10 Start-up Competitions for African Entrepreneurs

These contests award funding, mentors and more.

Going for Gold - Without the professional and financial support of start-up competitions, many of the stellar technology products, services and companies coming out of Africa might still be a twinkle in their ambitious founder’s eye. Keep reading to learn about the African-based and global contests working to boost aspiring entrepreneurs and advance the continent’s innovative edge. —Patrice Peck(Photo: Blend Images/Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)

1 / 11

Going for Gold - Without the professional and financial support of start-up competitions, many of the stellar technology products, services and companies coming out of Africa might still be a twinkle in their ambitious founder’s eye. Keep reading to learn about the African-based and global contests working to boost aspiring entrepreneurs and advance the continent’s innovative edge. —Patrice Peck(Photo: Blend Images/Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)

Pivot East - Launched as an initiative by the technology consortium m:Lab East Africa, Pivot East, a mobile start-ups pitching competition, has been held annually since 2011. To enter, applicants must include a detailed start-up profile describing the customer problem, the business model and the sales strategy among other aspects. A panel of judges, mainly investors, will then score the applicant’s potential and select one winner for each category, such as Financial Service and Entertainment. Finalists for the Pivot 2013 have recently been selected.(Photo: Pivot East)

2 / 11

Pivot East - Launched as an initiative by the technology consortium m:Lab East Africa, Pivot East, a mobile start-ups pitching competition, has been held annually since 2011. To enter, applicants must include a detailed start-up profile describing the customer problem, the business model and the sales strategy among other aspects. A panel of judges, mainly investors, will then score the applicant’s potential and select one winner for each category, such as Financial Service and Entertainment. Finalists for the Pivot 2013 have recently been selected.(Photo: Pivot East)

88mph - Through a three-month accelerator program, 88pmh offers early-stage Web/mobile companies up to $100,000 in funding. Seasoned start-up mentors, work spaces in Nairobi and Cape Town and a “crazy talented” community of start-up founders are also made available to those selected companies. The application deadline for Nairobi was Aug. 1, with the program beginning Aug. 26.(Photo: 88 mph)

3 / 11

88mph - Through a three-month accelerator program, 88pmh offers early-stage Web/mobile companies up to $100,000 in funding. Seasoned start-up mentors, work spaces in Nairobi and Cape Town and a “crazy talented” community of start-up founders are also made available to those selected companies. The application deadline for Nairobi was Aug. 1, with the program beginning Aug. 26.(Photo: 88 mph)

Startup World - A start-up competition established to shed light on entrepreneurs in emerging markets, Startup World will be held in 20 cities worldwide. Although they are only currently accepting applications for North America and Europe, the organizers plan to head to South Africa and Kenya in the near future, as seen on their map. Start-ups must have been launched in the last two years and received no more than $900,000 in funding. Additionally, applicants must give a demonstration on their project or service. (Photo: Startup World)

4 / 11

Startup World - A start-up competition established to shed light on entrepreneurs in emerging markets, Startup World will be held in 20 cities worldwide. Although they are only currently accepting applications for North America and Europe, the organizers plan to head to South Africa and Kenya in the near future, as seen on their map. Start-ups must have been launched in the last two years and received no more than $900,000 in funding. Additionally, applicants must give a demonstration on their project or service. (Photo: Startup World)

Apps4Africa - This mobile application competition has distributed a total of $125,000 to 12 of the continent’s most promising technology-centric businesses since 2010. In addition to targeting for-profit African tech start-ups, Apps4Africa also focuses on non-profit social ventures. Past winners include Uganda-based Ffene, Ghana-based SliceBiz and Kenya-based iCow. The 2013 competition deadline has not been announced, so follow Apps4Africa on Twitter for more information.(Photo: Apps for Africa)

5 / 11

Apps4Africa - This mobile application competition has distributed a total of $125,000 to 12 of the continent’s most promising technology-centric businesses since 2010. In addition to targeting for-profit African tech start-ups, Apps4Africa also focuses on non-profit social ventures. Past winners include Uganda-based Ffene, Ghana-based SliceBiz and Kenya-based iCow. The 2013 competition deadline has not been announced, so follow Apps4Africa on Twitter for more information.(Photo: Apps for Africa)

ADVERTISEMENT
GIST Tech-I Competition - An initiative that spans 54 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, GIST builds entrepreneurial ecosystems by identifying, coaching and funding the most promising technology entrepreneurs through its flagship competition. The application process includes submitting an Executive Summary and a two-minute promotional video. After a grueling route involving expert judges and public voting, this year’s semifinalists will pitch live in Malaysia. The winners receive grants ranging from $2,000 to $15,000.(Photo: GIST)

