Africa’s startup Launchpad, DEMO Africa has announced that the application process for 2015 is now open and entrepreneurs can apply from today. March 18 2015
The application process will be hosted by DEMO Africa’s partner VC4Africa. This will be followed by all the qualifying applications being taken through an adjudication process after which the top thirty will be invited to pitch on the DEMO Africa stage in September during the DEMO Africa event in Lagos, Nigeria.
Organisers are expectant of even more mature applications this year. This means that competition will be stiff and would encourage start-up entrepreneurs to present their best.
Each year since the first DEMO Africa event held in 2012, the number of applications keep going up. It is expected that these numbers will go up again this year which is perhaps encouraging as it clearly shows that more and more African entrepreneurs are getting enthusiastic about being part of Africa’s entrepreneurship revolution.
To qualify for DEMO Africa 2015, start-ups must ensure that their products have the ability to impact the marketplace of introduction. A clear business plan and a team capable of delivering the product are also key. The product must be ready for launch and the business must be legally registered. Preference is given to disruptive innovations that have massive potential for scale.
The 12 application categories include: Agriculture, Health, Education, Manufacturing and Retail. Others are Media and entertainment, Communication, Transport and Logistics, Energy, Finance and Banking, Water and Sanitation, Waste Management and recycling.
The applications will be vetted by an executive panel comprising experts in business and tech. The best thirty start-ups will have a chance to launch their products to an ecosystem of VCs, investors, tech acquisition specialists, IT buyers and media from across the region and around the globe.
The DEMO Africa Alumni have confirmed that they have been able to find valuable partnerships and learned useful business lessons through interactions by their participation. Last year, DEMO Africa presented 6 start-ups with a chance to tour the Silicon Valley to meet mentors and share with peers. These included; SpacePointe- Nigeria, Chura- Kenya, Nerve- Nigeria, Paysail- Ghana, Jifunza- Rwanda and Saisai-Zimbabwe.
Recently, participants in VC4Africa research indicated they successfully raised USD 27 million, many of them being DEMO alumni.
DEMO Africa 2015 is scheduled to take place on 24th and 25th September at the Eka Hotels and Suites in Lagos. This year’s event is being organised in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies and LIONS@FRICA partnership. As has been witnessed in the previous years, the September event is expected to attract top-notch African investors.
Keep checking the Demo Africa page for updates on participants’ registration.
Submission of applications that meet the above requirements will be accepted online through the VC4 Africa portal.
