Now is the time to apply for Startup Battlefield Africa

We’re searching for just a few excellent startups primarily based in sub-Saharan Africa to take part in our inaugural Startup Battlefield Africa, and all you startup folks available in the market within the region aren’t going to need to leave out this.

TechCrunch is excited to be partnering with facebook to deliver our illustrious startup competition, the Startup Battlefield, to Nairobi, Kenya, later this yr. The Battlefield will characteristic several prominent startups from the region, each and every vying to be topped probably the most promising startup in sub-Saharan Africa.

Startups can apply to one among three classes: social just right; productiveness and utility; and gaming and leisure. as long as your organization matches into this sort of categories and also you meet the eligibility criteria on the backside of this post, you might be encouraged to apply no later than July 14, 2017 at 5pm PST.

the application web page will also be found here, and people companies selected to take part might be notified by using August 21.

TechCrunch will host Startup Battlefield Africa in Nairobi in front of a reside audience and distinguished judges in each and every category, and we will live movement the express on TechCrunch and facebook so the remainder of the arena can tune in.

The judges will make a selection a winner in each category and choose an general winner, “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Promising Startup,” whose founders will win $ 25,000 USD in no-fairness money plus an all-expense paid commute for 2 to San Francisco to compete within the Battlefield at TechCrunch’s flagship event Disrupt SF 2018.

We’re especially excited to be internet hosting this experience throughout a period of promising increase for the area. Sub-Saharan Africa just produced its first unicorn, online purchasing website Jumia, exits within the region are more and more popular and VCs all around the globe are taking notice.

The Startup Battlefield Africa experience will happen October 11 in Nairobi, Kenya at a location to be introduced. We hope to look you and your promising social excellent, productivity and utility, or gaming and interesting company there.

extra data about eligibility criteria and the adventure itself is below.

how to participate

Startups should fit into certainly one of three categories (social excellent, productiveness and utility, or gaming and leisure) to participate. five startups in each and every category shall be chosen to join us onstage for Battlefield Africa in Nairobi.

except for clear relevance to some of the three subject matters, qualifying startups must:

• Be early-stage firms in “launch” stage
• Be a resident from our eligible international locations
• Have a completely working product/beta, reasonably as regards to or in production
• Have bought limited press or publicity so far
• don’t have any recognized intellectual property conflicts

What do the winners receive?
except for the publicity that comes from pitching to the worldwide TechCrunch target audience, in addition to the are living target audience of special technologists, entrepreneurs and buyers in Nairobi, the overall winner will obtain $ 25,000 in no-fairness money plus an all-cost paid shuttle for 2 to San Francisco to compete in the Battlefield at TechCrunch’s flagship experience, Disrupt SF in 2018.

Are costs to attend the pitch-off covered?
No, however TechCrunch will try to find monetary assistance for a startup in need of assistance to succeed in the Nairobi adventure.

Who picks the startups so one can compete?
The TechCrunch editors who run the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competitors will choose the finalists from the appliance pool.

Who will decide the pitch-offs?
TechCrunch and fb will make a selection 4 judges for every theme. they are going to be mentioned entrepreneurs, traders and technologists with expertise related to the class. A TechCrunch editor will reasonable the judging and solid the tie-breaker pollif needed.

what’s the pitch-off format?
each and every company can have 5 minutes to present. The judges may have five minutes to ask questions. reside demos are strongly inspired.

What are the judging standards?
productivity and Utility — The judges will decide the startup with the services or products possibly to go into full business production and have the largest impact on human potential and/or the largest exit.

Social excellent — The judges will look for the startup with the product possibly to catalyze social and financial building via technology.

Gaming and entertainment — The judges will decide the startup with the services or products most likely to look huge consumer adoption and have either the biggest exit and/or impression on gaming and leisure.

When is the applying closing date?
July 14th, 2017 at 5pm PST.

When will you notify the finalists?
August 21st, 2017 at 5pm PST.

Will TechCrunch’s staff assist prepare startups for the pitch-off?
sure; in-person training and rehearsal periods shall be required, in addition to in-particular person rehearsal on October 10th.

What else do I need to comprehend?
The pitch-off is on October eleventh, 2017. There will probably be a reception at the finish of the pitch-off, the place every firm may have room to exhibit and speak 1:1 with pitch-off attendees.

What nations are eligible?
Residents within the following international locations could follow: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, relevant Africa Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

regardless of the rest to the contrary within the foregoing language, the “appropriate international locations” does no longer embrace any u . s . to or on which the U.S. has embargoed goods or imposed focused sanctions (including, however no longer restricted to, Sudan).

if you would like to apply — please click on here.
Refer innovators you admire to [email protected]
Questions? Get involved at [email protected]

See you in Nairobi!

Featured picture: Zeddy Msagha / EyeEm/Getty photography
https://tctechcrunch2011.information.wordpress.com/2017/06/gettyimages-694101861.jpg?w=210&h=158&crop=1
Startups – TechCrunch