ibyo ugomba kugura. Komeza ubaze ibindi bibazo kugeza igihe wumviye icyo wishyurira n’icyo uhawe. Wigira isoni zo kubaza ibibazo byinshi. Dore bimwe mu bitekerezo by’ingirakamaro: Bizagenda gute nibidakora? Ese nshobora guhagarika kugura iki gicuruzwa ngasubizwa amafaranga? Ese hari amafaranga y’igihembo, imisoro, ibihano, cyangwa andi mafaranga ajyanye n’icyo gicuruzwa? Mu by’ukuri ni iki mpawe kubera amafaranga nishyuye? Iki gicuruzwa gifite iyihe garanti?
- Gereranya: Gereranya ibiciro maze urebe niba uri kwishyura igicuruzwa ku giciro gikwiye. Itegereze cyane maze urebe niba atari ikintu kigaragara nk’aho ari cyiza kurusha uko kiri mu by’ukuri. Genzura niba abantu cyangwa ibigo by’ubucuruzi mukorana byanditswe mu buryo bwemewe.
- Cishiriza : Cishiriza ikiguzi cy’ibyo ushaka kugura noneho urebe niba kijyanye n’amafaranga usabwa kwishyura. Ushobora kubona kuri interineti ibikoresho n’ibyo ushobora kwifashisha ubara bikagufasha kugereranya ibicuruzwa cyangwa serivisi zo mu rwego rw’imari. Gereranya ikiguzi cya byose, harimo amafaranga y’ibihembo n’andi yose usabwa kwishyura n’agaciro k’igicuruzwa uhabwa.
- Fata icyemezo : Niba watekereje ku byerekeranye n’uburyo igicuruzwa runaka cyagira uruhare ku ntego zawe, nyuma yo kubaza ibibazo byawe byose, nyuma yo kugereranya ibiciro, no gucishiriza ku bijyanye n’ikiguzi cyacyo, fata icyemezo niba ugomba gukomeza gukora igikorwa cyo kugura icyo gicuruzwa cyangwa kukireka. Andika ibi byose bimaze kuvugwa noneho ubirebe nk’uko biri koko kugirango ubashe gufata icyemezo.
Twizeye ko nimukoresha ubu buryo, muzabasha gufata ibyemezo byo mu rwego rw’imari birushijeho kuba byiza bizafasha ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi byanyu.