If you are an African agripreneur looking to take your business to the next level, the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize competition might be what you need.
Applications are open to Africa’s best and brightest agripreneurs who are solving the biggest problems facing Africa’s food systems as well as strengthening agriculture and food businesses in their communities.
GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize
GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize is an annual competition organized by Generation Africa in partnership with Econet, a privately-held multinational telecommunications and technology conglomerate, and Yara International, a Norwegian global crop nutrition company.
Launched in 2019, the Africa-focused event aims to strengthen the ecosystem for youth entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector across the continent. This is made more crucial as the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity, inequalities, and poverty facing Africa.
After a challenging selection process ending in a grand finale pitch competition in July 2021, two winners, a female and a male with scalable and impactful business or social ventures will each receive US$50,000 for their businesses. The award ceremony will take place alongside the prestigious Africa Food Prize.
Benefits
Two finalists- one woman and one man will be in line to receive:
- $50,000 each for the most innovative and scalable business ventures;
- Access to training that will help them launch, grow, or scale their agri-food businesses;
- Access to investment networks;
- A chance to attend the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) virtual meeting to gain visibility;
- Mentorship.
Requirements
To qualify as an entrepreneur, you must
- Be aged 35 or below on the date of submission to the competition
- Hold nationality (with an official ID) from a country that is a member of the African Union
- Be an active founder/co-founder of the venture you represent in the competition;
- Not have a criminal record related to corruption, tax evasion, financial impropriety, felony, or other offense, and will provide a signed declaration to that effect, if requested.
For your venture to qualify, it must
- Be legally registered in a country that is a member of the African Union or will have commenced with the registration of such a legal entity prior to 18 July 2021
- Be headquartered in any African Union member country
- Be financially sustainable, either as a for-profit business or a non-profit generating some revenue and aiming not to be dependent on donor funding
- Play a role in the agri-food sector and/or support the development of the agri-food sector through innovation or process improvement. Agri-food sectors such as the following:
(a) Agri-food research & development
(b) Primary food production (farming)
(c) Crop nutrition
(d) Irrigation
(e) Mechanization, automation, or robotics, including drones
(f) Crop protection
(g) Hydroponics or urban farming
(h) Transport, distribution, storage, or logistics
(i) Food processing
(j) Packaging or marketing
(k) Food retail or service
(l) Waste management or recycling
(m) Digital or technology solutions/services to the agri-food sector
(n) Innovative finance solutions/services to the agri-food sector
(o) Renewable energy or environmental solutions/services to the agri-food sector
Evaluation criteria
- Originality and innovation,
- Market potential and traction,
- Social and commercial impact,
- Environmental sustainability,
- Inspiring and investible team.
Program timeline
- After applications have been reviewed by an expert jury, semi-finalists selected for an interview will be notified via Facebook and email by 17 July 2021.
- Finalists will be selected by the jury by 27 July 2021. Six male and six female finalists will be notified via Facebook, or by email.
- Finalists will be invited to compete in the final virtual pitching contest at the Africa Green Revolution
Forum (AGRF) virtual meeting 2021.
Deadline
Entries close on Monday, June 14, 2021. Click here to apply for GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2021.
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