Key details
- Host: SAIS
- Open to: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia
- Target: Entrepreneurs
- Deadline: 6th June 2021
Applications for 2021 Boost up for Tech startup are currently ongoing.
About the Boost up for Tech startup
Are you a startup entrepreneur? Do you want to improve your pitching skills and make your company more investable? Is your startup using technology and innovation to help people in your neighborhood and beyond? Is Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, or Zambia your home country? For a chance to take your startup to the next level, apply for BOOST UP 2021.
BOOST UP for tech startup is a three-part support program in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia organized by the Connected Hubs network and the Southern Africa Innovation Support Program (SAIS 2).
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BOOST UP for tech startup is a program that seeks out entrepreneurs that are using technology to tackle a societal problem and are looking for skills to assist them to pitch their ideas and become investment-ready. The Set Up online training events, Stand Up pitching competitions, and Scale Up incubator program and bootcamp are all part of the BOOST UP series.
BOOST UP for tech startup parts include:
- BOOST UP Set Up: BOOST UP Set Up training provides entrepreneurs with practical tools to package their business idea and develop a pitch to attract their target market. The Set Up training is organised separately in each of the BOOST UP countries: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.
- BOOST UP Stand Up: At BOOST UP Stand Up, committed startups who are eager to make an impact, have a scalable business model, and want to become more investable will compete in national pitch competitions. Connected Hubs representatives will select startups in each country from the Set Up participants that completed the training and invite them to pitch at Stand Up. At the pitch competitions, a panel of expert judges will select the top startups to advance to interviews. After interviews, the most promising startups will be selected to take part in BOOST UP Scale Up.
- BOOST UP Scale Up: BOOST UP Scale Up is an incubation program for impact-driven startups eager to become more investable. Scale Up includes an online incubation program (September–November) and an on-site bootcamp in Helsinki, Finland, in November–December.
Eligibility Criteria
You can apply for the BOOST UP for tech startup training if:
- Your startup is a registered business located in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, or Zambia.
- Technology and innovation play a key role in your business model to address a societal challenge in Southern Africa. “Technology and innovation” here includes, but is not limited to:
- Applications
- Internet of Things
- Artificial Intelligence
- Drone technology
- Renewable Energy and Circular Economy
- Smart City/Smart Environment
- Big Data
- Communications (e.g. internet connectivity services)
- Anything that uses technology and innovation to improve a product or service in any way.
- You have a scalable business model.
- You are developing or finalising a prototype, or have a prototype ready.
- Your startup has a minimum of two team members interested in participating.
- You/your startup have not won a SAIS 2-associated national pitch competition and participated in the BOOST UP Bootcamp in 2020 or 2019, Slush Global Impact Accelerator 2018, or been sponsored by SAIS 2 to participate in Slush 2017.
Note: applications from female-led startups are particularly encouraged.
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Application Procedure
Interested candidates who wish to apply can click the button below:
For more information visit the official website of Boost Up For Tech Startup