Deadline : 31/05/2022
Credit : U.S.-Africa Business Center
As part of the 2022 Digital Economy Summit, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center (USAfBC) in conjunction with AmChams across Africa, is hosting its annual Digital Innovation Competition for African Startups. The competition is targeted towards Digital SMEs and startups that are looking to facilitate the delivery of digital, cross-border, interoperable, and cross-domain services, and solutions, while also accelerating their digitally enabled growth.
The Digital Innovation Competition will award innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups for developing solutions through digital products and services while creating a positive impact on African citizens.
This competition seeks to promote talent in the African region through social impact, digital initiatives that incorporate cutting edge technologies, innovation, and creativity in the form of proposals that formulate solutions to different problems and opportunities in the region.
The competition will be focused on three broad thematic areas:
Fintech and Cyber Solutions: covering data flow solutions, cross border digital platform solutions, mobile technology, intellectual property management, cyber security, and digital movement of creative art (movies, music, art)
Sustainability & Supply Chain Solutions: covering smart manufacturing, e-commerce, management of shared economies, improvement to digital supply chain, logistics solutions to e-commerce businesses, and Agriculture technology (AgTech).
Human Development & Social Services Solutions: covering digital health solutions, e-learning platform.
Eligibility :
Be a startup or innovator with at least 51% African ownership
Must be incorporated /registered with the appropriate country-based body
Not be a government agency, public administration, political organization, or non-profit of any type
Startup must be head quartered in one of the African Countries.
Startup must Not be older than five (5) years and not be part of a franchise brand or licensing agreements for distribution in a different country
Not be a Business engaged in any illegal activity and not listed on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Sanctions List.
Prize Structure :
1st Prize
Total package of $ 25,000
Including $15,000 in prize money
6-month mentorship with a Fortune 500 Tech Company
1-year subscription to digital tools/platforms
2nd Prize
Total package of $ 15,000
Including $10,000 in prize money
6-month mentorship with a Tech Company
6-months subscription to digital tools/platforms
3rd Prize
Total package of $ 10,000
Including $5,000 in prize money
3-month mentorship with a Tech Company
3-months subscription to digital tools/platforms
Regional Champions
$5,000 in prize money
Plaque of Recognition
3-month mentorship with Company within their thematic area
Application Process :
Each applicant will need to fill out the online application form and upload or send a two-minute video pitch of their product/innovation on the digital innovation competition.
2. The following questions will be required in the application:
The full name(s) of the startup owner(s)
Name of startup (must match exactly the name used to register at appropriate in-country registering body.
Physical address, Website (if any), Email address, Phone number
Type of Industry /Sector
3. Applicants will be asked the following narrative questions about their startup:
What sources of funding have you used to support your startup in the past 12 months?
Is your startup currently open?
What is your startup’s mission statement and goal?
What challenges has your startup faced?
Describe the impact that your startup has on the community during Covid-19?
How do you anticipate using the prize, if selected as one of the winners?
Useful links :
Questions regarding the competition must be submitted via email to ewalsh@uschamber.com.