TechCrunch is bringing the Startup Battlefield competition to Africa. This is the first time TechCrunch will be hosting a startup competition in Africa. Thanks to Facebook for sponsoring this event. The event will be happening in Nairobi, Kenya on the the 11th of October this year.
So get ready as TechCrunch is looking for Sub-Saharan Africa’s best innovators, makers and technical entrepreneurs to participate in TechCrunch Battlefield Africa 2017. Startups can apply to three categories: social good, productivity and utility, gaming and entertainment.
TechCrunch will host the event in Nairobi in front of a live audience and top judges. If you cannot to make it to Nairobi, don’t worry as it will streamed live on TechCrunch and Facebook. The judges will choose a winner in each category and select an overall winner, “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Most Promising Startup,” whose founders will win $25,000 USD in no-equity cash plus an all-expense paid trip for two to San Francisco to compete in the Battlefield at TechCrunch’s flagship event, Disrupt SF 2018.
“TechCrunch is eager to take part in covering Africa’s burgeoning tech sector more fully. We love to see startup ecosystems develop, and Battlefield is one of the best platforms in the world to spotlight the most promising ventures for investors, partners and even future employees.” “Our editors carefully pick the best startups to compete from hundreds of applications, and recruits world class judges to ask tough questions and pick the winners. And the Battlefield staff coaches the founders to make brilliant pitches on stage at the Battlefield event”
648 companies that have competed in Battlefield have raised $6.9 billion and produced 95 exits to date.
Here’s how to participate
Startups must fit into one of three categories (social good, productivity and utility, gaming and entertainment) to participate. Five startups in each category will be selected to join us on stage for the Battlefield Africa in Nairobi.
Apart from clear relevance to one of the three themes, qualifying startups should:
- Be early-stage companies in “launch” stage
- Be a resident from our eligible countries
- Have a fully working product/beta, reasonably close to or in production
- Have received limited press or publicity to date
- Have no known intellectual property conflicts
What do the winners receive?
Apart from the exposure that comes from pitching to the global TechCrunch audience as well as the live audience of distinguished technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors in Nairobi, the overall winner will receive $25,000 in no-equity cash plus an all-expense paid trip for two to San Francisco to compete in Battlefield at TechCrunch’s flagship event, Disrupt SF 2018.
Techcrunch will not be covering the costs to attend the pitch-off covered but it will try to find financial assistance for a startup in need of assistance to reach the Nairobi event.
The TechCrunch editors who run the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition will choose the finalists from the application pool. TechCrunch and Facebook will select four judges for each theme. They will be noted entrepreneurs, investors and technologists with experience relevant to the category. A TechCrunch editor will moderate the judging, and cast the tie-breaker ballot, if needed.
- Productivity & Utility — The judges will pick startup with the product or service most likely to go into full commercial production and have the biggest impact on human potential and/or the largest exit.
- Social Good — The judges will look for the startup with the product most likely to catalyze social and economic development through technology.
- Gaming & Entertainment — The judges will pick startup with the product or service most likely to see wide consumer adoption and have either the biggest exit and/or impact on gaming and entertainment.
Application deadline is July 14th, 2017 at 5pm PST. The finalists will be notified on the 21st of August, 2017 at 5p.m PST
TechCrunch’s team will help prepare startups for the pitch-off. Yes, in person training and rehearsal sessions will be required, as well in-person rehearsal on October 10th.
These are the eligible countries allowed to compete:
Residents in the following countries may apply: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing language, the “Applicable Countries” does not include any country to or on which the United States has embargoed goods or imposed targeted sanctions (including, but not limited to, Sudan).
If you would like to apply — please click here.
