Zenith Bank and Seedstars have teamed up to create the Zenith Bank Pitching Competition, which aims to aid Nigerian businesses in moving past the minimum viable product (MVP) stage and into the next phase of growth.
The goal of the competition is to find potential companies and support the top entrepreneurs utilizing cutting-edge technology and creative concepts to address current issues and pave the way for the future they envision.
These areas of focus include:
- Future of Wholesale and Retail
- Future of eCommerce
- Future of Payments
- Future of Lending
- Future of Wellness
- Future of Cybersecurity
- Future of EdTech
- Future of Electricity (power vending)
- Future of Agri-tech
- Future of Entertainment
According to Dr. Temitope Fasoranti, Executive Director of Zenith Bank, “As a leading financial institution in Africa with several firsts in the deployment of innovative products and solutions that ensure convenience, speed, and safety of transactions, we have always been at the forefront of and remain committed to promoting technological innovations in the country.”
The Zenith Bank Tech Fair was created with this goal in mind: to find, support, and empower Nigeria’s upcoming tech start-ups.
We anticipate that the fair will serve as a launchpad for competing start-ups and business owners, giving them the necessary assistance to develop into recognized global technology companies soon.
The Zenith Bank Pitching Competition aims to aid participating entrepreneurs by offering the equipment and knowledge required to help their expansion and success.
The cohort will also be taught by internal specialists from Seedstars and carefully chosen outside mentors on lean techniques and best startup practices.
Eligibility for participation
- Existing startups/young tech companies (less than three years old) in the Nigerian ecosystem
- The startup must have a minimum viable product (MVP) or must demonstrate the viability of its business model
- Must be scalable or have the potential to become scalable with a full team
- The startup must not have raised more than $75K; and.
- Must be active in one of the industries mentioned above.
Benefits of participation
The 10 startups will get the opportunity to pitch their innovations at the Zenith Tech Fair on November 22 and 23 for a chance to win one of the following cash prizes:
- First Place: N15 million
- Second place: N10 million
- Third Place: N5 million
The top 5 startups will receive follow-on mentorship through Seedstars’ Mentorship Hub, enabling them to continue scaling their businesses and obtaining adequate assistance from a worldwide network of experts and investors. The remaining startups will receive participation prizes of N1m (one million naira) each.
How to apply
Startups can submit applications for the Zenith Bank Pitching Competition here. The deadline for application is Monday, November 14, 2022.
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