6 / 11

GIST Tech-I Competition - An initiative that spans 54 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, GIST builds entrepreneurial ecosystems by identifying, coaching and funding the most promising technology entrepreneurs through its flagship competition. The application process includes submitting an Executive Summary and a two-minute promotional video. After a grueling route involving expert judges and public voting, this year’s semifinalists will pitch live in Malaysia. The winners receive grants ranging from $2,000 to $15,000.(Photo: GIST)

African Innovation Prize - The African Innovation Prize was founded in 2010 as a U.K.-based charity organization. By hosting business planning competitions in three Rwanda-based universities and one Sierra Leone-based university, the organization spurs student innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. Applicants must submit business plans. The competitions run during the academic year, so interested student applicants should visit the organization’s website for information on the 2014 competitions. (Photo: Africa Innovation Prize)

7 / 11

African Innovation Prize - The African Innovation Prize was founded in 2010 as a U.K.-based charity organization. By hosting business planning competitions in three Rwanda-based universities and one Sierra Leone-based university, the organization spurs student innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. Applicants must submit business plans. The competitions run during the academic year, so interested student applicants should visit the organization’s website for information on the 2014 competitions. (Photo: Africa Innovation Prize)

South African Brewery Kickstart - Launched in 1995 as a means to curb poverty, South African Brewery’s Kickstart program has evolved into a competition that stimulates sustainable enterprise development among the nation’s youth and millennial populations. The promising entrants selected from hundreds of applicants undergo a series of phases that hone their skills until three national winners are chosen at a national ceremony. The further entrants go in the competition, the more likely they are to win more prize money.(Photo: SAB)

8 / 11

South African Brewery Kickstart - Launched in 1995 as a means to curb poverty, South African Brewery’s Kickstart program has evolved into a competition that stimulates sustainable enterprise development among the nation’s youth and millennial populations. The promising entrants selected from hundreds of applicants undergo a series of phases that hone their skills until three national winners are chosen at a national ceremony. The further entrants go in the competition, the more likely they are to win more prize money.(Photo: SAB)

StartUp Open - This competition will take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week and is open to any entrepreneur who has launched, or is about to launch, a new venture between Nov. 18, 2012, and Nov. 24, 2013. Startup Open aims to identify and recognize the global “G.E.W 50,” 50 of the most promising ventures from around the world. Each selected start-up will compete for several prizes, with the winners announced at this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week in November.(Photo: Startup Open)

9 / 11

StartUp Open - This competition will take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week and is open to any entrepreneur who has launched, or is about to launch, a new venture between Nov. 18, 2012, and Nov. 24, 2013. Startup Open aims to identify and recognize the global “G.E.W 50,” 50 of the most promising ventures from around the world. Each selected start-up will compete for several prizes, with the winners announced at this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week in November.(Photo: Startup Open)

Seedstars World - For this ultra-exclusive start-up competition, entrants must receive an invitation from Seedstars World to apply. Invited applicants must then go through an extensive pre-selection process and a pitching event, at which regional winners receive prizes and are selected to participate in the final. At the final, the best worldwide startup and runner-ups are awarded access to capital, acceleration programs and more. Regional competitions will occur in Nairobi, Lagos, Kigali, Accra and Cape Town.(Photo: Seedstars World)

10 / 11

Seedstars World - For this ultra-exclusive start-up competition, entrants must receive an invitation from Seedstars World to apply. Invited applicants must then go through an extensive pre-selection process and a pitching event, at which regional winners receive prizes and are selected to participate in the final. At the final, the best worldwide startup and runner-ups are awarded access to capital, acceleration programs and more. Regional competitions will occur in Nairobi, Lagos, Kigali, Accra and Cape Town.(Photo: Seedstars World)

A.W.S. Global Start-Up Challenge - Hosted by Amazon Web Services — a division of Amazon.com — this annual competition awards cash prizes and AWS credit to start-ups founded anywhere in the world. One winner is selected for each category: big data and high performance computing, business applications, consumer applications and gaming. The winning start-ups are selected based on their originality and creativity, scalability, how well the business addresses a customer need and the execution of the AWS solution.(Photo: Amazon.com)

11 / 11

A.W.S. Global Start-Up Challenge - Hosted by Amazon Web Services — a division of Amazon.com — this annual competition awards cash prizes and AWS credit to start-ups founded anywhere in the world. One winner is selected for each category: big data and high performance computing, business applications, consumer applications and gaming. The winning start-ups are selected based on their originality and creativity, scalability, how well the business addresses a customer need and the execution of the AWS solution.(Photo: Amazon.com)